Merrell Men's Vapor Glove 6 Sneaker

Product Information

If you have a flat and wider midfoot, then I could see the sole of this model bothering you. To add to this, I think if you didn’t resonate with the fit of prior Merrell Vapor Glove shoes, then you’ll find this shoe follows suit with its fit. Since these shoes are designed to be highly versatile, I wanted to put them to the test in a wide range of use contexts to help shed light on where they excel and where they fall short. All that being said, if you want a shoe that has a budget-friendly price that can hold its own for more casual hikes and outdoor wear, but then also performs well in the gym, then I think the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 is a good option for you. Who Shouldn’t Invest In the Merrell Vapor Glove 6? Over the course of my testing process with the Merrell Vapor Glove 6, I’ve found a few things to enjoy with this model.

Overall, though, I think the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 will excel in a wide range of hiking settings, especially in warmer months. I’ll likely use this shoe as I use the Vapor Glove 5 which is on hikes that have water crossings. In wider barefoot shoes, you can sometimes slide when their width doesn’t align with your foot anatomy, so this model should be perfect for narrow and neutral-width feet. For wide feet, these should work, but I don’t think they’re the best option for notably wide feet. Testing the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 for Versatile Training I would however limit how much you’re running in this shoe on pavement if you want the lugs to last and hold up. For day-to-day use, I’ve enjoyed how easy this shoe is to slip on for longer dog walks. I just wish they looked a little more casual. Merrell Vapor Glove 6 SizingOn top of this limitation, I also don’t think the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 will be the best barefoot shoe for serious strength work as its lugs could be off-putting for anyone wanting a shoe to get them as close to the ground as possible. On top of this, the sole also articulates pretty well so if you want a barefoot shoe that has a nice level of flexibility, then I think you’ll enjoy how the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 performs for lifting. Another thing that I think is both positive and negative about this shoe is its width. For narrow and neutral-width feet, I think you’ll enjoy the amount of room you get in the toe box for toe splay as it’s spacious but it doesn’t feel like it’s too much. I think if you’re wanting a lightweight barefoot shoe for a little bit of everything, then the price point for the Vapor Glove 6 makes sense. This shoe does a good job of being decent for casual training and outdoor wear.

While the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 does a good job from a hybrid outdoor and indoor context, I don’t think it’s going to be the best barefoot shoe for daily wear and more serious training. For hiking, I like the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 and think it will fare well for casual hikes in warmer months. The high level of breathability with this shoe is great for warm contexts, but this won’t be your barefoot shoe for hiking in cooler months, in my opinion. For narrow and neutral-width feet, the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 should fit really well. I also think this model will fit well for feet that have a bit more arch to them as their sole does have a little arch to it. In addition, the EVA foam insole and Vibram outsole are also composed of at least 30% recycled materials. If you care about the materials used in your shoes, then I think this will be a nice pro that comes with the Vapor Glove 6. Merrell Vapor Glove 6 ConsThey are incredibly lightweight, made to last as long as much burlier shoes, use mostly recycled materials, have an impressive Vibram outsole, and come in a large range of sizes and colors for men and women.

For multi-directional work and plyometrics, the 2mm lugs give you enough grip for most surfaces and on turf and rubber gym floors, this model did a good job of providing me enough traction to push my performance. My only gripe with this shoe for versatile training is that the little arch in the sole may be uncomfortable for some as they jump more due to the arch compressing and flexing throughout your training session. Testing the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 for Hiking, Short Runs, and Daily Wear While I think the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 is one of the stronger shoes in this line yet, there are a few cons to keep in mind before investing in this model. Vibram® Ecostep Recycle outsole designed with 30% recycled rubber which provides added durability and improved grip on wet and dry surfaces The bellows tongue does a good job of keeping gravel and debris from getting into this shoe. I also like how the extended outsole wrap over the toe box and heel adds a nice degree of traction, protection, and durability.

Merrell Vapor Glove 6 Cons

We like that the Vapor Glove is thoughtfully designed with the hope of an extended lifetime. Opting for abrasion-resistant Cordura mesh, the upper does a great job of balancing breathability and durability. Add in a substantial rubber toe rand and well-placed patches of TPU on the edges of the forefoot and around the heel cup, and you have a shoe with a long-lasting top half. If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the Merrell Vapor Glove 6, drop a comment below and share what model you currently wear and I can help you out accordingly. Price Breakdown

If you have notably wide feet, then I would say tread lightly when looking into this shoe. This shoe should work for most, but again, if you have a flatter midfoot and arch, then you may not enjoy this shoe’s overall fit. On top of this, you may want to pass on this shoe if you’re wanting a model for functional fitness or for road running. The thinner sole and lightweight mesh upper may not be the most durable for these training contexts as well. Performance Assessment On top of this, they have a good level of breathability, so if you’re doing something like HIIT or athletic-style sessions in warmer settings then I don’t think your feel will run overly hot in this model.However, I think if you’re wanting a barefoot shoe that you can wear to train and hike in and wear more formally, then you may have a hard time doing so in this shoe. You might want to look into something like the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II FG. To assess the performance of the Merrell Vapor Glove 6, I’m going to cover their performance in a wide range of contexts. I’ll discuss how they perform for lifting, versatile training, short runs, hikes, and daily wear. For outdoor wear, this shoe has a slightly more aggressive tread patterning on its outsole with 2mm lugs and the outsole extends over the toe and heel for added traction and protection when hiking, trail running, and wearing these out and about. For the Merrell Vapor Glove 6, I think most will be safe going true to size in this model. I found the length to fit true in this shoe and they have a fairly adequate throughout the toe box. For short runs and daily wear, this model has also performed pretty well. I think the Vibram outsole should hold up fairly well over time and I have yet to see any durability issues with this model.