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Merrell Trail Glove Review

Posted on June 08, 2011 by Dan Fairbanks | 0 Comments

I have now been wearing the Merrell Trail Glove since early 2011. Since getting the shoes I have run several hundred road miles and several hundred trail miles and have worn them casually in many situations. I have run a 50K and 10 mile race in them, and I they spent 3 long days at Disneyland. With all this in mind I feel that it is time that I now give a longterm review of the shoe.

In short, these are one of the best pair of shoes I have ever worn, but that doesn't mean they are without flaw. The shoes quickly became my favorite trail shoe after I first got them. I had previously been running trails in my VFF Trek's, which are still a fantastic shoe and my favorite shoe to hike in, but the extra tiny bit of EVA and the layer of Kevlar in the Trail Glove made trail running a bit easier on the feet when running in rocky areas, which the trails I run of full of. This comfort does come at a bit of a sacrifice to proprioception, but not so much that I feel like it alters my running form. I think Merrell nailed it for the right amount of cushioning to ground feel ratio.

I also love the way the shoe hugs the foot up until the toes and then has a extra wide toe box. Because the shoe hugs the foot so well I I feel super nimble when running. This is great for changing directions quickly, running up and down hills, and for reducing friction. In fact, on my 50K I didn't get a single blister!

The traction on the bottom of the shoe, with the sole being made by vibram, is great. Other than the absolute muddiest conditions, these shoes will grab any terrain very well.

One of my favorite features is how comfortable and good looking the Trail Gloves are to wear casually. I spent 3 long days on my feet at Disneyland and every night I would be astonished at how my feet didn't hurt like they would when I used to wear traditional running shoes in the same situation.

The durability of these shoes is fantastic. I have seriously put these shoes through the ringer the last several months and they still are in great condition. The sole is hardly worn out and after a wash they look almost as good as new.

So I have said a lot of pros, but what are the cons?

My biggest complaint is how easily dirt gets inside the shoes. Every time I come home after a trail run my socks are caked in dirt in the toes area and the inside of the shoe is caked in dirt as well.

The laces need to be about 2 inches longer. I barely have enough lace to tie my shoes comfortably.

They get wet easily. This makes sense, since they are so low to the ground. They don't get wet as easily as Vibram FiveFingers though, which is a plus. They don't hold water either. The water quickly drains and they seem to dry out at about an average rate. It would be nice if they dried a bit quicker.

Here is my quick look list at the pros and cons of the Merrell Trail Glove:

Pros:

• Hug the foot perfectly
• Wide toe box
• Just the right amount of protection to ground feel ratio for trail running
• Light weight
• Great Traction and Durability via Vibram Rubber
• Good Looking
• Nearly blister free
• Machine Washable (I don't think they advertise this, but I have washed mine several times)
• Comfortable all day shoe
• Can wear them anywhere
• Extremely versatile

Dan Fairbanks 

CEO and Co-Founder 

Born to Run

Posted in Merrell, Merrell Trail Glove Review, Review, Trail Glove

Review of the VivoBarefoot Achilles

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Dan Fairbanks | 2 Comments

This is more of a first impressions than it is a full review. I had a chance to try the Achilles on and run around the block a few times. So what what were my first impressions?

They are a great entry level running sandal. 

I have personally been running in Luna Sandals for much of the last year (I am the CEO of Luna Sandals), among other minimalist shoes, so I feel like I have a good base line to compare the Achilles with. The Achilles are light and initial comfortable when first trying them on. After running in them for a few minutes I felt a little irritation between my big toe and the adjacent toe, which which would likely go away in time if I kept running them. I did not have the same problem on my right foot. The back heel strap is comfortable on both feet. They had very nice ground feel, giving it a good minimalist shoe like feel, which is very close to barefoot running. The toes are allowed to splay naturally, which is a nice feature as well and especially important for good barefoot like running form.

So why do I say they are a good entry level running sandal, instead of just a good overall running sandal? 

There is no denying that I am predisposed to be biased toward Luna Sandals. But the truth is that I want the running sandal market to expand and I want to see quality products on the market that encourage people to try it in whatever form works best for them. Luna Sandals are still going to be the way to go for me. Nothing fits and works better on my feet than a custom made pair of sandals that molds to my feet. But I do have to say that VivoBarefoot has made a quality product that approaches the running sandal idea from a completely different way that many people are really going to love. If I didn't have the little toe irritation I probably would have said that they were a great overall running sandal. Undoubtedly a lot of people are really going to love these sandals and they will quickly become their running footwear of choice. I can already see people winning races in them.

Dan Fairbanks

CEO and Co-Founder

Born to Run

Posted in Achilles, First Impressions, Review, Vivo Barefoot