Merrell Men'S Bare Access Xtr Track Shoe

Product Information

The RW Takeaway: Lace up the Bare Access XTR for going fast with excellent ground feel on well-groomed to moderate trails.

This is not a good shoe to run on concrete either. The lightweight construction of the outsole and midsole is really pleasant on a soft trail. Donning these huarache-style sandals– inspired by the footwear used by the long-distance runners among the Rarámuri people of the Mexico’s Copper Canyons, as described in Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run – is about as close as you can get to really running barefoot, while minimising the risk of gashing your foot on flint or glass, which would be a really annoying way to put yourself out of action. There is nothing between the soles of your feet and the dirt except 5mm of ‘FeelTrue’ rubber, and the sandal is held on with nylon straps (with silicone grip), which go between your toes and around the Achilles strap. People who are confident wearing these sandals run all sorts of distances (including ultras) in them, across challenging terrain in various conditions. After 220 km (136 miles) on a wide variety of terrains, the shoe does not show any sign of premature wear, neither on the mesh nor the outsole.The mix between comfort, sensitivity, and grip highlights the Bare Access as one of the best trail running shoes for interval workouts and faster sessions. Best used for However, it does not perform well on harder surfaces. This could be a big issue for athletes who have to run on the road before hitting the closest trail nearby. A durable affordable and eco-friendly shoe

Forefoot strikers will especially like the feeling of running close to the ground. The shoe will highlight the slightest acceleration.This is all the more pleasant as the Bare Access XTR is made of recycled materials, plastic, and scrap rubber. They seem well made, and their vegan status and recycled materials will please many environment-conscious runners. A tough eyelet chain and solid welded construction should promote longevity, while smartly placed upper overlays should limit damage caused by big toes. Those with deep mid-foots should note Vivo’s shoes volume is more from width that height. For the committed minimalist runner, these barely there sandals can be taken on any (lowland) trail The energy rebound of the midsole is also superb. It makes the XTR one of the most sensitive trail running shoe on the market. Compared to most trail running shoes, this one has a very different, and highly noticeable feel. Whether you choose to describe it as comfortable, or not, is a subjective affair. While our head tester didn't feel that this shoe was uncomfortable necessarily, it is also very presently noticeable on the foot at all times. The main culprit in imparting this sensation to the foot is the very high arch combined with a narrow fit through the midfoot. The arch is so pronounced that it feels as if it is designed to control inward pronation, although we find it a bit odd to assume that all runners will want this level of arch support. This narrowness persists toward the front of the shoe, up to the ball of the foot, which feels very snuggly held in place.

It allows the zero drop and minimalist runner to enjoy fast running on the trails without too much pounding. Then, the light build of the upper lets your foot breathe perfectly even after a hard interval workout or on a very hot day. This makes the Bare Access a pretty good shoe for summer racing. The best barefoot running shoes – or best natural running shoes / best minimal running shoes, according to your preferred terminology – share certain very specific characteristics, yet, as evidenced here, they can also look very different to one another.Concerning the lacing system, it’s quite simple and works pretty well. You can tighten it up accurately. The midsole is to the most interesting part of the Bare Access. It uses the flex connect technology, which makes the shoe quite flexible and allows the runner to feel the ground perfectly at each stride.