Merrell Men’s Vegan Adventure Barefoot Shoes

Last updated: September 7, 2022

Merrell Men’s Vegan Adventure Barefoot Shoes
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We looked at the top Barefoot Shoes and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Barefoot Shoe you should buy.

Overall Take

In our analysis of 88 expert reviews, the Merrell Men's Vegan Adventure Barefoot Shoes placed 5th when we looked at the top 10 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

100% Textile and Synthetic. Imported.Rubber sole. Mesh & TPU upper. Vegan friendly. Trailprotect pad for underfoot protection. Breathable mesh lining, Vibram TC5 outsole. Insole: 3mm, 3mm lugs;TrailProtect pad offers underfoot protection

Expert Reviews


What experts liked

Multiple color options aren't too gaudy. Comfortable to wear for long days, as mesh allows air flow. Includes extra padding around the shoe's sole to ensure protection for the foot when wor in harsh terrain.
Most of the testers mentioned that the formal style of the Merrell Trail Glove 4 allowed them to wear this shoe for casual occasions.
The versatile shoe offers seldom seen design elements that perform exceptionally well and ought to be standard throughout running shoes. If you are looking for something new to break out on your trail days, then take a shot with this shoe: it was our top pick for trail shoes. These shoes have decent toe-box protection against stubbed toes on roots and rocks; they are zero-drop — there is 0mm difference between the heel and toe - they have no unneeded padding under the sole and offer the minimum your feet need for support and protection.
The shoe works great with short and ling, both running distances. The added tongue in the shoe gives better comfort and fit.
Merrell improved the tread and lacing systems of the shoe, as well as adding thinner mesh.
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Thanks to their breathable outer layers, these trainers are excellent in hot environments, giving your feet the chance to cool off, while also letting air pass through them.
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The Trail Glove 4 Runner is a lightweight, comfortable shoe with short break-in time and comes with a mesh lining for breathability, thus keeping your feet cool at all times. Many users have also confirmed the supportive attributes and how stable this innovative shoe is, and these are rare traits in the majority of minimalist shoes out there.
The Glove 4’s are very lightweight and fit your feet like a glove and give amazing support to those extreme trail runners.
What stands out about this design is its low profile, zero-drop shape, and superior trail feel. It’s one of the lightest shoes to make our list at 16 ounces but manages to retain modest trail performance with a close fit, rock guard, and Vibram outsoles. Overall, the Trail Glove is a good choice for the minimalist runner that sticks to easy trails and short distances.
The midsole of the shoe is constructed from primarily EVA foam. This design allows the shoe to provide the wearer with both a high-level of responsiveness and comfort during use.
The shoe fits like a glove. A snug wrap around all areas of the foot reduce any internal movement, which is essential to a barefoot running platform. This is accomplished by eliminating the tongue and essentially having the mesh upper tighten in one motion.

What experts didn't like

May not last long for heavy-duty users. Shoes seem to retain odors.
According to some testers, the mesh was very thin. It easily tore apart after only several uses.
Wear fast on roads, may be tight on some.
Small cushioning, some users have experienced a slight pain in the initial days of its usage. Plus, The mesh is thin; therefore it is easily torn and wears off after sometime.
Some users thought there was a little too much cushion for a true minimal shoe supporter.
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These shoes come in anywhere between $60 and $200, making them a little more expensive. They aren’t quite as compact as other minimal shoes, providing additional enforcement to make sure that the shoes can take a real beating, but this is a good payoff
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Shoes may be too narrow for some runners.
As comfortable as they are, they can be a bit tight on the top of your foot as the tongue tends to rest a bit low and the toe box isn’t as big as other trail runners.
The thin construction doesn’t offer nearly the same degree of protection and rollover stability as the shoes above. Further, it will take some time to get used to the zero-drop ride if you’re transitioning from a traditional shoe or are a heel striker.
The shoe has an extremely thin layer of padding that acts as the midsole of the shoe; this severely limits the ability to provide support for the curves of the wearer's foot during use. The upper is also cut very thin and stops far below the ankle. This results in on ankle support being provided and very little possiblity of support for the upper of the wearer's foot during use.

Our Expert Consultant

Stephanie Mansour   
Certified Personal Trainer, Health and Wellness Expert

Stephanie Mansour, host of “Step It Up with Steph” on public broadcasting, has been coaching women for over a decade on how to lose weight and make it last. She has a Bachelor of Arts in communications with an emphasis on women’s studies and psychology from the University of Michigan. She holds certifications in life coaching, personal training, yoga and Pilates.

View our Barefoot Shoe buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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