I found these to be a great improvement to the previous version of Bare Access. The full Vibram outsole is a huge upgrade compared to the foamy stuff used before. I've already put around 300 miles on these shoes and have had no irritation/rub issues. Does run a half size larger as mentioned in the fitting. These are very similar to the New Balance Minimus MR00's. Does very well over stones and gravel on the roads. One thing you will notice is that it picks up small pebbles but does not cause any problems to the way it rides. Grip is really amazing in comparison to previous version and other brands. Have ran several times in rainy, wet conditions with no problems to date. The tread sounds cool too, almost like a tire going over the pavement. Update: I am on my 5th pair of Bare Access 2's. These are still my absolute favorite minimal, zero-drop shoe. The treadwear far exceeds several of the other big brand names I have tried in the past. I am getting close to 400-500mi per with tread to spare. Really impressed. Hope Merrell doesn't update anytime soon.