Merrell Women's Bare Access Ultra Trail Running Shoe

I'm a supinator with very high arches, and I've been a Merrell fan for years. I had two pairs of Pace Gloves, and then I switched to Brooks for two pair of shoes, believing for some reason that I needed more padding/support, and found that I was supinating worse than ever. Of course, I had to come crawling back to Merrell once more.They're minimal, to be sure, and light. They look more substantial in the photo, so I was a little worried, but they are definitely 0 drop. There is a nice medial arch structure on the inside that feels good but doesn't feel obstructive or supportive and still allows my foot to move. They aren't as minimal as the Pace Glove, which is what I used to wear. These seem substantial enough to handle walking and running on pavement, which is what I need.Both times I've started wearing Merrell's more minimal shoes, it's taken some adjustment in the beginning, especially to the ball of the foot. I find that my best bet with these is to wear padded socks, such as Balega Hidden Comfort. I have the beginnings of a Morton's neuroma on one foot, and a shoe like this can aggravate it. I walk/run 10-15k steps a day, and activities like using an elliptical will definitely get it irritated at first without a padded sock. I think it just takes time for the muscles in your foot to build up.These were recommended to me by a client of mine who is an Iron Man triathlete, who also wears them, and so far, I've been equally pleased.

I only wear Merrell shoes. Seriously. Different styles, but still all Merrell. I love these shoes because they have perfect arch support. The zero drop heel and the cushioning sole are amazing. I walk between 5-7 miles a day on concrete, gravel, city streets and park trails, walking dogs, walking to the grocery stores, etc. I wear Merrell bare access shoes all the time. To the gym, too. Treadmill, bike, stair stepper, TRX, weights, all that stuff. Don't wear them doing yoga - that's about the only time I don't :)I fell in love with Merrell bare access shoes about 7 years ago, I've been wearing them ever since. Totally recommend them for all types of activities, including hiking, mountaineering, biking.They last for years, are consistently of amazing quality, fit consistently the same way and come in a variety of colors. What more could you want? You feel like your walking on clouds and can be used straight out of the box, no wear-in period, once you've acclimated to zero drop shoes. You do want to follow instructions if this is your first time wearing zero drop shoes. It helps to get your feet, body, posture used to a new way of walking and standing.

I'm a Merrell girl and the original Pace Glove was my favorite running shoe ever. I bought these for trail running and longer road runs. These feel more glove-like than barefoot but the firm ride is definitely minimalist. They also provide more protection against trail debris than the Pace Glove or Vapor. They fit snugly on my narrow heels but give my very wide toes plenty of room. I like them so much that I bought a second pair.

I usually love Merrell Footwear...their durability, comfort and quality. I love the upper shoe design and lightweight aspect, but after only 3 months of light use, the soles began to peel off the bottom, one section at a time. The sole is made of thin rubber like material and doesn't adhere properly to the rest of the shoe. These trail running shoes were mostly worn indoors and and only a few times out on the trails, which is their intended purpose. Design fail. Durability fail. Product fail.

I love the Merrell minimalists shoes. I generally wear the 1st generation pace gloves for trails/hiking (thankfully bought extras before close out). For the day to day, crossfit, cleaning, and road running (short distance), I love the road gloves (2nd gen), and just bought 3 pairs of 3rd gens, b/c I hear these are going away :( , Bare access (2nd-3rd gen) for road short distance, and then these ultra's for longer distance runs. I could see an accomplished minimalist runner using these ultra's for half or even full marathons. I was afraid these would be d/c'd, also so I got a couple pairs. I transitioned from being an asics fan d/t high arches, and sore knees when trying to run, to barefoot exercise over 5-6 years ago. I love the minimalist shoes for trails, road, and gym, and at home I still workout barefoot. I was able to run comfortable in the Merrell's minimalist shoes for the first time in my life (at 38yo) . For the last several years I run everyday on my lunch break at work. It seems the "barefoot" fad has worn off and manufactures are not offering as much for those of us addicts who only need the slight protection when on roads, rough trails. I'll continue to stock up while I can. A confession, I just bought a pair of the Brooks Launch 2 b/c I like how they looked. I thought the extra cushion would translate to extra height in casual situations where I wanted an athletic look. Big mistake. I wore the Brooks shopping and by hour #2 I was getting pain at the top of my foot (my toes could not spread), shins, and lower back were getting shooting pain. They were hot and became so annoyingly uncomfortable that I needed to by a pair of flip flops to throw on until everyone else was done shopping. If you are a Merrell fan or new to Merrell these Ultra's are great. I'd say these are a good midway if you are trying to transition to less cushioning. I love the reflective details on this newer version of the Ultra's. I've seen reviews that the Bare access arc 4's are similar, although, I have not tried those (I like the 2's). I hope these Ultra's don't go away, and I'm hoping they will bring the basic road glove back...the bare access is a little stiff in comparison. The Ultra's are great, true to size, but I wear as intended (without socks), no issues with smell. If you insist on socks, may want to go up by half sizes based on sock thickness.