Merrell Road Glove 2 Review
First Impressions
These barefoot-styled shoes are light weight with eye popping springs donning the uppers. The long, narrow platform has just enough support to confidently take on the road or trail. The 0 mm drop gives a full toe to heel connection. The heal swing sealed me onto the platform. There is no mistaken the minimalist simplicity of these shoes. They are über light!
Features
The stylish, reflective overlay linings and washable mesh uppers offer a sock-like feel to embrace the minimalist philosophy on the road. On short runs, I felt nimble and light on my feet. When short turned to medium length runs, however, a touch of a hot spot on the inside upper forefoot emerged. A thin sock compromised a little of the barefoot feel but solved the hot spot. The antimicrobial treatment on the mesh and foot bed combined with washable construction were reasonably effective in keeping odors at bay.
The 0 mm drop platform is long and narrow. The glove like feel gets lost in the toe box, where there is too much room for a snug fit. The protective toe cap was well past my outstretched toes. The narrow platform resembles how your foot morphs in these barefoot-styled shoes. My foot readily adapted to the platform. My gait transformed. Posture improved. And a more natural stride took over.
Specs
Weight: 14 oz per pair
Drop: 0 mm
Materials: synthetic leather and mesh uppers, TC1 rubber outsole
A Vibram Road Glove outsole finishes the connection to the trail or pavement. My traction on pavement (even wet) was excellent. The underneath sensitivity allowed me to feel the true lay of the land including bumps, cracks and rocks. On smooth pavement, there’s no denying the shock from the foot strike. I much preferred the hard-packed trail. Still, I wouldn’t hesitate if others wanted to go on the pavement for a short to medium run.
Fit
The Road Glove 2 running shoes are narrow and on the longer side. Consider going down a half size. On short runs, they are comfortable sockless. On lengthier runs, thin socks kept the hot spots on the forefoot away. Once fully adapted, I thoroughly reaped the benefits of improved posture, a more efficient gait, and strengthen foot muscles.
Final Verdict
The Road Glove 2 is an excellent light weight option for short to medium length runs. There have less bulk and unnatural weight while also offering great feel for the terrain. By strengthening and conditioning small-motor muscles in your foot, they are a healthy way to return to barefoot basics. The Road Glove 2 shoes mostly lives up to its name. The overall feel is both glove and shoe like.
Find them at Planet Shoes.
