The Vapor Glove 5 shoe is Merrell’s latest edition of their Vapor Glove barefoot shoe line. This article compares the Vapor Glove 4 to the Vapor Glove 5.
Vapor Glove Review Highlights
- Do I recommend the Vapor Glove 5? Yes! Both the Vapor Glove 4 and Vapor Glove 5 are great barefoot shoes.
- Where can I buy the Vapor Glove 5? As of this writing, they are only available on Merrell’s website. Use FatCoupon to get a 10% off Merrell promo code. With this coupon I purchased my Vapor Glove 5 shoes for $72.
- Where can I buy the Vapor Glove 4? These are available on tons of websites like Moosejaw, Backcountry, and even Amazon. They can be had for $60-$80
Vapor Glove 5 Video Review
A Note On Barefoot Shoes
I’ve been wearing barefoot shoes since 2013. I love them for so many reasons. The main reason is that the lack of cushioning makes my body move more naturally. I love how they bring my entire foot (including my toes and arch) into play as I move.
With cushioning and arch support it’s like my feet become bricks attached to my ankles. Cushioning and arch support is now much less comfortable for me, so I exclusively wear barefoot shoes, or nothing at all.
The Vapor Glove 3 then 4 have become my go-to barefoot shoes. I’m looking forward to adding the Vapor Glove 5 shoes to my minimalist shoe lineup.
If you’ve never used barefoot shoes; STOP! You can be hurt if you just start using them without any transition period. I transitioned to barefoot shoes by wearing them for the first quarter-mile of my runs, then switched back to traditional running shoes.
Over several months, I added more time in the barefoot shoes until they became my primary running shoe. It’s also great to wear barefoot shoes for walking and errands, or just going completely barefoot around the house, yard, and neighborhood.
Vapor Glove 5 (VG5) vs Vapor Glove 4 (VG4) Key Differences
- VG5 No tongue! This creates a sock-like vibe
- VG5 Shoelace eyelets integrated into shoe body
- VG5 Tread: creates a one piece, uniform star-like tread; doesn’t come up over big toe like the VG4
- VG5 weigh 10 oz/pair, the VG4 shoes weigh 12 oz/pair, so Merrell was able to reduce the Vapor Glove weight by 2 oz, which is pretty remarkable.
- VG5 Reinforcements are a matte more natural almost felt-like feel, than the smooth/rubbery reinforcements of the VG4.
- Both the VG4 and VG5 have large Merrell branding on the side which makes the shoes less low key. You can sharpie over this for a less branded look.
- Both the VG4 and VG5 pass the roll test. Like other barefoot shoes, they completely roll up and offer little to no support (which is a good thing of course. I will not touch shoes with any rigidity or support. The goal of the shoes is to be a second skin of protection for your feet).
Basically, I feel blessed to have these shoes in my life. Vapor Gloves are much cheaper than other barefoot brands like Vibram, but they are technically sound and quite durable.
The downside of the Vapor Glove 5 is the “technical” look, but they don’t look as wild as toe shoes or being completely barefoot. The benefits I get from the shoes make them a must for me for both working out, and everyday wear.
– Nate
What about the Vapor Glove 3 Shoes?
The Vapor Glove 3 is a great shoe. For me, holes formed on the side where my big toe knuckle is, and where the little toe is. These holes aren’t occurring in the Vapor Glove 4 and I don’t anticipate they’ll occur in the Vapor Glove 5 due to different materials and better reinforcement.
Thank you so so so much for reading. Hit me up in the comments with questions. Be sure to transition to barefoot shoes slowly if this is new to you.
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Plan to buy the Vapor Glove 5? Get a Merrell coupon code from FatCoupon.
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