The best boots ever made. That's what Randy Merrell's customers were saying in 1981. Backpacker Magazine named them "the most comfortable and functional boots in North America."

Word spread. Like all legends, ours grew. Today, we're much more than boots. We're the gear that gets you out there—from city streets to mountain trails and everywhere in between.

When it comes to the differences between men and women, feet might be the last thing you think of, yet women’s feet are significantly different. Which is why when we build women’s footwear, we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. We design our lasts to fit the unique profile, bone structure and stride that women need for greater comfort and performance.

Eagle boots combined running shoe performance with backcountry utility to create lighter and faster footwear for the trail. It was the first of its kind for Merrell, and the beginning of our history for creating groundbreaking multi-sport technologies.

We’ve won lots of awards, but winning Backpacker Magazine’s Best Hiker for Merrell Leather in ’88 was special. In fact they called our boots “the best in the world.” Over a decade later, we’re still making ‘em like we used to. Check out our Origins collection to see how the legend continues.

Our footwear had forded a lot of streams and stomped through plenty of puddles by ’89, but crossing the pond to the U.K. was our biggest splash yet. It announced that even an ocean-sized boundary couldn’t hold us back from breaking new ground or exploring the world outside.

Our people have designed, tested and promoted the footwear that sets us apart. We’re proud of our accomplishments and thank them for making us who we are today. Here’s to the original 38 from 1992.

Take a quantum leap into the future. Wait, the past. Ugh, time travel is confusing.

Front Range was the next evolution in our pursuit of faster and lighter footwear. We started with lightweight leather uppers and built them on a more agile athletic platform. The result provided runners and hikers with speed, stability and durability. It was the first in a long line of multi-sport and cross-training products designed to help you go farther, faster.

Vibram has led the way to summits like Mt Everest and K2 for decades. Famed for their lightweight, long-wearing and flexible soles that provide excellent traction and high abrasion resistance, the Vibram team was a perfect fit for our high-performance footwear.

Our future is looking bright. See what happens next.

Aftersport becomes a new shoe category in the industry with the introduction of our Jungle Moc. These slip-ons featured the comfort technologies from our performance footwear but in a casual format. Molded nylon arch shanks, compression molded EVA footframes, Merrell Air Cushioned heels and sticky rubber soles provide the perfect fit and comfort after a hard day of play.

Fast forward to 2011. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock calls the Jungle Moc “The greatest shoe ever sold,” in his movie The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

The launch of Merrell Kids brought all-ages fun and performance to our lineup of footwear. Today, we’ve expanded to fit every kind of adventure with every kind of footwear, from boots, sandals Jungle Mocs, shoes and even Barefoot—but more about that later.

Speaking of kids, this is the year they named NSYNC their favorite group at the Kids’ Choice Awards. Ah, the 90s. Goodbye 20th century, hello 21st.

We’ve been known to follow our own path wherever it takes us. That includes heading out to distant shores. Our travels inspired a new collection of footwear that blended sophisticated style with our legendary outdoor performance. Check out the World Collection.

QForm technology was developed in partnership with Sport Biomechanics, Inc. to create footwear for women. By addressing the anatomical and biomechanical differences between men and women, we engineered a midsole that provides unique support, cushioning and corrective positioning to help women go farther in exceptional comfort and performance.

2006 was a big year at Merrell. It marked the debut of our line of outdoor adventure wear for men and women. Over the coming years the line would grow to include several apparel technologies, including Opti-Shell waterproof, Opti-Warm insulation and AeroBlock to name a few.

It was also the year Merrell UK won Drapers Footwear Brand of the Year. The magazine has been an authority on UK fashions for 120 years. Cheers, Drapers. Thanks for the award and a cracking good time.

Our partnership with Vibram^® continued with the launch of Barefoot, a collection of low-profile, 0mm heel drop shoes for all of your outdoor adventures. The Barefoot lineup has been expanded for 2012. Stay tuned for future developments.

In 2011, we also celebrated our 30th anniversary with the launch of Merrell Origins. The Origins collection brings back our top styles from 1981, such as Wilderness, Eagle and Solo footwear, all updated with modern technologies for even better comfort and performance.

Standing still isn’t part of our plan. We’re constantly innovating new technologies and products to help you get outside. Here’s to another 30 years of adventure!
Let’s get outside.