Altra Escalante 5 vs Merrell Vapor Glove 7

Escalante 5 or Vapor Glove 7? Here’s how they compare on feel, fit, brand specs and price, from the fitting team at The Run House.

The short answer

Want a natural, low, roomy road shoe? Get the Escalante 5.

Want a barefoot, zero-drop feel? Get the Vapor Glove 7.

Get the Escalante 5 if

• You want more bounce and energy back
• You’ll use it for tempo runs and workouts

Get the Vapor Glove 7 if

• You want the lighter shoe, by about 3 oz
• You’d rather spend $30 less

On the run

Escalante 5: The natural, zero-drop road shoe. Natural and stable for midfoot and forefoot strikers, with more energy return than before. Comfortable for walking and running.

Vapor Glove 7: The barefoot road shoe. Barefoot: zero drop, a very thin sole and almost no cushion, for feeling the ground on roads and in the gym.

The Vapor Glove 7 hasn’t been lab tested by RunRepeat yet, so its feel ratings are estimated from the Vapor Glove 6 lab test (RunRepeat).

Specs side by side

Stack, drop and weight come from each brand’s own website. Numbers marked * aren’t published by the brand and come from other published specs. Weights are for the size each brand quotes. Expected life is our estimate.

Fit

Escalante 5. Runs slightly short. Excellent fit for wide feet, with a comfortable, breathable knit upper. Wide available.

Vapor Glove 7. True to size with a roomy toebox.

Try them on

Come try on both at The Run House in Walpole, Needham or Falmouth. Gait analysis is always free.

Shop the Escalante 5 · Shop the Vapor Glove 7 · Compare other running shoes