It’s a big year for the outdoors!  As many more venture out to the trails this year, Merrell, the heritage outdoor brand, wants to share in the simple power of being outside with everyone. This year marks the 40^th anniversary for Merrell and as part of celebrating their first 40 years, they are encouraging a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts to explore the outdoors.  With iconic products that have stood the test of time, like the Moab boot franchise, Merrell is looking to be the driving force in the industry by working towards making the outdoors a more welcoming, inclusive, and sustainable place for everyone.

Since its inception in 2007, the Moab hiking boot has been the gateway boot to the outdoors for more than 20 million people around the globe. This year, Merrell has expanded the Moab collection by combining the same comfort and fit the Moab is known for and adding more sustainability and versatility to the line. The new Moab Speed hiking shoe and Moab Flight trail running shoes are perfect for your outdoor escape.  Featuring a new Floatpro™ midsole foam for lightweight underfoot protection, Vibram® EcoStep with 30% recycled rubber outsole, and recycled upper materials, these Vegan-friendly shoes allow you to minimize your environmental footprint without sacrificing performance. We caught up with a few outdoor enthusiasts to see what they had to say about the new collection, and how it’s helping them get outside.

For The West Coast Family’s (@thewestcoastfam) Maritza, confidence on the trail is a must.

As a family who did not want parenthood to get in the way of their outdoor activities, Brandon and Maritza do everything they can to advocate for getting outside with your little ones. Maritza tells us, “My Moab’s have been vital. From someone who has been hiking for many years, wearing countless hikers, the Moab 2 exceeds my expectations.” Getting out with kiddos means you want to have confidence that your gear will feel right, and for Maritza, “The thing that stood out the most was the fit for someone like me with a wider foot. That alone keeps my feet comfortable, snug and stable while I hike.”

Morgan Forbes (@morgforbes) is a weekend summiting outdoor junkie who relies on her gear to keep her moving comfortably and confidently in the alpine.  With the summer weather arriving in the mountains of Alberta, Morgan has been sporting the Moab Speed as her go-to scrambling shoe. “The need for the Moab Speed is real,” Morgan tells us. “This eco-conscious light trail shoe is a perfect, lighter alternative to a hiking boot. The highly capable design of the rugged and grippy recycled Vibram® outsole provides an appreciable combination of traction, rigidity and flexibility.” For the long days on the mountain, Morgan says, “The FloatPro™ midsole cushion holds my foot perfectly and makes me feel like I am floating along the trail. It’s the perfect combination of feathery feel with stable, on-trail performance”.

With the love of trail running increasing, we also caught up with Reid Burrows (@reidrunsfar), Ultrarunner from Ontario, to see how the Moab Flight has been keeping up with him over his long KMS on the trail. “The uppers on the Moab Flight are some of the best I’ve ever used,” Reid says. “After 700+ kilometres, the jacquard upper is still holding strong, and at this point I generally would be seeing holes by now.”

Additionally, one of the most important parts of the shoe for someone like Reid is the midsole, and he tells us, “The Floatpro™ foam is super poppy, and more importantly stays poppy without sacrificing stability and ground control.”

As more and more Step Further into the outdoors this year, make sure you’ve got the right footwear to take you there.  Check out Merrell’s Moab Collection, as well as the rest of their line up here at Sporting Life, to get you out on the trails this year.

Written by Rory Lauder of Merrell Canada