Barefoot Trail Glove 8 trainers, black/grey, MERRELL

Love the trail glove 8. I genuinely feel like Merrell listened to all of the feedback provided from the previous TG models and applied it to the 8. The primary improvement on the 8 is the tread. Unlike the TG7 (and 4 for that matter) the TG8 has a tread that is both highly functional and doesn't shred like a soft cheese. It was super frustrating to buy running shoes and have the tread wear down instantly. It was so frustrating I switched to other brands after burning through two pairs of the TG7 for at least a couple years until the TG8 came out. I also supper appreciate that they kept the wide toe box. While the TG6 also had a great tread, it had a narrow toe box and I was worried the TG8 might also feature a return to a narrow tow box. The style of these is awesome too! Even though I mostly wear these for running, I also wear them casually. Older models colors and styles baffled me and left me wondering "who actually thinks this looks good?". Not the case with the TG8. My only request would be to bring back the 3mm lug. The 2.5 is decent but having 3mm would add about %14 more life to the shoe. I know I would buy more pairs and rule out competitors if Merrell kept improving the shoe like they did on the TG8. Huge TY, no other shoe is as enjoyable to run in!

Bring back the TG7! I bought a pair hoping the feel would grow on and the thick TPU around the toe box would stop messing with toes but after an hour of wear, I returned them. I then tried 4 store and found a pair of TG7 that fit. I'll take a pair of TG7 that I hate the color scheme than a pair of TG8 that the TPU constantly is poking at my toes! Best use is being turned into 3D printer filament because there is 0 comfort

The Trail Glove 7 was my first pair. Although I’m a runner, I originally bought them for sightseeing during a running vacation. I struggled initially to find the right size, but once I did, they served me very well until the uppers eventually wore out.

When I tried the Trail Glove 8, I had to go up a half size, but I immediately loved the way they felt on my feet. Perhaps because they come up a little higher around the ankle and have the burrito-style wrap, they really do feel like gloves.

Unfortunately, once I started actually wearing them, I discovered a significant problem. There is a piece of hard plastic around the ankle that rubs painfully against my ankle. I have repeatedly had to use pliers to bend the plastic outward to keep it from digging into my ankle. It helps temporarily, but the plastic works its way back and the discomfort returns.

That is particularly disappointing because otherwise I really like the Trail Glove 8. The fit and feel are excellent, but I shouldn’t have to repeatedly reshape part of a shoe with pliers in order to wear it comfortably. I’m counting on the plastic eventually breaking down enough to stay rolled outward. Otherwise, this would be a two-star shoe for me.

Great shoe. Been using trail gloves since the 6s and these are my favorite yet. I would completely wear through the tread on the 7s in 250-300 miles, I already have 350 on the 8s with no signs of real wear.

The sizing is consistent, and they feel slightly wider than the 7, and definitely wider than the 6. They are very slightly stiff out of the box, but they break in well.

Very well done.

Great fit out of the box and more comfortable than I thought they would be. Going to buy a second pair as back up!

Bring back the TG7! I transitioned to the Merrell TG series a few years ago and on my third pair of TG7. Sadly, the TG8 is a major miss.

Unfortunately, as with many more customers, these dig into my ankle. This is nowhere a minimal shoe anymore. It is stiff, has a hard outershell, thick sole.

I will be returning my pair and buying another pair of Trail Glove 7. I was really excited about these but they are not an iteration, but rather a full turn to the worse. The market already offers shoes like these, which are light and plastic-y. The Trail Glove is supposed to feel like a sock around your feet and get you into the barefoot life.

After owning 4 pairs of TG7’s I’m sad to say I have to the I have to look elsewhere. The TG8 is nowhere near the same shoe. The new seams over the toe box create raw spots on top of my toes, the toe box is considerably narrower than previous models and does not feel nearly as planted. I want my TG7’s back, the black on gum was so good.