The Pack
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Gaming’s most scenic views
You can’t beat the amazing views on the trail. We get that, but technology is improving at such a rate … Read More
5 of the Toughest Ways to Start a New Year
Become a Spartan, go cycling in the U.S., enjoy Colorado hiking, or jump with the L Street Brownies to start a new year with the toughest activities around.
SUPBikeRun – A New Breed of Triathlon
The #supbikerun triathlon is a new breed. It doesn’t feature your typical three triathlon events, it replaces swimming with stand up paddleboarding.
Essential Outdoor Gear
Our Alpha Pack members share their most essential outdoor gear – the stuff they couldn’t go out without. Get some outdoor gift ideas for you or a friend with this list of the best outdoor gear.
Free shipping for the holidays
Looking for that perfect holiday gift for the outdoors person in your life, but don’t want to brace the shopping panic that fills December on the high street? Well good news, because Merrell.com has free shipping on all orders for the holiday season!
5 terrible gifts for the outdoor adventurer
Christmas is upon us, and like most of you I am looking forward to getting a few good gifts from … Read More
Infographic: Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Race 2014 in numbers
It’s been another amazing year for the Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Race. As the final runners crossed the line last weekend, we thought it would be good to draw up all the stats into one handy infographic, now that the dust (or more accurately, mud) has settled.
Iceman Cometh this weekend
The first thing that strikes you from talking to the Merrell employees who have gone through the Iceman Cometh race … Read More
40mph winds can’t spoil an unforgettable 44th New York Marathon
The 50,000 people who registered for the 44th annual New York Marathon were treated to difficult conditions, but an unforgettable race.
Top 5 Spooky Trails
Run or hike along these spooky trails around the world. We’ve rounded up the top five scary or haunted hiking trails. So get ready to be spooked out of your trail running shoes or hiking boots.
Merrell Verterra Hiking Shoe Review
Discover the newest Merrell hiking shoe, the Verterra. Lightweight hiking shoes, the Verterra is perfect for speed hikers. Learn more with our Pack hiking shoe review.
Merrell Bare Access Ultra Road Shoe Review
Alpha Dustin Hinton put the Merrell Bare Access Ultra to the test this year during his Ironman training and racing. He’s here with a road shoe review and thoughts on its off-road performance.
The Moon Walk for Breast Cancer
It all started with 13 women power walking the New York marathon in their bras. And now one night a year, over 15,000 men and women get their kit off to walk a marathon through the night around London, taking a stand against breast cancer.
Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Mud Run returns to New York
Good news New York citizens who like your races muddy: the Down & Dirty Obstacle Mud Run returns to the Big Apple this weekend, and as with last year and the other races round the country it comes in three and six mile flavors.
Top 5 Strangest Sights Seen While Trail Running
What’s the oddest thing you’ve come across while trail running? Whether a woodland or country running trail, when you’re away from civilization, the sights get stranger.
Bare Access Trail: An Alpha’s Review
Discover the Bare Access Trail running shoe with this review from Alpha Dustin Hinton. Dustin puts our trail shoe through its paces for this review, what will you put it through?
All Out Rush: Blogger Verdict
A little while ago, we revealed what running bloggers have been saying about our All Out Fuse running shoe, and now it’s the turn of the All Out Rush trail running model to come under the spotlight. One of our most popular lines, the show has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 on Amazon, but we’re always curious to hear what the running bloggers of the internet have to say about the shoe, so without further ado, it’s over to them
10 Tips for Fall Outdoor Activities for Families
Find adventure outside with these fall family activities to keep you motivated to explore despite chillier weather.
Competition: Gear up and Get out!
Summer’s over, but Merrell believes that getting outside and enjoying nature should be an all-year-round pursuit, so for us the start of Fall is prime hiking season!
All Out Fuse reviews – blogger feedback
The All Out Fuse running shoe has been impressing runners around the world with its lightweight feel and stylish looks, designed for traction, responsiveness and control on the trail.
