The Merrell Vapor Glove 3’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 4 runner reviews so far, with product line history and external ratings also informing the score.
Decent
79
Overall
Decent79
Comfort
Very good91
Appearance
Good83
Value
Decent72
Durability
Below average65
Cushioning
Bottom-tier52
Confidence
Confidence
How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on
confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long
record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we
have few ratings or when runners disagree.
The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.
Product line track record
Our ratings
External ratings
What runners say
“For a serious runner like me who runs between 60-80 miles most weeks of the year, these shoes wear down quick. I can go 2, 3 months max before they fall apart completely.”
“They are truly zero drop, and they have only a very, very thin sole that really allows your feet to mimic barefoot running while protecting them from glass/sharp rocks/etc.”
Three reviewers call it the closest thing to barefoot running they have found.
It weighs 5.9 oz in the men's version and 5 oz in the women's.
Two reviewers say the thin sole keeps ground feel while shielding the foot from glass and sharp rock.
Cons
Reviewers rate durability 2.5 out of 5, its lowest dimension.
Two reviewers running 60 to 100 miles a week get two or three months from a pair, and two report the upper splitting at the forefoot.
One of four reviewers so far says you have to step carefully on very rocky trails.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how
much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both
well rated and well established.
Confidence
5060708090100255075100
Better Shoes Rating
Vapor Glove 3 rates 79.
This shoe has low confidence.
See how we rate shoes.
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Merrell Vapor Glove
Each dot is one version of the Vapor Glove, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
406080100
812017792017862019
Release year
We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating.
See why.
There is no doubt about it - there is no better shoe on the market for barefoot runners looking to provide minimal protection for their skin than the Vapor Glove 3. It gives you the full barefoot feel. It supports excellent form and posture. It's how your foot is designed to land.
The only downsides? I don't wear the VaporGlove to race.I need something marginally thicker to race in. I've found I exist in a very niche (nonexistent?) market of serious, subelite runners training for mile-10k on the track who care about barefoot running. As such, it's difficult to find something that is close to barefoot but allows me to race without having to watch my step. The two I've found are the Saucony Havoc XC2 flat (good for trail racing for barefoot runners) and the Saucony Men's Endorphin Racer 2 Track Shoe.
The other consideration with the Merrell Vapor Glove 3 is that for a serious runner who puts in 70-100 miles per week, they will not last very long. 2 months if you're lucky. The upper will split apart in that time, however, i typically just sow them back together and extend their life another month or so.
If you shop around, this doesn't need to be a particularly pricey shoe. I've found it for $40-50 online. Can sometimes run up to $70-80. The new Vapor Glove 4 is exactly the same thing and is being sold for much more.
Anonymous runner · Aug 14, 2019
75 mpw·training for a marathon
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
2/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
4/5
FiveFingers, minus the toes
5/5
Overall
I've been running in minimalist shoes for ten years now, starting with VFF's. Then Merrell released the Vapor Glove and delivered me from toe-shoe shame. If you're looking for shoes that are basically a pair of nylon socks with a thin Vibram sole, these are the shoes for yous. If I had the patience to toughen up my feet and run barefoot, I would. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of patience, nor do I have the pain tolerance for broiling hot pavement in the summer or snow and ice in the winter (New England, baby). Starting with the original Barefoot Vapor Glove and following through the subsequent iterations, I've gone through 15 pairs of these things since 2014. They are not what I'd call "durable" but, then again, they're not what most people would call "shoes." My ideal running shoes would be the Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs guy's polymer spray-on kicks, but until then I'll keep buying these babies.
Anonymous runner · Jul 23, 2019
30 mpw·training for a marathon
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
1/5
Durability
2/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
3/5
Great minimalist shoe
4/5
Overall
This shoe is great if you are looking for a minimalist shoe. That's obviously why I gave it a cushioning of 1 star. It's just 3 mm of rubber between you and the ground. The upper has a bit of durability problems after running around 250 miles in them. It starts to break apart where the forefoot flexes. The sole has almost no wear. I ran it mostly on roads and raced mostly on dirt and grass. The shoe fits a skinnier foot better than a wide one. So be warned if you have a large foot.
The only barefoot shoe that's actually close to barefoot
5/5
Overall
As someone trying to become accustom to "barefoot" (extremely minimal) running beginning a few years ago, the Vapor Gloves came as a huge relief. They are truly zero drop, and they have only a very, very thin sole that really allows your feet to mimic barefoot running while protecting them from glass/sharp rocks/etc. If you genuinely care about barefoot running, but live in a city or someplace where you can't go completely barefoot everyday, and you don't want to deal with freakish toe shoes, this is your shoe.
You have to step carefully on very rocky trails, but if you're interested in barefoot shoes, this slight discomfort should be welcome and expected.
The only downside is that for a serious runner like me who runs between 60-80 miles most weeks of the year, these shoes wear down quick. I can go 2, 3 months max before they fall apart completely. That is frustrating. But there is no barefoot shoe on the market that is even close to the Vapors.
