Merrell Men's Vapor Glove 3 Trail Runner

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Let me start by saying that I had a previous pair of shoes from this series, which are now discontinued, and they were by far the best shoes I have ever owned. They were so great that I wore them daily for near 3 years until they practically disintegrated. When I finally had to give them up, I was convinced Merrell would deliver another quality product so I went straight for these. These shoes have so much potential but are marred by terrible build quality. Ill start with the positive(s). The color and design are nice, really eye-catching. Lots of compliments from people never having seen them before and asking about where I got them. Lightweight and comfortable for people who like shoes that dont offer much support. Now for the bad... When I first opened them up, I was surprised to see visible glue seams that bond the upper and sole together on the exterior of the material. They are prominent on both shoes and are really unsightly if anyone takes more than a passing glance at your feet. Getting past that, I have to say that I was not a fan of the fit at first, but this is comparing them to the earlier version I owned. As a stand alone shoe the comfort is acceptable. Regardless they do feel extremely light and I was curious how long they would last considering the questionable build quality. To my (not so much) surprise, after about 3 months of semi-daily use they did start to fall apart - but not at the seams! The material ripped wide open in the middle of the fabric! (On both shoes) What kind of cheap material is this that it cant withstand daily walking? (I dont run in these, only occasionally wear them to work and gym) I know some people will think it is because I have wide feet but I definitely do not. Im a standard size and have had a few pairs of custom dress shoes made so I know my measurements well. I was really upset by this not so much because of the cheap shoes, but because I thought I had finally found a shoe that worked for me. The earlier gloves I owned were so comfortable and well made that I really thought Id be wearing this brand the rest of my life. Oh well, on to the next one.

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I really enjoy the feel of moving in the Vapor Glove 3s. The lack of hardly any material between you and the ground makes me feel more planted, not to mention has greatly increased the strength of my ankles and knees. Apart from the size 13 being a bit too roomy in the toe area (I tried size 12s but they were too small), there is nothing about the fit of the shoes that I dislike. Unfortunately, however, about one week into using the Vapor Gloves on a semi-daily basis, I began to notice the sole of the right shoe coming apart. The same thing began to happen on the left shoe as well in approximately the same place (towards the front where the shoe creases to allow your toes to bend up). I have only been using the Vapor Gloves moderately in a gym setting, not even having taken them out on the trails yet. Im afraid with continued use the soles will only continue to come apart and the shoes will eventually become useless. I very much want to like these shoes, as Im happy with my performance in them, but this type of shoddy quality was not what I expected in a higher-end trail runner. If Merrell fixes this problem I will gladly give the Vapor Gloves another chance, likely in a size 12.5 for a better fit.

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Update 3/25/18. These too are tearing just like the 2 pairs of VG 2s I have. The reinforcements @ ball of the foot inner side did not extend up enough, if they did it might prevent this. Merrell is replacing them under warranty, but I am unclear if those will be warrantied also. I expect them to be. Where the ball of the foot flexes inside the mesh forms a crease to a point and that is where both left and right are failing. I like the idea of these shoes but as for their execution as they are constructed .... well .... Im all for it. ! ;-) -------------------------------------------- So far so good. Yes, they are a few mms thicker than the Vapor Glove 2, but in my case wearing them in a cold climate I find that my feet dont feel the cold quite as much, so okay for now. But please Merrell, dont make them any thicker than these as then theyd no longer be as flexible and supple, which is the purpose of the Vapor Glove shoes in the first place. If anyone complains about this shoe being "too thin" or "hard" etc., they simply had no idea what they were buying. These are not unlike but a few available shoes currently, and thats a wonderful thing ! I do like these very much ! Too early to comment on durability and the effectiveness of the reinforcements.(see above)

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I thought the Vapor Glove 2s were good. I wore them until I started to form holes near the toes (after 1.5-2 years) and so I ordered the same size in the Vapor Glove 3. All I can say is, wow. These are the best running and workout shoes Ive ever owned. I ran 5 miles in these out of the box, the next week, 7 miles. Today I just clocked in 10.6 miles in a single run. I didnt really have to break these shoes in at all. These shoes are legitimately amazing. However, keep in mind I have been using the Vapor Glove 2 and other Vibram minimalist shoes since 2014. Please dont break down your joints and ankles by jumping into minimalist shoes without starting slow, from what I hear lots of people try the trend and leave their huge padding behind and tear themselves up. My stride is much, much quieter and softer than my friend that uses thick-soled shoes. Makes me feel like I am running on clouds!

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Having had numerous pairs of previous vapor gloves 1 & 2s, I was really looking forward to the improvements durability wise on these, unfortunately turns out to be their downfall. These are very tight in the arch and the reinforcement along the sole in the arch ripples causing blisters. They are also much stiffer the my older vapor gloves so much so that they hold their shape like a regular shoe when you take them off, older ones kind of collapse on themselves. Toe box, tongue and lacing are all nice improvements though, but still unpleasant to wear. I will be going back to the 2s or a different brand most likely.

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