TSLA Men's Trail Running Shoes, Lightweight Zero Drop Barefoot, Non-Slip Outdoor Minimalist Shoes

So, these are obviously “inspired” by the Merrell Vapor Glove, which is the dirty, beat up shoe in the accompanying photos. I am a committed barefooter, and when I wear shoes, I have done okay with the Vapor Glove. Last two times, however, even though ordering same size of Vapor Glove, the sizing felt off, and they didn’t feel as good on my feet as the completely battered ones in the photo, which are my original Merrells. I was tired of forking over almost a hundred bucks for a shoe that didn’t feel *great* so I thought I would give the TLSA a try. I have had them about a month and they are doing great. I don’t do hard starts and stops in them, and thanks to an old labral tear, I no longer run, so they are perfect walking, TRX, lifting, body weight shoe. They are roomy so I can grip with my toes, the soles are flexible, and there is nothing bothering me from the inside of the shoe, though it does feel better to spread toes with a sock, as it is not an entirely smooth surface up in there. I still wear without socks, though. You can see from photos that the TSLA is a little less form-fitted, a little more boxy than the Merrell, but for what I want — which is a shoe that keeps me from burning my feet on the Florida asphalt, or cutting them on rocks or glass, these shoes do a GREAT job. These shoes do not offer “support,” which I don’t want anyway. I prefer to let the natural working of my foot muscles create a stable arch and let my foot function the way it is supposed to. They are a good option for a wide-toe-box, zero-drop shoe. I am a six-foot woman with a size 11 women’s shoe, which is usually a men’s 9 1/2. I bought these 1/2 size up, in a men’s 10, and they are a *smidge* big, but it’s what I prefer. Don’t know how long they will last, but I’ll be buying another pair. They are close enough to the function of the Merrells at a far better price, and I’ve been frustrated by Merrell’s size inconsistency. I can’t speak to runners, and I don’t know how durable they are yet, but I do recommend recommend these shoes to low-impact athletes. Update June 2022: I've beat these things to death and repurchased twice. They last about 8 months with very hard use. At one point, work was having me walk 22,000-25,000 steps per day. The seam by the toe where the rubber met the cloth top split, but the sole and shape lasted. I'm not complaining at all. I really beat these shoes up!

I got my first pair of these years ago when they were under a different listing. I've had Trail Gloves (IDK which gen), and gen 3 and 4 of the Vapor gloves and these are obviously made to mimic the Vapor 3's. My pair of Tesla's has held up since 2018 for my gym and running shoe. They were used primarily indoors and running on tracks, but that's a heck of a lifetime. None of my Merrells lasted this long, although they were used as dailies. After my last pair of those work out I tried the newest trail gloves and found arch support which was terribly uncomfortable after adapting to barefoot shoes. IDK why they changed the formula. Thankfully TSLA continues to carry the torch and does so much much cheaper. I just wish they would make an all black pair. The camo is the closest but I wouldn't want to wear them to work. That aside, they can have sketchy QC. My last pair that I used for years has one shoe labeled 10.5 even though its a 12. I ordered 12's again and they were clown shoes compared to the last pair. Returned and got 11's and they fit perfectly (just like my old 12's) Thankfully free returns made it stress free to have to reorder. I'll also mention that these are nicer than the Whitins that I've tried. Those had a heavy sole that made the super floppy when walking, and I had to try a couple pairs to get one that wasn't glued up at a funny angle. They looked more normal than these, but functionality wise they are way better. My plan is to continue to use these as my gym shoes, and get higher end shoes that look more normal the Icarus Ascent (whenever they release the black/gum) as my daily shoes. I've tried a couple other brands and feel like a wasted a ton of money on my vivobarefoots since the leather constricts my toes from bending even though the sole is great. I got some STR/KE Haze trainers and they look great but are also super constrictive (tight band up by the toes) I'll keep getting these TSLAs. Wish they'd branch out to some different models.

