Do Merrill Trail Gloves Stretch? Should they?

RunningPirate

Barefooters
Mar 23, 2012
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Right, then...

As my old Asics trail runners are a) 4 years old and b) sporting virtually no trail-gripping tread, I have replaced them with a pair of Merrill Trail Gloves (for trail use; I still go S2G (or is it STG, I can't rightly remember) on pavement).

I notice that they fit snugly around the wide part of the foot. Having never worn a minshoe other than my InvisibleXero's, I'm not sure if this is OK, or not or if it's going to stretch out a little after some usage. Logic tells me that I'd want a snug fit so there's no slopping about to form blisters and hot spots, but my logic also tells me that if a pickle was a fruit, it would be a lime...so my logic isn't always the most reliable.

So is this something I should sweat? (I've only worn them on carpet and the tags are still on, so I can take them back) Should I try sucking in my feet? Is this the desired fit? Where does that highway lead to? Where is my large automobile?
 
I used to wear the trail gloves. In my experience, they do give and loosen up a little after wearing them for a few runs.
 
I wear trail gloves, erm on trails, and have never had a blister or hot spots, did suffer a black toenail once but that was down to my pedicure skills, or lack thereof.
Have you tried relaxing the laces around the offending area? I have mine set really loose.
The thing is my feet aint your tootsies so common sense must prevail else a puppy dies ;) Same as it ever was.........same as it ever was.
 
I would say take them back and size up. I had to retire mine, way too small now. Have they made any material changes in the last 2 years? Mine are 2 years old

One other note is your feet will swell depending on the length of your runs and could become uncomfortable for longer runs. Also, going bigger gives you the option of wearing a thin sock when weather gets colder.

Just my opinion from a shoddie, to minshoddie, to barefoot purist, to honking boat anchors (not really, but after being barefoot, that's what my Altras feel like).:)
 
I actually got mine a size large. It everywhere fastens pretty tight on the sides of the mid foot and heel, but I the forefoot has a ton of room. They have slightly shrunk and "curled" in the toe in the wash which makes them perfect for me. I am not a big fan of them on the road and the size-up adds to this and makes them feel floppy. But on trails they are perfect and it provided good extra root protection at Rocky Raccoon last year.
 
Running pirate - google alternative lacing strategies. Those might help.

My experience has been similar to NotSoDoomedRunner - the toes curl up after a lot of abuse (making the shoe seem too short), but the middle doesn't loosen.

I'll be honest with you, though, the tight middle section is a big selling point for me. They keep the shoe in place when you are descending or when the terrain gets hairy. I've tried other shoes that are less snug in the midfoot, and I don't like them as much because of this.
 
The are meant to give you space around the forefoot and be very secure around the mid foot. The idea being that the tight mid foot stops the shoe from moving around and giving you blisters while the looser area around the forefoot gives it space to spread.
 
i've got bunions. the merrels drive me nuts after a while, since the forefoot and midfoot are way too narrow for me
the wider versions are too wide cuz my ankles are narrow. i have duckie feet. results may vary.
i have not found that they stretch. i can tolerate them for short periods of time with no socks on.
 
The are meant to give you space around the forefoot and be very secure around the mid foot. The idea being that the tight mid foot stops the shoe from moving around and giving you blisters while the looser area around the forefoot gives it space to spread.
OK, so the thing is not that the toebox is too wide, but too long. I'm going to take them back and try the 13's again, I think...
 
I've got wide feet RP, so take this with a grain of salt, but I could never get the trail gloves loosened enough in the midfoot, this is even with the elastic laces I added. After running bf it hurt to run with a shoe that tight in the midfoot. Hope you got them from somewhere you can return them after a few runs. In my experience, they never loosened up or stretched enough to get comfy. Besides, you never really know how a shoe is going to feel till you get a couple runs in. Good luck and I hope they fit you better than they did me.
 
So, took 'em back. Tried on the 13's and just wasn't feeling it...admittedly, they were an impulse buy (yes, I was looking for trail shoes, but saw these and said "Well, then..."). Going to give it more consideration and sort of live with the trail runners I have, for now...
 
Pirate, I know they're not official barefoot like Merrell barefoot shoes, but have you looked at the mt110 from Mew balance? I really dig the fit of those shoes, and I am a duck foot with narrow heels and broader forefoot regions.


Of course I haven't run remotely bare in more than a year and train mainly in kinvara 3's and Altra Instinct 1.5's so taken input for the nothing it is worth.
 
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you try a wide one? it's best to buy shoes late in the day when your feet are all swollen from being on them. if a shoe isn't comfortable right away then don't expect it to get better either.
 
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Pirate, I know they're not official barefoot like Merrell barefoot shoes, but have you looked at the mt110 from Mew balance? I really dig the fit of those shoes, and I am a duck foot with narrow heels and broader forefoot regions.


Of course I haven't run remotely bare in more than a year and train mainly in kinvara 3's and Altra Instinct 1.5's so taken input for the nothing it is worth.

Ya know, the MT110's don't look half bad; I'll have to check those out....
 
you try a wide one? it's best to buy shoes late in the day when your feet are all swollen from being on them. if a shoe isn't comfortable right away then don't expect it to get better either.

I think it was normal width. Disclosure, I was buying these from DSW, so it's more of a "if it's on the shelf, then we have it" scenario. If I'm really serious about this, I'll go to a proper shoe store...
 
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Yes, the trail glove has a wide version, a 12 wide might work.

Like Lomad said, the NB 110s have a great fit (if you can get over that big toe area jutting out so far), they work for me also, but we are getting out of the "minimalist" definition with these shoes. It all depends on what you like and what your goals are.

Back to the original question. Stretch? No, in my experience anything with a Vibram sole has had shrinkage. Anyone else?
 
Back to the original question. Stretch? No, in my experience anything with a Vibram sole has had shrinkage. Anyone else?

[Clears throat, squares shoulders] Only when it's cold...

C'mon - did you not think I wasn't going to go for the joke? :D
 
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