The sweet colour of the shoes will attract many female runners, giving the ladies out there another reason to head out for a run to flaunt their shoes. Upon unboxing, I was impressed by the weight of the shoes - lighter than expected despite looking a little bulky at first.

Trying on the shoes for the first time - they were indeed true to fit, fitting like a glove! I have wide feet, and this pair of shoes provided me more than sufficient space with a roomy toe box. Excited to try them on for my runs - I first brought them to the stadium tracks. Testing the shoes at the stadium track brought back fond memories of the track and field days at school. It was a rather pleasant run - the outsole of the Merrell Women's Mix Master Glide provides superb grip and it felt as thought I was running on spiked shoes again.

Bringing the shoes on to a different terrain, on the roads. This time round however, they did not provide the cushioning and support that one would need especially when pounding on roads (which of course, they are not designed to do) since the shoes are designed with minimal cushioning. Particularly for runners like myself who have been accustomed to running with structured cushioning or cushioning shoes, it may require more time to adapt to minimalist or lightweight shoes, like the Merrell Women's Mix Master Glide.

Running on trails at the MacRitchie Reservoir yielded a different experience altogether. The ribbed patterns on their outsole made my run on rocky grounds much more comfortable. Going up and down slopes was easy, and there was no fear of slipping and falling on downslope and wet ground - making them a very versatile footwear.

Runner's Boon

• Lightweight
• Comfortable fit
• Outsole has superb grip on the trails

Runner's Bane

• Minimal support
• Minimal cushioning

Overall, their lightweight makes them very suitable for racing. Needless to say, these shoes are best on trails conquering the uneven terrain with its stability. I would also recommend this pair to runners who are into barefoot running.