Trail Glove 7 Trail Running Shoe (Men)

TL:DR version - an overcorrection from Trail Glove 6 - a bit too wide in the midfoot and not quite enough arch support for me. I like them to be minimalist, but these are a bit too much like Vapor Glove for me. If you are looking a more barefoot feel, these may be the shoes for you. I like the overall look of the shoe and the different colors/styles. The foot bed in general is comfortable and provides just enough cushion/support. I have never had an issue with quality, and I don't expect I will now. I have owned four pairs of different trail glove iterations over the years. I wear them at the gym for lifting, HIIT, rowing. I wear them casually at work. And I wear them for light-moderate hikes. I do not run due to bad knees. I have owned many other types of Merrell shoes in the past and generally have good success with quality, durability and fit. I really like the idea of a 'minimalist' type shoe and have owned other brands, and while the trail glove is usually an acceptable shoe, I always seem to have trouble loving them. Honestly, I think I liked the earliest versions more. I have an average width foot and a pretty neutral arch. As per most reviews, the TG 6 was too narrow in the midfoot, and the arch was a bit intense at first, but I kind of liked it. As noted above, I think they overcorrected on the TG 7 and now the midfoot is too wide. I can't tighten the laces without the fabric 'puckering'. (This isn't the only shoe from Merrell I had this issue with this year. I have a few pairs of MTL shoes. I have liked most, but the Long Sky 2 midfoot is crazy wide on me. PLEASE TAKE NOTE MERRELL) TG 7 forefoot is a bit too big as well, but that doesn't bother me as much. The arch almost feels non-existent, but maybe it is just because I am used the extra arch on TG 6. The heel locks in pretty well, but I feel the first few versions were better at that too. So, I will probably still keep these and use them for casual wear, but I don't think I will be able to get enough support/stability for the exercise I like to do. I will keep an eye out for TG 8 and hope Merrell finds a middle ground for what I consider is my pretty average foot.

I like the shoes a lot. Currently have 3 pairs. They are comfortable, no problems with plantar fasciitis, spacious toe box, very good ground feel. By far my favorite daily wear. My only dislikes are fairly rapid wear on asphalt/concrete and they load up and get slippery on muddy trails. Comments from 78 yr old man.

I got these a couple of months ago, and have been wearing them every day. I normally wear a men's 7 1/2, but ordered a size 7, as they're said to run large. The physical quality is good, and they fit well near the ankles, but they are not quite long enough, my big toes keep pressing against the front of the shoes. From now on, I'll only be buying a legitimate size 7 1/2. They're comfortable enough to wear, but the lack of toe room defeats the purpose of them being barefoot shoes.