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Merrell Bare Access Arc 4

Trail shoe · Neutral · Trail · 5.8 oz (women's) · 13/13mm stack · zero-drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.

How it ranks

The Merrell Bare Access Arc 4’s rating is an early estimate. We’ve collected 2 runner reviews so far, with brand history and external ratings also informing the score.

Current estimate: Good

81
Overall
81
Value
84
Appearance
83
Durability
82
Comfort
82
Cushioning
75
Confidence

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

Confidence

40 Low

40

Based on

The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.

  1. Brand rating
  2. External ratings
  3. Our ratings

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.

Pros

  • One of two reviewers so far says it stays light while shielding the feet from stones.
  • One of two reviewers so far praises the wide toe box with a narrow heel.
  • It stacks 15mm front and back, level at zero drop.

Cons

  • One of two reviewers so far calls it not glamorous, and appearance is its lowest-rated dimension.

Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale

Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.

Confidence
50 60 70 80 90 100 25 50 75 100

Better Shoes Rating

Bare Access Arc 4 rates 81. This shoe has low confidence. See how we rate shoes.

Runner Ratings

2 ratings
5/5 2
4/5 0
3/5 0
2/5 0
1/5 0
See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight
5.8 oz (women's)
Release
2017 Q3
MSRP
$95
Stack
13/13mm
Drop
0mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Showing 1–2 of 2 written reviews

Merrell Bare Access

5/5

Overall

Wide toe box and low/narrow heel provide a perfect fit for my hobbit-like feet. Zero drop and a Vibram outer sole keep me going for miles in perfect comfort as I fulfill my quest to return the One Ring, My Precious, to the fires of Mordor.

mjr · Feb 6, 2018

35 mpw training for a half marathon

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Adaptable, light and reliable

5/5

Overall

I love these shoes. I experiment with buying other shoes, but always have at least one of these pairs on the shelf as a safe go-to for training. They are one of the few zero drop shoes that are built like normal running shoes. They work great on trails and road, and they are light but still protect my feet from stones and bumps. They are not glamorous but they are incredibly reliable.

Fronde · Jan 2, 2018

70 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra One V3

Comfort
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
4/5

Alternatives

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Nike ACG Zegama Trail

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Nike ACG Ultrafly Trail

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Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Shoe image placeholder
Merrell Bare Access Arc 3
Nike ACG Pegasus Trail
Bare Access Arc 4
Bare Access Arc 3
ACG Pegasus Trail
Current shoe
Choose a model
Best comfort
Lightest
Newest / Best overall / Best cushioning
Shoe properties
Type
Trail shoe
Trail shoe
Trail shoe
Pronation
Neutral (Minimal)
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
5.8 oz (women's)
5.5 oz (women's) Lightest
9.7 oz
Stack
13/13mm
—
—
Drop
0mm
—
8mm
Release
2017 Q3
2016
2026 Q2 Newest
MSRP
$95
$70 Lower MSRP
$155
Best price
—
—
$93
Ratings
Overall
81 Good
—
92 Very good Best overall
Comfort
82 Good Best comfort
—
79 Decent
Cushioning
75 Decent
—
77 Decent Best cushioning
Durability
82 Good
—
85 Good Best durability
Appearance
83 Good
—
95 Excellent Best appearance
Value
84 Good
—
84 Good
Specific shoe

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Merrell Bare Access Arc 4 In Context

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Compare every Bare Access Arc version

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