Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Almost Perfect
By A. Jones
The good - These are VERY comfy shoes. They're my first Merrell shoes for barefoot(ish) running. I've been running in the 5-Fingers for about 4 years now, but I injured my foot on a distance run in them, so now they're only good for training on the treadmill. Since the injury, I still run forefoot, but I use standard running shoes because I need the extra support. These Merrells have just enough cushn' for the pushn' to keep my foot from hurting while running. I'm not sure I'll take them on anything longer than 5 or 6 miles, but time will tell. I have really wide feet (4E) and they're plenty wide/stretchy enough for comfort. My wife has a pair too, and they're still comfy for her little skinny feet. We both ordered them online and our standard sizes fit perfect.The possibly not so good - as you can see from the picture (on the Merrell website), the bottoms are these are made from two different types of material. The Vibram sections are placed under the heel and balls. The Vibram sections offer good grip and look pretty durable. The rest of the bottom seems to be made of cushn' for pushn' material. I'm not sure how durable/lasting this material will be. It could turn out to be great and long lasting, but it just doesn't seem like they will. Again, time will tell.The bad - I've used these shoes for doing Insanity (calisthenics) on a tile floor. Once the floor became a little wet with my man sweat, the cushiony material on the bottom became really slippery. The Vibram sections had no issues maintaining good grip, but if I had to do a maneuver that required me to be on my toes (the cushy material), I lost all confidence in my ability to stay on my feet.... It was slick!Overall - My wife and I don't regret the purchase, and I'd recommend them to anyone who wants a barefoot(ish) running shoe, but doesn't want to go true minimalist. I'd also recommend them to anyone who just wants a sporty looking, super comfy, low profile shoe for walking around. I got the Ash and my wife the Black, and we both love the look of them.*** Update 12 Aug 12****I've put A LOT of miles on these now, and I really do love them. The cushy part of the soles do have wear, but I wouldn't call it excessive, but maybe more than average. The vibram part of the soles are holding up great.I've given up using them for any athletic exercise besides running. In all fairness to Merrell, that is what they're designed for. I (my wife) washed them in a standard American machine last week, and let them air dry, and besides the wear, they cleaned up good as new.I'm changing my rating from 4 to 5 stars. Merrell puts theses on the market as near-minimalist road running shoes... for that, they're pretty perfect.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Comfortable, extremely light weight, a joy to slip your feet into
By M. Erb
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R310Q0RO4WAQ8E The Merrell Bare Access is the second pair of Merrell Barefool Running Shoes that I have purchased. The first pair I bought a few weeks ago was the Merrell Men's Barefoot Trail Glove. I loved those so much that I decided to also try the Bare Access. They are equally as comfortable but not designed for trail running.I have a size 13 foot, D width. These size 13 Bare Access shoes fit me perfectly. I purchased the Black color variation. The nylon mesh upper just wraps and adapts to your foot with no points of stiffness. The shoe is extremely light in weight. Mine weighed just 6.8 ounces per shoe. The Trail Glove weighs about 8.25 ounces per shoe.The sole is a two-part deal. A vibram sole is under the ball of your foot and heel strike area while the rest of the sole is a closed cell foam of some sort. It does concern me that the sole is two-part because I have had other shoes with two-part soles that have developed a separation from the sole after some time has passed. There have been a few reports of that happening with this shoe so I'm a little wary and will update my review should I notice anything like that happening. Otherwise the sole is padded enough to give great comfort but thin enough that you get an amazing feeling of what's under your foot.The width is perfect for me and the slightly padded nylon mesh just wraps my foot in comfort. The lacing system is straight forward, with a tongue loop too keep the tongue in place and prevent it from slipping off to the side. Finally a rear loop assists in getting the shoe on your foot.You've got to try these on. I had tried the 5-toe shoes and those were just so uncomfortable to me. I disliked the feeling around my toes and those were the most uncomfortable shoes I'd worn. These on the other hand along with the Trail Glove are hands-down the most comfortable and light weight running shoes I've ever tried.As long as the sole hold up I'll be as happy as I could possibly be. I'll update my review if necessary.It might be worth mentioning that I found these shoes as a Fashion Outlet type store for $59, so marshall the troops and head on over there ;-)UPDATE: 1/3/2013 - I've had these for a few months now and there has been no separation of the two differing sole materials. I love these shoes so much I bought another pair just for daily wear, not for running. They're great.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Great design/Fit, Poor Quality
By Bandol
These shoes are fit well and are perfect for someone looking for a minimalist sneaker who has actively worked on their forefoot running form and doesn't want to go to five-fingers. Sadly, the sole began separating from the base (inside ball of foot) on both of my shoes after only five runs. Five runs, seriously? For an $80 pair of shoes, this is disappointing to say the least. Sent them back to Amazon and am awaiting another pair. I would rate them a five if they could last but considering how little rubber is needed for these shoes, they either need to be cheaper if they are going to wear out so quick or need to be better designed. Bottom line is both. It doesn't matter how well designed or well fitting the shoe is if it won't last more than five runs.
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