Merrell Barefoot Bare Access SKU: #7879593

Anonymous

from Redwood City, CA

Oh! How I wanted to love these! I've been loving running in Saucony Hattoris for about a year now, but they don't really work for me for non-running use. These Merrells come so close. Great toe room. Little or no drop. Fairly minimal. Good-looking. There were two problems. The big one was that there is mild arch support in these -- a raised portion in the arch area. Probably many people wouldn't notice/mind, but I really want a flat shoe to let my feet do their own thing. That was the deal-breaker for me. Secondarily, these didn't feel like zero drop shoes to me. I know they are supposed to be, but they sure seemed to lose a few millimeters from heel to toe. I think most would really like this shoe; wish it had worked for me. On sizing, I get my Hattoris in 9 and wear them without socks. I got these MBBAs in 9.5, which was the right size, but definitely with socks.

Brands I'd also recommend: Saucony Hattori

Terry G

from Sonoma County, CA

Awesome shoes! These are my running shoes. I started 'barefoot' running last August and really like these. They are very light, flexible and comfortable.

Brands I'd also recommend: Vivobarefoot

Anonymous

from Jackson, MS

Love this shoe, only complaint is that the sole wants to peel away from the body of the shoe, particularly on the inside portion where the ball flexes. I've had 2 pairs: 1st one came apart after 3 weeks, the second one is starting to after just 1 month. However, I am pretty rough on them.

Anonymous

from Nashville, TN

I've been a minimalist runner for about 9 years. I switched to this shoe recently from the Vivobarefoot Ultra M. I really like the Ultra M's, but they wear out way too quick. I was hoping the Merrell Barefoot Bare Access would be a good solution. Unfortunately, I believe this shoe caused me to develop metatarsalgia. Maybe it's coincidence, but I've been running injury free for 9 years. I have flat feet. Maybe you won't be impacted if you have arches. I was averaging around 30 miles/week when the injury occurred. I did a half in 1:35 before finally succumbing to the injury. I will appreciate any comments of others that have experienced this. I hate to blame the shoe if it's just me getting old.

Anonymous

from Austin, TX

Nope! If you are looking to switch to barefoot/minimalist running style due to chronic knee injuries, like me, then I cannot recommend these shoes. Last year I switched to the Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove shoes, true minimalist running shoes. It took almost nine months for me to transition to those shoes from the heavy, pronation control type of shoe. It was not an easy transition, but my knee pain went away! Those shoes eventually wore out, so when I went looking for another pair, I saw these and thought, hey they are advertised as "barefoot" shoes, I' will try them. That was a big mistake. Almost immediately after switching to these shoes, my knee pain came back. The problem, I believe, is that with these shoes added padding, it takes away enough of the ground feel, that it encourages me to return to sloppy running form, and hence, knee pain. If on the other hand, you are looking for light weight shoes to walk around in or ride your bike (which is what I now use these for), they are fine for that. For those seeking to switch to the barefoot/minimalist running style, my recommendation is to go with one of the true minimalist shoes, like the Merrell Trail Glove or Vibram Five Fingers.

Nancy M

My husband is in restaurant business. He is on his feet for 10 hours a day, sometimes. He has worn every style of Merrell for years. His back never hurt before. He was so excited to find this shoe, lighter and cooler. But, he was barely able to move when he came home after wearing this pair of shoes for one day. I was almost in tears when I saw him crawl home, take the shoes off, and crawl to the bed. It was just very pitiful. I am returning the shoes today. Zappos is great, though! I am ordering 4 more pairs of shoes today for my husband to try.