Nico's blog

Last run with running shoes: Merrell Vapor Glove

A new (hopefully) regular post: post-mortem on running shoes

Goal

I realised I wrote reviews of my new running shoes, with a feeling/advice after a few runs, but sometimes these initial feelings can change after a lot more runs, so I figured out it would be good to write a "post-mortem" once those shoes are "dead".

Why the Merrell Vapor Glove 4

I didn't write a review when I bought them, however here's a quick recap:

• I had the Vapor Glove 3 (in June 2018) before those ones,
• I bought a first pair of Glove 4 in November 2019, which lasted 600 kms,
• then I bought another pair of Glove 4 in January 2022,
• Initial goal was to have something light to carry while travelling,
• while still having a "zero drop" shoe.

Feedback

Why do I retire them?

Simple: I have a hole in the outsole:

What I liked

• they're super light
• they're also super flat, making it easier to pack in even a small carry-on luggage
• the Vibram outsole is strong and resistant

What I didn't like

Well, not necessarily "didn't like", but more "ok, it's a compromise":

• there's absolutely no cushion: this really is minimalist running
• the toe box is "normal", i.e. a lot narrower than the Altra shoes I'm used to run with
• those are shoes made for road running, and they are great for that. But the moment you step into stones/rock, you have to be really careful, as you'll feel every one of them, so depending on their shape, this can be painful.
• Also, I found the life span of those shoes to be pretty short: 545 kms is rather short, compared to the (at least) 800 kms I am used to.
  See below the 3 pairs of Vapor I owned: while I managed to get the Vapor 3 above 800 kms, my 2 pairs of Vapor 4 barely made 500 kms:

Wrap Up

Overall, I like those Vapor Glove 4.
Now will I buy a new pair? I am still thinking about it:

• they're really great when travelling, as they don't take 1/2 of your luggage,
• but that means you're "limited" to road running, as I wouldn't use them on a trail run: the outsole is just too thin, and there's no grip either, making it not optimal for downhill or uphill running on trails.

On the other side, I am not always running on trails while travelling, so depending on where I go, they'd still be an option.

Tags: Running