If you are not into running, hiking and other outdoor activities at some serious level, there is a chance that you have never heard of Merrell, but they are recognized for making quality active wear. There has been a lot of buzz about the Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 running shoe. You see, there is a huge minimalist movement going on now. Ever since the report was released that revealed that running barefoot improves your gait and decreases risk of injury as well as long term biomechanical issues. There a several companies that threw their hat into the minimalist ring, Merrell was one of them.
The Bare Minimum
The concept of the minimalist shoe design is focused on producing a shoe that is as close to barefoot running as possible without giving up the protection that comes with wearing a shoe. The study revealed that many of the very things that make traditional running shoes comfortable to wear are the very things that interfere with the natural range of motion and gait of the runner. The minimalist shoe designers do their best to remove as many of those elements from the shoe as possible without exposes the feet to injury.
Evaluating the minimalist shoe is almost the polar opposite of how one would evaluate the traditional shoe. Instead of talking about all of the things that the shoe has, you will be evaluating all of the things it does not have.
The Bare Access Arc 2
The Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 embodies the concept of the minimalist shoe, adopting the principles of Merrell’s barefoot line while being designed for a much wider audience. In other words, they are not as extreme as some other barefoot running designs of the manufacturer. This shoe has much wider applications. Where some of these shoes have great specificity, the Bare Access Arc 2 has more applications. This shoe only has a 13mm sole thickness with no raised heel, which falls in line with the Road Glove, Trail Glove, and all of Merrell’s other barefoot runners.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, the shoe has received major improvements, but looks matter very little when you are out on the road or the trail. The outsole has been improved — with the shoe sporting a full Vibram rubber outsole. The rubber outsole adds a little more weight to the shoe, but the durability makes it worth it.
My First Impression
The first thing that I noticed when I put the shoe on is how perfect it fits. This is extremely important when it comes to minimalist shoes. Your feet have to be properly measured to ensure that you get a shoe that is exactly the right size. If you get a shoe that is too big, you will lose a great deal of the benefit of wearing a minimalist shoe. If you get a shoe that is too little, well you know how that will turn out.
The shoe is well ventilated. As you know, that is extremely important when you are running distances. The last thing you need is your feet becoming moist from sweat, causing you to become more vulnerable to sores and blisters.
Is seem that the Heel Counter is lower than in the previous version. This is a good thing because it used to dig into my Achilles.
Intended Applications
The shoe is considered to be a “road running” shoe as well as a transitioning shoe for people who are moving into a more aggressive minimalist shoe. Instead of moving directly from a fully cushioned shoe to a full barefoot runner, it is a good idea to transition down, and the Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 is a great transition shoe. The reason that it is wise to transition down is that moving to a minimalist shoe will be challenging initially. You will be giving up a lot of the comfort and support that you are used to. You will find that the traditional shoe has actually made you weak. The minimalist shoe will expose those weaknesses.
Please understand that the pain and struggles that are associated with moving to a minimalist shoe will be worth it Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 in the long run. The biomechanical and musculoskeletal advantages of running barefoot will eventually payoff, especially in the long run when you have less joint and back pain.
The Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 is great as a transitional shoe. It has enough cushion and support to allow you feel confident with your strides and running, and it is light enough to introduce you to the feel of the barefoot runners.
Pros
- Functions great as a transitional shoes
- Durable outsole
- Multiple Applications
- Snug and comfortable fit
Cons
- Lacks specificity of application, which makes it difficult to use as a specialty shoes
- Will cause soreness and back pain when you initially being wearing them, but this is normal with minimalist shoes
Conclusion
If you are seriously considering moving over to a minimalist shoe, the Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 is a great transition shoe to use for the purpose of transitioning over. The thing is that it is not a traditional shoe and it is not a 100 minimalist shoe. It is sort of a hybrid. Unless you are planning on staying middle ground, you will have to plan on replacing the Merrell Bare Access Arc 2 with a more advanced barefoot runner. Other than that, it makes a good starter shoe for the aspiring minimalist.
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