Merrell Sonic Glove trail barefoot shoe review

Rest day today.  Back at it tomorrow!

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Barefoot running?  I know that many of you have considered or are doing minimal and/or barefoot running currently.  It has not been something that I have tried but I have been following the trend for the last six months and had considered trying it out.  I did not want to run completely barefoot.  My feet just cannot handle it.  Actually, they probably could but my brain get's in the way.  The thought of running barefoot scares me.  So, of course, the next best thing, is to run in a barefoot shoe.

Online Shoes gave me just that opportunity.  I was able to pick any one of the Merrell brand shoes to test and review for my readers.  I decided to choose the Merrell Sonic Glove trail shoe due to my growing interest in barefoot running.  I have been testing these shoes out for the last month.  Here's a couple pictures of them:

Great style

Vibram sole

Great grip!

Heel!

Hugs your foot

Wide toe box

As you can see from the above pictures, Merrell has partnered with Vibram to offer a trail sole that has a super grip.  Since I have not barefoot run in the past, I started by walking around the house for a week getting used to wearing these.  The shoes hug your feet like a sock!  The shoes I ordered fit perfectly but, not to worry, if they do not fit you, onlineshoes offers free exchange of shoes so you can be confident shopping online.

I would not recommend you go out and just start running like you do with your regular shoes.  You really need to build up your distance to these.

With Socks!

Without socks!

While the shoes were comfortable without socks and were made to be worn that way - especially since the shoes come with a Microbe Shield to control odor, staining and deterioration - I preferred wearing the shoes with socks.  I really need to get a pair of no show socks so I don't look so dorky though.

I LOVED the color of the shoes - they really pop out!  Very cool looking don't you think?  The toe box is also quite wide so your toes have room to move like they should on a barefoot shoe.  The shoes are also made exceptionally well as would be expected from Merrell.  Since I have just started in the barefoot shoe arena, I was only able to build up to a two mile run.  They are great on the trail and you can feel everything you run on but not so much that it hurts.  I also ran on pavement with these as well and they did good for that too but they really are made for the trails.  Merrell does make another barefoot style shoe to be used mainly for pavement running.

Running in these shoes are MUCH different than running in regular shoes.  There is no way you can heel strike with these shoes since you really are forced to run on the forefoot of your feet.  The drop on these shoes is nearly non-existent.  That's the point, isn't it?  Anyway, you can go to Merrell's website and they even educate you on how to run barefoot so that you don't hurt yourself.  That's a big plus since you really need to know how to run in these properly.

One great thing about running in these shoes is that they help you strengthen your feet and legs.  You can really feel your calves and foot muscles as you run in these.  I'm probably not going to be a full convert to barefoot running shoes.  While I do like running in them, personally, I will be using these to help strengthen my feet instead of moving to 100% barefoot running.  I can certainly see the advantage of these.  It's kind of like strength training for your feet and they have helped improve my form even when I wear my regular running shoes.  You start to really think about how your are moving your legs.

My opinion is that if you are going to run in "barefoot" shoes, Merrell is an excellent choice to start with.

So go and check out all the Merrell Shoes Here at Onlineshoes.  They have tons of great shoes to pick from at very reasonable prices.  AND - if you are specifically interested in these shoes I have reviewed - click HERE.  Also, if you want to follow Onlineshoes on Facebook, click HERE. Or on Twitter, click HERE.

** I was sent a pair of Merrell running shoes at no cost in exchange for my review.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Have a great day and......Keep Running!!!!!!