I am very much into the minimalist/barefoot shoe style, so I've been transitioning all my footwear to things that are zero drop/thin soles/ample toe box. I own a couple pairs of Xero Prios that I use at work and for running. I've been trying out some other minimalist shoes from Amazon to see what else is out there at various price points. These TSLA bk30/32's are the most budget-friendly trail/running shoes on Amazon that I've found. I got them to use at work in healthcare, so not necessarily for running heavy miles. This review is 3 weeks after purchase. Sizing- I wear a 9.5 in the Xero Prios that I wear with and without socks. I saw reviews that stated the TSLA shoe ran long, and the recommendation was to size down from half sizes, so I got a 9. The length was spot on for me. The toe box is not as roomy as my Prios, but the upper is flexible so my toes don't feel cramped. The midfoot feel is comfortably snug. No heel slippage for me, and no hot spots, although I've only walked in them. Sole- The sole is thinner than the 5.5mm Prio, but I'm not sure exactly how thick it is. Lots of ground feel and flexibility. The sole wraps around the toe box a bit, which is a nice layer of protection from toe jamming. My guess is durability will be sufficient for what I'm using them for, walking in hospital hallways. I'm sure heavy use outdoors would have different results, but the material doesn't seem any less durable than your average outsole. Upper- seems like it's made from your basic synthetic mesh-like fabric materials, with a couple of small thin plastic overlays on the medial and lateral side of the toe area, I'm assuming for durability and protection. The tongue is thin, and sometimes slides over to the side, but that's a small inconvenience for me and not unusual in shoes. It's comfortable and breathable. Again, seems like your standard upper; I don't expect it to last forever or fall apart overnight either. Where the upper meets the sole- The idea is flexibility and thinness, and I've noticed some drawbacks for shoes with this design. In this particular pair I've found a spot on the medial side of my left shoe near where my big toe flexes that the upper is pulling away from the sole after 3 weeks of moderate use. My Xero Prios have gone thru a good deal of abuse from running and manual labor work, and they have shown similar wear and tear in those flex areas. I can live with it at this price point, and I have shoe glue if it gets worse. Conclusion: I would say it's a great value product, not really meant to last hundreds of miles of exercise, although I've read claims that it can. I enjoy wearing them; they are very lightweight, breathable, allow my feet their full range of motion, and cheap enough to replace without much internal debate. If you are interested in trying thin zero heel drop shoes but aren't ready to pay regular shoe price to experiment, these are a great starting point; their flexibility and thinness are on par with brands like Xero shoes, even if their overall quality and durability aren't.

These are comfortable and are minimal. The sole is thin and you can feel the ground well. The toe box is wide and the rest of the shoe hugs your foot. The interior of the shoe is not as sleek as the real Merrell Vapor Gloves so to me they are not as comfortable to wear without socks. Unfortunately the sole began to come unglued in multiple areas after only one week of use. I change after work and so far have only walked to and from my car for the week that I wore them. This was enough for the shoes soles to unglue themselves so I doubt you can use these for anything more strenuous I have ordered replacements and will update once I get them and will be returning these. But as of right now I cannot recommend these UPDATE : I received my replacement and have used them for a week and so far no issues. One thing to note, the toe guard portion is rather shallow/flat so my big toe rubs on the inside of this shoe, but didn’t on the ones I sent back. This makes them uncomfortable to wear without socks. I uploaded pictures to give an idea of how the toe guard portion of the shoe measures up against the side of my foot, as well as how wide the toe box is. These inconsistencies I think are to be expected at the price point. However if you are thinking about trying barefoot shoes but don’t want to spend three times the price on Merrells then this is the best shoe you can find.

May 2022 update: It's been a year since I left the initiative review. I still use them several times a week. The brown ones are still in great shape so I haven't yet taken the spare ones I bought out of the bag. The black pair developed a small hole on the top front were the rubber tip meets the cloth after I accidentally rubbed the toe on a rough surface. My wife fixed them with black thread. I still believe these are great considering the price. I am still waiting for solid colors with no design. Would be nice if they made tan, olive green, solid black and solid brown. With tan soles. Common TSLA make it happen! ----------------------------------------------------- I bought two pairs (brown and black) last year and use them almost daily. I like them so much that I ordered another pair of the brown color. These shoes are lightweight and very durable. They are comfortable in their own way being that there is minimal cushion and arch support but for my application they provide relief to my feet given that after years of running I developed tarsal tunnel syndrome and bulky shoes tend to press against the tarsal area and trigger discomfort. I wish they came in other colors like tan, dark blue and olive green with tan soles.

