Review of Merrell Men's Trail Running Shoe Minimal Running Shoe

Customer Ratings:

I'm a fan of minimal/barefoot shoes especially those with Vibram soles. I bought these after reading other reviews highlighting the extra cushion these provided. Specifically, I bought them to hike the Grand Canyon. I did a brief break-in of these shoes before taking them on 46 miles through the GC.

Pros:

0mm drop from toe to heel

8mm cushion for long distances

Very lightweight

Vibram sole with a great forefoot that allows splay/spread

Breathable

Very comfortable

Cons:

Traditional lacing doesn't quite allow for maximum foot hugging

These are not designed for hiking so if you wear them as such (as I did) you may have to deal with less traction than other shoes. Also, the mesh allowed quite a bit of sand in the shoe on dusty trails. However I suffered no blisters or hotspots on my feet. These shoes may not be as rugged or hardy as traditional hiking boots/shoes, but for hiking on maintained trails these shoes are superb. Overall this shoe is great and I will be getting a second pair.

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They look nice but not as minimal as their other shoes; these run large, usually wear 1/2 size larger. I suppose they are a good entry into the barefoot style shoe.

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It was a great show, I just didn' t know that Merrill runs a size bigger than my new balances

Honest reviews on Merrell Men's Trail Running Shoe Minimal Running Shoe

I have been running with merrell bare access for the last year. A great shoe that allowed me to run even though I had a torn meniscus. Light weight, zero drop, and good cushioning. The only problem was the shoe tend to wear out after 100 miles. The new Bare Access 2 has a more solid bottom with same conditioning. Very comfortable with much better wear. It is not quite as flexible as the bare access but still a great running shoe for natural running.

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I pretty much only run in Merrell's. I use the Bare Access 2 for the road, and the Ascend Gloves on the trail. Both shoes fit great for a wide forefoot and have a nice minimal feel. The bare access seem to have just the right amount of cushioning, not too soft, while still affording enough protection from the pounding.

Merrell's designers can't seem to make a really great shoe though. Where the Ascend Gloves have a great sole with a crappy, fall apart in 2 minutes upper, these Bare Access 2's have a great, durable, breathable upper with a crappy peel-off in 2 minutes sole.

What to Do???