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Vibram or Merrell? Hmm... (Read 1614 times)

    Been tooling around in transitional shoes for about a year now (Saucony Mirages and Brooks Pure Flow) and I want to move to less shoe.

     

    I'm looking at two choices: The Merrell Road Glove and the Vibram Biklia LS. Read all of the reviews, but I'd love to hear from anybody here who wears either (or both?) of these.

     

    I'm usually about a 40mpw runner, mostly road/sidewalk and 1-2 days a week on the track doing speed work. Race 5K/10K/HM.

     

    Any thoughts?

      I have had several vibrams, and to tell you the truth I am over the novelty of them. My wife has the Merrell's and they seem okay, but are definitely a bit hard to put on. Don't expect to wear socks in them. I have a pair of New Balance MT10s and love them. I may get a pair of MT00s when I need a new pair. However, the various vivos look promising and I have heard good things about them. Anyway, that is my 2 cents.

       

      stadjak


      Interval Junkie --Nobby

        I like socks.  And I like the NB MT-10s.  Roomy toe-box.  Light.  Feels like a slipper.

         

        I've ditched them for now, since forefoot running form caused stress on the top of my foot (was up to 2mi after 1.5mo).

        2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

          Do you think they'll make you faster? I'm all for less shoe, but these seem like so little shoe that you're running in them for the point of it, not for running. I do barefoot strides, maybe a km here or there as workouts, but feel no need to try and run a significant part of my mileage barefoot, or in shoes that are the next thing to it. Personally, I don't even wear my lightest flats for longer races as I'm faster in my Saucony Type A, which is classed as a lightweight trainer (last I checked). At a certain point, going faster involves more impact, no matter how efficient or naturally you run.

           

          I guess I understand the guys who run only as part of crossfit wearing these things, the guys who run barefoot who want to run someplace harder on the foot, but if you're worried enough about speed to be doing speedwork twice a week, why use equipment that's likely to slow you down?

            absolutely LOVE the Vibram but really didn't like the Merrell. The Merrell felt too stiff on the bottom.

            Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

            TeaOlive


            old woman w/hobby

              I didn't like the feel of the merrels in the store so bought the NB MT10s.  FWIW they have a nice and wide toe box.  But since I use them on asphalt they wear down very quickly for me.  Also no rock protection.  However the NB 730s are built much like the MT10s but have

              a thicker sole.  Also they are much less pricy and many colors.  I'm liking them very much for shorter distances 10 - 13 miles or so.  

              steph  

               

               


              Don't overstride!

                I love my VFF's I have a pair of Merells at work for work causal. I have put over a thousand miles on my three VFF's but have never run in my Merrels. But the Merrels are so comfortable that I have thought about trying the Merrel Road Glove when one of my VFF's wear out.


                Feeling the growl again

                  I feel no need to run in such shoes, but I wear Merrill Tough Gloves at work (with socks) as they really help keep my left foot PF at bay.  As the name "Glove" implies they are pretty form fitting, but I don't find them hard to put on.  The toe box is roomy.  I can't imagine running a lot in such a shoe though, at least where I run.

                  "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                   

                  I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                   

                  vdelrosso


                    I tried a pair of bilikas early and found my feet just don't fit in them (morton's toe) and ended up with a pair of trail gloves when they were released.  I really liked them, but they beat up my feet pretty good, especially on rocky trails.  I put in about 100 miles before I started switching back to more "transitional" shoes - light, but with some padding.  The trail gloves still come out occasionally, but since them I've gone to : NB Minimus roads which made it 500 miles before retiring, 100+ and going in the Brooks Pure Flows (favorite shoe so far) and just got a pair of NB 730s to work into the mix (plus some miles in Newtons and Hyperspeeds).

                     

                    Trail gloves were easier to get on than vibrums...

                     

                    Don't expect to seamlessly switch over to trail gloves or vibrums from transitional shoes...  If you really want to go that way, expect to shorten and slow the runs until you adjust.