Update Unfortunately the shoes didn't improve. Too narrow and poor quality adhesive results in the sides of the sole separating from the top of the shoe. I even tried applying shoe glue and that didn't even last a week. Great looking shoes, but very poor quality. First Impressions I've literally just received them and only tried them on. I have not yet put them to use. First, the red trail runners look amazing. I really want these to work out because they look so good. When it comes to fit and feel, I have to concur with another reviewer who notes that if you are used to wide toe box minimalist shoes, these very noticeably feel more narrow from the midsole to the ball of the foot. The toe box is wide, but the extra width doesn't extend far enough down the shoe leaving the shoe feeling "tight". The material also feels a little stiff or scratchy out of the box compared to other shoes. I like that there is no removable insole, but the bottom of the inside of the shoe feels rough especially if you are used to not wearing socks. Because I love the look of them so much I will be trying to wear these in to see if they will adjust to my foot and soften up a bit. If they don't I will be returning.

I have been trying for many years to find some casual, ultra-light, and comfortable shoes to take when I'm on a bicycle tour. I wear heavier cycling shoes when I'm riding during the days, but need something to wear in the evenings and during the to/from travel. These TSLA running shoes look stylish enough to wear with my casual clothes, but they weigh next to nothing and take up no room in my panniers while riding during the day. They are supremely comfortable, and seem to be well made. I wish that I had found these 10 years ago. ADDENDUM: I wanted to "test" these while still in the return window, so I wore them for a day. I'm now more impressed than ever. These shoes have an absolute "barefoot" feel. They have a nice wide toebox, so there is no pinching, and the sizing is generous, so I can wear almost any kid of sox. No break-in will be required. I'm now considering buying another pair for non-touring wear.

I'd highly recommend these shoes to two different audiences: 1. Those looking to test drive barefoot-style shoes without dropping $80-$150. Barefoot shoes aren't for everyone, but it shouldn't cost a car insurance payment to figure that out. For under $40, these shoes will quickly let you know if you're ready to "go barefoot." If you're not, you've got yourself a great pair of backyard lounging kicks. 2. Those looking for affordable barefoot replacements of regular sneakers/tennis shoes/trainers. No exercise shoes are going to last forever. If this is the case, why pay $100+ for shoes you know are going to wear out in 6 months to a year? Even if these only last 6 months with active use, they're still a bargain. But here's the thing... ...they'll likely last longer than that. My experience: I was part of the first crowd — unsure of whether or not I was ready to invest in some high-dollar barefoot-style shoes. I ordered these and within minutes, I knew that I was probably going to not only buy only barefoot-style shoes the rest of my life, but that I'd likely be parting with my perfectly good non-barefoot-style shoes taking up space in my closet. I pitched my New Balances, my Sauconys, and my dress shoes. I replaced them with these and a bare of $150 Groundies dress shoes. (I still keep my big boots around for subzero weather). And I'll likely only wear barefoot-style shoes because of these shoes. Why did I order a second pair? Because I don't have any shoes to mow the lawn in. I'm going to use my existing, perfectly fine Tsla's for that and replace my workout/errand shoes with my new ones. The only wear I have on my old Tsla's are just a little bit of toe damage from my toenail poking through the top material -- but that's only because I bought the wrong size. BUY A SIZE 1/2 SIZE SMALL. That way, your toenails don't puncture the top material because they'll be under the rubber toe cap. So, should you buy these? If you're looking for affordable barefoot-style athletic shoes, yes. These are the ones you want.

Very close to Merrell, will see how they feel wearing them in action. Quality is good, let's hope they last.

Los compré y en el primer día se rompió el upper. No los recomiendo.

Very poor quality shoes. Less than 1 week and the sole is coming off with normal walking. Very poor quality and very thin, uncomfortable base, no sign of any foam like mentioned on product page