Merrell  Vapor Glove 7 Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

I bought these shoes because I love the Vapor Glove 6's. These shoes fit true to size, and the tread is much better than the Vapor Glove 6 for weight lifting, plyometrics, jumping rope, box jumps and HIIT exercises. Right out of the box I took them to do my wrestling and Jiu Jitsu conditioning. They give you a nice barefoot feel with that extra bit of traction to not slip and have a little more stability and sure footedness while training for martial arts. They slip on and off easily so they are quick to take off when you transition on and off the mat. I highly recommend them!

After less than a month, the lace eyelet detached. The 6th version started falling apart after just a few hundred kilometers. The outsole wasn't durable, and neither was the insole. It seems like these defects have been recurring for several generations now; every time they improve one thing, they sacrifice another.

I use mine for weight lifting exclusively. The Vapor Trails are ultra lightweight, flat and very comfortable. The wide toe box lets me spread my toes and “grip” the floor during the power phase of squats and deadlifts, providing lots of stability. I prefer the Merrell Vapor Trails over the TYR DropZero’s, I bought for comparison purposes, because the single split in the tongue allows me to tighten the Merrell’s comfortably over my arch without the tongue fabric bunching up. The Merrells are a popular choice in the gym I belong to, along with the TYR’s and BornPrimatives.

Purchased these for an upcoming canoe/backcounrty trip through the French River. Grip of these shoes were great on the steep rock faces and loose terrain. First pair fit and little snug by going off the size guide, returned for 1/2 size bigger and fit great. Toe box isn’t quite as wide as hoped but still much better then traditional hiking shoes. Super light weight and gave just the right about of protection for the sharp rocky terrain. Would buy another pair if they hold up well over time.

I’ve been a strong vaporglove customer for 7+ years. Have run 60+ mile weeks + basketball in them. Never had a knee sprain. Wore these for 2 weeks with low intensity, and randomly ended up with a serious mcl sprain after a normal movement. Super disappointed. I’ve worn the merrell vaporglove 3s, and 5s till now, and they’ve had some minor issues—for example, with the 5s the thin heel cuff led to the back of my heals aching after longer runs—but never an issue that inherently led to a major injury with low intensity use. Although these shoes have extra padding behind the heel compared to previous models, which helps with my issue regarding aching in the back of the heel, these shoes are caved inwards putting extra unnecessary pressure on the knees. Super disappointed. I will be taking my business elsewhere. Hope the next model is better.

I’ve owned multiple pairs of Vapor Glove 6 and still have one pair left thankfully. The 7 has fallen apart in about 5 months and I do rotate my shoes. Outside of the much more visible wear and tear they hold onto smells way more than the 6 did as well. Would not recommend but after trying multiple pairs of Merrels new barefoot lineup and returning 2 pairs seems like I’ll be switching brands.

You lost me on this one. I don't enjoy wearing these, as I really need to feel the surface beneath my feet with each step. I've bought about a dozen Trail Gloves and Vapor Gloves over the past 13 years, and have got very much used to the Vapor Glove 5, where I can feel whatever I'm walking on. The Vapor Glove 7 feels like an ordinary shoe, I don't feel much of the ground at all, and the cushioned sole and thicker upper are features I try to avoid in a shoe. For what it is -- a light-weight trainer, reasonably priced -- it's fine, and for that I can't give it less than three stars. I see why many will love it, but for me, the 7 is too puffed up and ordinary. It isn't what I'd call a barefoot shoe, although it still has the 0 mm drop. After this purchase, I ordered a new pair of Vapor Glove 5s from a different website. I'll store the 7s as an extra pair in my car.

I bought these to serve as ultra-lightweight, packable walking shoes for bicycle touring that I could wear into a restaurant. Not only do they check all those boxes, but I'm finding that they've made notable improvements to my daily walks. Their unstructured feel works my feet completely differently, making them a perfect pairing for long hours in structured cycling shoes.

I only got those since I read reviews that the sole is much more robust than the Vapor Glove 6. I loved the comfort of those but the soles wore down way too fast. The VG7 is just as comfy with much improved soles and now even easy slip on that's not compromising stability. Really love the look too.

I injured my foot while wearing a popular brand of shoes that will not be named, so i got into minimalist running. These shoes are the best. My feet have been healthy and even though the transition is always rough, it is worth the effort. They bend great, look great, feel great, and are great.