Just got some merrell barefoot trail shoes for this purpose. Trail glove 7.
Best for me w no-cushion smartwool socks.
Mixed reviews of merrell over the years but very pleased w these.
These are basically the perfect shoe for me. I’ve also tried the Merrell Trail Glove 7 and the Vivobarefoot Gobi. The Merrell wasn’t barefoot or wide enough, and the Vivobarefoot was too barefoot with its 3 mm soles.
Style-wise, I really like them, I struggled for ages to find anything that fit my taste. I think American and UK styles are quite different 😅. There are some nice barefoot shoes out there, but most are around £150. I get that independent brands need to charge more, but that price point isn’t realistic for everyone. These originally retail at £100 and can be picked up for about £60 on sale, which feels reasonable.
I’ve seen people say they aren’t very wide, but out of the three I’ve tried they’re by far the widest (I know it's quite a narrow selection). I think the confusion comes because they’re narrow at the heel and wide in the toe box, which is exactly what I'm after. The Vibram soles are extremely flexible and can easily be folded in half. They do have a bit of toe spring which I would prefer otherwise, but it's not noticeable when walking.
Hi everyone
I'm in the middle of my transitioning started in october 2024 with Altra Lone Peaks 8 as my daily shoes, at march 2025 I start to use Merrell Trail Glove 7 as my daily shoes.
This winter (October 2025) I bought Freet Arken for some trekking but I found them a little stiff and with no much groundfeel as I expected.
Arken 7 mm thick and Trail glove 16 mm thick, but I had more groundfeel and flexibility with trail glove.
I bought Astral Loyak All Weather for daily use and I love them, so much grip on concret and wet, so flexible, very good groundfeel (the best, in my experience) but a little cushioning for concrete.
I tried them even without the insole and is quite good, but on concrete i prefer the insole.
So for this summer I was looking for an hiking shoes that was similar to the feeling of Astral loyak, for having a more barefoot experience than Trail Glove, and bought Merrell Vapor Glove 7.
The shoe seems good to me, on gravel is good, has good grip and everything is ok, but only on concrete I can't stand them, they hurt so much at the sole of my foot, the heel and especially the metatarsal, even after some minutes. I was expecting a different sensation from them (especially this new model that is thicker).
I have two question for you.
1) It is normal for my progression to have this pain considering that I have no issue with no other shoes (Arken and Loyak especially should be very barefoot)?
2) The most important: there are some shoes in the middle between Trail Glove and Vapor Glove?
Thank you all
UPDATE
I inserted a cheap thin insole (2 mm) and I want to do some consideration:
Pros: It's good for concret, a lot more comfortable and basically make ok to walk on it.
Cons: everything else, not so much less groundfeel but I can feel the difference anyway, I have the sensation the shoes want to sleep away from my feet from behind, really it's secured anyway but it's a strange sensation, I struggle A LOT MORE to grab the ground with my feet it's a total mess and tire my foot a lot, and it's even worse considering the less groundfeel and the shoes remaine flexible as before.
Last one, without the insole the size is pratically perfect, a real glove, with the insole it's a bit (very bit) tight.
For now I will use them without insole but take them with me to put them on if I have to walk a lot on concrete.
Yes, it's very different, but it was good.
With Lone Peak I had some problem with my knees (I think for the zero drop change) and my ankles.
With trail glove I had some problem mainly with my foot arch and a point of pressure between it and my heel on my left foot(still have it on Trail Glove but not on Astral). In some period I had some problem with my hips (especially right hip), like fatigue and a little pain. But after some months it was ok.
My favorite shoes is astral loyak for now, I had only a little metatarsal pain at the first days.
Sometimes during the transition I thougt to slow down a bit for the pain or problem i had, but at the end I continued. I'm an ex track and field athlete so I'm confidend with pain and issue and I think I can feel when an issue is a red flag or not.
Thank you. For now I'm only walking and hiking in my barefoot shoes and I wear some Topo (don't remember the model but one of the most minimal, but not ST) for running.
I'm talking about walking on concrete, specifically on concrete. My pain is only to my bones, not muscles. Maybe tendons, not easy to say. For sure I have to strenghten my foot, but I don't have so much issue on offroad.
I think that I have to be more cautious when walnking on concrete too, necause the shoes I used since now were just less minimal.
There is one more thing, I'have always with me a backpack not so light, but one time I went out without backpack It wasa lot less painful.
Maybe we just need to remember that we used to walk barefoot, but without heavy backpack too! :D
And so you are saiyng that the trail collection from Vivo is more protective? I'm thinking to tracker for more difficult trekking, if you say that are more protective than Vapor Glove is perfect.
Mmh, I think Trail Glove and Astral Loyak (no All Weather).
I find quite good the Groundies Lima that I'm trying, but with a thin insole, however they aren't my favorite pair of shoes, a little bit stiff and to narrow, but ok for some casual occasion because they are pretty good shaped too. And for some model there is a larger version (not for Lima). But I'm thinking that I find them really hot respect to Vapor Glove and Trail Glove.
My problem with Astral Loyak classic for city use is that they have relly low drain holes and my fear is that even a small dog's pee paddle can wet the insise of the shoes, and even if they are ultra draining you have to keep some dog's pee in contact with your shoes and feet and you can't immediatly wash them.
I don't know Lems shoes but I think they should be the perfect shoes for concrete. I'm not sure about breathability.
However Trail Glove is very light and fresh and the last model is good on concrete and on trail too.
The two main barefoot shoes Merrell has is the trail glove zero drop shoe with medium padding, and The vapor glove which is also a zero drop barefoot shoe with minimal padding, they seem to come out with a new set of vapor and trail glove every 2 to 3 years and they look good but I haven't tried them but I know the last model of trail glove 7 was a very good shoe in my opinion.
Yeah, the tread wasn't bad off-road but would wear down quickly on the road, the new model looks like it will last longer on road runs, I would slip a bit in the rain on white road lines and man hole covers with the 7s but that's pretty standard for any shoe. I'm optimistic about the new model vibram grip is usually pretty good, it will be interesting how the new models toe box and general for is designed.
DaddyLongLegolas
