Merrell Men's Vapor Glove 6 Sneaker

Product Information

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? The Merrell Vapor Glove 6 delivers a strong performance for the barefoot shoe lover who wants a shoe for working out but also adventuring outdoors. This shoe is what I would call a hybrid regarding its outdoor and indoor performance. 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. 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.

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. The final aspect to like about the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 is that the entirety of this shoe is pretty much built with recycled materials. For example, the mesh lining, upper, and footbed are all 100% recycled materials and so are the laces and webbing. 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

For my size 10 model, the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 has a weight of 5.6 oz which puts on the lighter end for shoes built for outdoor and indoor use. This model’s mesh upper also breathes really well which is a nice perk of this shoe. 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.

Performance Assessment

Over the course of my testing process with the Merrell Vapor Glove 6, I’ve found a few things to enjoy with this model. When it comes to daily wear, this shoe has a more “outdoorsy” look and almost gives off water-shoe vibes, so I don’t think this will be the barefoot shoe that you can wear in more formal or business casual settings. 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.

Vibram® Ecostep Recycle outsole designed with 30% recycled rubber which provides added durability and improved grip on wet and dry surfaces 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 WearIn 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 Cons

The outsole also does a pretty good job of providing traction for different exercises. When doing things like kettlebell swings and walking lunges on different surfaces, I never had slip issues with this shoe.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. 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 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.