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                      I have had several vibrams, and to tell you the truth I am over the novelty of them. My wife has the Merrell's and they seem okay, but are definitely a bit hard to put on. Don't expect to wear socks in them. I have a pair of New Balance MT10s and love them. I may get a pair of MT00s when I need a new pair. However, the various vivos look promising and I have heard good things about them. Anyway, that is my 2 cents.

                       

                      I'm on my third pair of Vibrams; 2 KSOs (1000 mi. & 500 mi.) and now on a new pair of Bikilas.  Like them all.  Open to trying other products, but haven't had compelling reason to switch.

                       

                      Why are Merrells hard to put on, especially compared to VFFs?  Why can't you wear socks with them?  BTW, I wear Injinji toe socks with my VFFs.

                        Do you think they'll make you faster? I'm all for less shoe, but these seem like so little shoe that you're running in them for the point of it, not for running. I do barefoot strides, maybe a km here or there as workouts, but feel no need to try and run a significant part of my mileage barefoot, or in shoes that are the next thing to it. Personally, I don't even wear my lightest flats for longer races as I'm faster in my Saucony Type A, which is classed as a lightweight trainer (last I checked). At a certain point, going faster involves more impact, no matter how efficient or naturally you run.

                         

                        I guess I understand the guys who run only as part of crossfit wearing these things, the guys who run barefoot who want to run someplace harder on the foot, but if you're worried enough about speed to be doing speedwork twice a week, why use equipment that's likely to slow you down?

                         

                        No expectations about them making me faster. For the first month or two, I would probably limit wear to shorter, easy runs. Putting on a pair and bopping straight over to the track isn't a good idea.

                         

                        I'm curious about whether they'll help me improve my form a bit and perhaps cut down on some occasional ankle/knee problems. A lot of people benefit from them, and some obviously don't. I figure it's worth $100 to find out for myself.

                          I'm on my third pair of Vibrams; 2 KSOs (1000 mi. & 500 mi.) and now on a new pair of Bikilas.  Like them all.  Open to trying other products, but haven't had compelling reason to switch.

                           

                          Why are Merrells hard to put on, especially compared to VFFs?  Why can't you wear socks with them?  BTW, I wear Injinji toe socks with my VFFs.

                           

                          I was wondering about the toe socks. That sounds like something I'd like to try if I go with the Bikilas. Would I need to size up if I plan to wear socks?

                           

                          Thanks for mentioning the MT10s. I'll read up on them a bit -- there's actually a NB store here in Athens where I could try them. The only place in town that sells the Road Gloves looked at me like I was nuts when I asked to jog around the block in them. So much for doing business with them.

                            I've worn both. I spend most of my time in VFF Bikila's (non-LS version).

                             

                            The difference between VFF's and the Merrel Road glove is like describing the difference between a dump truck and a pickup truck.

                             

                            Sure they're both trucks, but one is a hell of a lot bigger than the other.

                             

                            It depends what you're looking for out of the footwear. If you want something almost as minimal as you can go, while still having your foot covered, go VFF Bikila.

                             

                            If you're used to a more traditional shoe, the Road Glove is a pleasant alternative. 

                            Creator of RunForth@robraux | shodless.com

                              I was wondering about the toe socks. That sounds like something I'd like to try if I go with the Bikilas. Would I need to size up if I plan to wear socks?

                               

                              Thanks for mentioning the MT10s. I'll read up on them a bit -- there's actually a NB store here in Athens where I could try them. The only place in town that sells the Road Gloves looked at me like I was nuts when I asked to jog around the block in them. So much for doing business with them.

                               

                              I think you will find the socks more annoying than they are pleasant, especially if you try VFF's. That's my experience. 

                              Creator of RunForth@robraux | shodless.com

                              LedLincoln


                              not bad for mile 25

                                I was wondering about the toe socks. That sounds like something I'd like to try if I go with the Bikilas. Would I need to size up if I plan to wear socks?

                                 

                                Actually, I'm using the Injinji liners, which have practically no thickness,  I have one pair of the socks, which are a bit thicker.  I use them infrequently, but they haven't crowded me in the VFFs.

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