Merrell Trail Glove 5 3D – Women’s Review

The Merrell Women’s Trail Glove 5 3D is an excellent minimalist trail running shoe. The burliest shoe in this review, it perhaps sounds like a divergence from pure minimalism—but not really. The TrailProtect rock plate plus the thicker, 11.5 mm stack height makes this an ideal shoe for those particularly rough trails. And the solid, single-piece uppers and plastic toe cap help keep trail debris out. Despite these added protections, the Trail Glove 5 3D is not a trail running shoe for anyone who hasn’t trained adequate foot strength. The shoes feature the usual zero drop sole, a wide toe box, and minimal support (though they have more arch support than most models we reviewed). These shoes still allow excellent ground feel so your feet are able to bend, adjust, and grip the terrain underfoot. The sole design allows your feet to articulate naturally as you bound confidently up and down steep, rocky trails. It’s our favorite on the trails, earning our Top Pick Award.
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