It was in 1981 when custom cowboy boot maker Randy Merrell from Vernal, Utah thought of creating a hiking boot. This he did with a lot of passion and sole, er, soul. He kept in mind three things: comfortable feel, precise instep, and roomy toes. A serious boot maker he was, indeed, and this dedication to the craft paid off quite handsomely. Backpacker magazine took notice of Randy Merrell’s creation and declared it as "The Most Comfortable and Functional in North America." At that time, a pair of this award-winning boots costs USD$500, with a waiting time of six months. That same year, two people took even greater notice of the possibility of developing Merrell hiking boots. These were the Vermont Ski Team’s former Rossignol executives John Schweizer and Clark Matis, who also happens to be an Olympic country skier.
The year that followed, Randy Merrell made his venture with Schweizer and Matis official. The Bank of Vermont also invested in Merrell, allowing for more available funds. Rigorous testing was also conducted up in the green mountains. In 1983, Merrell took on the retail industry as it made its debut in the retail market.
Glory belonged to Merrell once more in 1988 as Merrell Leather was hailed as "Best Hiking Boot." Around this time, outdoor enthusiasts had purchased pair after pair, wearing them proudly. It didn’t take long before Merrell introduced its products to the rest of the world in 1990. In 1992, it introduced its toe-exposing toe sandals and 10 years later, Footwear Plus named Merrell the 2001 Brand of the Year. Today, Merrell steps up its efforts to produce top-quality footwear via innovations it has developed and strategic partnerships it has forged over the years.
Designed to absorb shock while giving the feet cushion and comfort is the patented Merrell Air Cushion Midsole. This innovation reportedly enables the sole to compress on heel strike, allowing it to absorb as much as four times the body weight and giving it utmost stability and support. Merrell also recently developed the Q form technology, a patent pending system especially designed to fit the needs of women.
This idea was inspired by the fact that women possess a Q angle – the angle between the hip and knee that can lead to a natural tendency to supinate (ankle is tipped outside when the sole is up) and to pronate (ankle tips inward when the sole is down). With regard to this, the Q form prevents discomfort and enhances the durability of the shoe.
Meanwhile, strategic partners have enabled Merrell to become even more competitive. The Gore-TexÆ technology is responsible for the development of the ever-impressive waterproof boots and shoes as well as the Gore-TexÆ XCR Æ, better known as the Extended Comfort Range. The latter technology was designed to keep the shoe highly breathable and incredibly waterproof while blocking out humidity in order to provide the best possible climate comfort while assuring the wearer of peak performance.
Another technological partner is the Polartec Æ Insulation and Lining, which provides warmth to clothing and accessories without being too bulky. Meanwhile, answering cold-climate needs is the Thinsulate insulation, which is sure to keep the feet protected, however damp the trails are. There’s also MicrobanÆ, an anti-microbial product that prevents the growth of bacteria, molds, and mildew in the shoe that can cause odors and stains. Also, partner Clarino has developed Serdia, which refers to the linings for the footbeds and topsoles of the shoe that absorb and neutralize footwear odors. Lastly, there’s VibramÆ, which has been working with Merrell since 1995 to design outsoles that improve traction and slip resistance. All this only shows how damn serious Merrell is about is shoes.
Merrell arrived in the Philippines in August of 2001. From day one, Merrell knew they had just the shoe to suit Filipinos’ needs. Both possessing an unquestionable love for the great outdoors and adventure, Filipinos and Merrell soon made pretty good partners. You can say they discovered in each other a perfect solemate.
Divided into the Outventure and Aftersport categories, Merrell’s Outventure line consists of Hiking, Ultra-Sport, Multi-Sport, and Sport sandals. On the other hand, the Aftersport category consists of Athletic and Leather. Of course, to be outdoor-ready, you must arm yourself with the needed accessories and Merrell has those, too. You can choose from a variety of Outventure Packs, Transit Bags and other accessories such as travel kits and cargo pockets.
So, go right ahead and shoe ’em what you’ve got!