Customer Reviews Merrell Bare Access Flex

I love the color on these shoes! I was hoping they would be a little sturdier with a bit more cushion, so I'll end up wearing them more to match an outfit than for comfort or function. The toe box is huge so if you have wide feet or need that extra space, it's there for you!

I hunted for, tried on, looked at online, for weeks for a good lightweight shoe, and found this shoe. I have loved it, BUT BOTH SHOES HAVE DEVELOPED HOLES. I have worn Merrill shoes, sport sandal, for probably 30 years. The ONLY problem I've ever had was my two most recent pairs: sport sandal sole departed from shoe after years of use, and now after maybe a year of having this current shoe and wear only occasionally, holes in BOTH.

I really wanted to like this shoe. The colour was bright and cheerful. The toe box was generous and allowed lots of room for my wide foot. And it is wonderfully light. But the arch support was too pronounced for my foot. It felt like a mountain between my heel and the ball of my foot. Too much pressure under my arch. And, frankly, given that I was expecting a more "barefoot" shoe, having chosen them from that category on the website, this surprised me. It was not what I expected. So, sadly, I returned them.

I like that it's a light-weight athletic shoe without much cushioning. The arch support is a little too much for me though. I normally wear 7.5. Maybe 8 would feel better? They pinch a little if my weight is on the ball if my foot. My fault for not doing enough research, but M might be too narrow for the wider-footed consumer

I have been buying Bare Access Trail runners for quite some time now. I have owned probably 9 pairs and have absolutely loved them. I am a little disappointed in the Bare Access Flex though. They are quite a bit wider and higher in the toe area and seem to buckle when I walk. I am still wearing them for work, but they are not nearly as nice as the original Bare Access.

Fits true to size and is comfortable but the arch support hits my foot in the wrong spot.

I was sad to find that these shoes may be called "bare" but are far from barefoot. They were super cute. I unfortunately did return them and went back to Merrell gloves.

I love these shoes! I love the fit, the wide toe box, and the low profile. I like that they have a little arch support despite being minimalist. SADLY they do not hold up well at all. I bought a pair for work and exclusively wore them inside - probably about 5000 steps a day. After 2-3 months the mesh at the toe box had started to split and tear along the seam. I literally did not even run in them. I am surprised that they are marketed as trail running shoes when they really don't hold up. But again... I love the fit and the comfort so I even bought another pair!!

I don't understand these shoes. I bought them, and then couldn't run in them much because of an injury. Because of my injury problems, I did wear them to work. But I've had a problem with them not holding up. They got fabric tears on both sides where the mesh "bends" when I push off with my toes. This started to happen within a couple of months of getting them. I love, love to run in them (I have a pair of the e-mesh ones as well), but I'm frustrated by how horribly they hold up to normal use.

I started wearing these shoes in late April and have walked an average of 10-15 miles per week in them, mostly over city streets but also a few trails in the woods. They fit well and are nice and light, but I'm disappointed that the fabric is tearing and giving out so soon (see sample image.) This is certainly not typical of the other Merrell shoes I have worn over the years.

I really wanted to love this shoe, but I don't. I have a pair of Bare Access Arc 4 that I really love but were getting worn out and figured these would be the best replacement. Unfortunately these Bare Access Flex shoes just feel cheap - so only time will tell what kind of durability comes of them. I'm also not entirely pleased with how my feet feel inside them and I'm getting some odd rubbing on the outside of my right foot (nothing on the left). Maybe I just need to play around with the lacing a bit. Of lesser importance, as I buy my shoes for functionality and not style, I don't like how they look. They look clunky, and the colour options were pretty terrible, though I realize this is more of a matter of taste/opinion. With all that said, there are some good things about this shoe. They're incredibly lightweight and have decent traction despite not having a Vibram sole. The toe box is sufficiently roomy and gives my toes enough space for movement. The low/zero drop feels similar to my Bare Access Arc 4 and gives a great feel for the ground - which is the main feature I was going for when I purchased these shoes. Overall, the shoe is just okay. They'll suit my needs but I'm not wild about them like my Bare Access Arc 4.

I love these shoes and I wear them every day for work. But after less than a year, I have holes on both sides of each shoe at the flex point. I'm not extremely hard on my shoes - just walking around a large retail store and crouching with the toes bent at that point. It's really disappointing that they're nearly falling apart, but they're the most comfortable shoe I own.

I purchased these about 3 months ago.....I was so excited to find a pair of these in the style I like and that fit great. I'm a little bummed about the the areas where the plastic and mesh meet (basically the spot where the shoe bends when walking) as it is starting to form holes on both sides of the shoes. My last pair of running shoes lasted almost 3 years of walking/running many DC city blocks. They even held up to machine washing. I thought I wouldn't have to purchase running shoes for a while, no such luck. I have yet to go running in them, I haven't even washed them and I only wear them to work. They are really comfy though. Usually, I am that weird person that buys the same shoes over and over if available because I like them that much.....I might just have to try a different style.

Ordered my usual size 8.5 but shoes were not even close to fitting. Seems they are made way too long and flat. Been wearing Merrell shoe size 8.5 forever and these seemed almost an entire size larger. Nice looking shoe but I sent them back.

I ordered the Bare Access Flex as a replacement for my current Merrells and was sadly disappointed. Ordered my usual size but could barely get them on. When I held them up to my old Merrells (same size), they were a full inch shorter! And narrower. And alas, nowhere near as flexible at the arch. Merrell has always been my go-to brand - I'm puzzled and sad that I'll have to look elsewhere now.

Are very uncomfortable on my instep.

I wear these a few days a week for a bout 2-3 miles a day. They feel great but they don't last long. I've only had mine for less than 6 months and they already have holes in the fabric and one shoe squeaks. Very disappointed, my other merrells that I wear on a daily basis for work have help up for a year!

I can't express how much I love the comfort of these shoes but about 3 weeks after wearing them I noticed wear of the fabric at the bend by my large toe. It started small but the fabric has continued to wear at a fast rate. I purchased these in September and now it is November and I am worried that I will have to buy a new pair of shoes already. I only wear them about 3 times a week so the breakdown of fabric is quite concerning.

Lightweight.. with ok grip on ground and average comfort Not recommended Will not buy again

I've owned and completely worn out two pairs of the Bare Access Arc 4, loved them so much. The only running shoe that ever fit my foot properly, provided a zero drop with minimal cushioning and just the right amount of arch support. I've recently purchased a pair of the new Bare Access Flex, and they seemed very good but sadly the fit and sole has changed a lot. The shoe seems wider (which is ok, because the arc 4 was quite narrow) and longer as well, lots of room in the toes which is also a very good thing if you ask me. I sized down because at first it felt a bit weird that much room but my largest toe hit the front of the shoe so I definitely needed my old size. So far so good you would say, the only thing I can't get used to is the very pronounced arch support, I feel some sort of hard bit underneath the arch and mid foot, a very pronounced and hard piece of sole. I started running in the shoe hoping it would soften up but I ended up with very sore arches/mid foot making it impossible for me to run in these shoes. I am really sad about this, because the arc 4 was so good and now it doesn't work for me at all.