User Review: Merrell Barefoot Pace Glove

I got this shoe three weeks ago and have been very pleased with it. So far I've worn it on a bunch of street runs, three short technical trail runs, and a 13.5 mile Rocky Mountain hike to 11,000 feet that was 75 percent slogging through/on knee-deep wet snow and through streams.

It's a true minimalist shoe with an extremely thin sole and toe-friendly wide forefoot. It has good enough lugging to be reasonably grippy going down wet rocks. Lots of nice details:

• Elastic collar around ankles to keep out gravel
• Sole extends to front of toe for a bit of a bumper
• Laces run through bands, not grommets, so less friction on top of foot and shoe doesn't flop open when unlaced.
• Laces up snugly for efficiency without strangling your foot at all--nice and soft
• Very, very breathable mesh body with leather on the stress points
• Great for people like me with wide feet

One big fault—a 1/2" length of the rubber on one toe bumper has already started detaching. This does not bode well. 

Also, this is not a shoe for first-time minimalists to take on a long trail run or hike. I'm a relatively strong barefooter and my feet were TIRED at the end of that 13.5 miles—to the point that I was wading through snowmelt pools to ease my feet at the end.

If the rubber and glues hold up I wouldn't hesitate to buy this shoe again and I'm a very serious shoe loyalist. Also looking forward to trying the Trail Glove, which is in the same series.

(I have no affiliation with any gear company.)