5 funny signs from the trail
After a while hiking, you can get a little blind to the signposts along the way. But it’s worth keeping your eye out – there are plenty that are bizarre, surreal or just plain poorly written to bring a smile to your face along the way.
5 Places NOT To Have Sex On The Trail
Thinking about having sex while camping? Here are some guidelines to follow for sex on the trail to keep your private life private while out in the woods.
Tips for Animal Encounters
When out for a trail run, the last thing you want is an unexpected wild animal encounter. While animal experiences are a natural and looked-forward-to element of being outside, you don’t want to sprint up behind a bear. Follow these tips if you do have any unlucky animal encounters.
Three reasons to head to a ski resort in summer
Check out our top reasons to visit ski resorts in the summer. From solitude to affordability, summer ski resorts have a lot to offer, including top hiking trails, mountain biking, rafting and even ropes courses and alpine slides.
5 commutes to make you feel better about your route to work
Monday morning, and you have the horrible double-whammy: not only is your weekend over, but you have to face the hellish commute to get back to the job you’re not that enthused about heading towards anyway.
What to bring to a Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run?
Are you planning on running your first Down and Dirty Obstacle Mud Race this year? Don’t know what to wear for the adventure? We caught up with MESP’s Alisha Bryant to set us on the right path…
Angular running track built to save time in China
When senior Communist Party leaders announced a last-minute visit to the sporting facilities in Heilongjiang, China, local sports officials authorized the creation of a right-angle running track to make up for lost time.
Revealed: the regular household spice that helps a workout recovery
We’ve known for some time that moderate exercise and carefully monitored post-workout intake of food and fluids has the more benefits for your immune system in the long run than going full throttle, but it appears that there’s a magical ingredient on most people’s shelves that will help your exercise recovery: ginger.
Running, wine and yoga: Gloanna coming to America
Do you find 5k races a bit too competitive and tiring? Do you aim for a bit more relaxation with your pacing, and prefer to avoid the pressure of beating your best time? Gloanna may be for you, and it’s on its way to New York.
‘World’s toughest’ ultramarathon relocated due to soaring 116 Fahrenheit heat
The toughest marathon in the world is days away, but controversy has changed the vibe in 2014.
History is made at Gold Coast Marathon
What began back in 1979 has transformed into one of the world’s most scenic and sought after marathons. 2014 proved to be no exception on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia as the Gold Coast Marathon took place in front of thousands of excited fans.
Tragedy to triumph: Boston Marathon breaks fund raising record
April 15 2013 will forever go down in history as one of the most tragic days Boston has known. Bolyston Street was the scene of horror just a year ago, where two pressure cooker bombs exploded towards the finish line at the Boston marathon. The city of Boston, however, has rallied around each other and come back stronger than ever.
Western States Endurance Run kicks off this Saturday
The Western States Endurance Run remains one of the world’s truest tests of endurance, and this year will be no exception as the competitors ready themselves for the 2014 event, taking place on June 28 – 29.
Great Pacific race underway
Billed as ‘the biggest, baddest human endurance challenge on the planet’, the inaugural Great Pacific Race sees teams from around the world rowing from Monterey, California to Honolulu, Hawaii.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon this weekend
Tomorrow sees the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon return for its sixth year running. The event is will attract around 18,000 runners, with the whole event punctuated with live music, including live post-race performances from Sir-Mix-a-Lot and The Presidents of the United States of America at Seattle Center.
More obstacle race tips from a veteran
In part one of our interview with 45 year old Scott Sweeney – a Down & Dirty race veteran – … Read More
Seventh National Get Outdoors day tomorrow
This is not just another lazy weekend. Tomorrow marks the seventh annual National Get Outdoors Day, which is then swiftly followed by Father’s Day on Sunday. Throw some good weather into the mix, and you’ve got the perfect weekend for outdoor adventuring.
Ultra D Day Trail begins tomorrow
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, and to pay tribute to the seven countries that took part, athletes and soldiers from each country will run over a route between Utah Beach (Manche) and Caen (Calvados) and stop through 14 ‘checkpoints,’ located at places of high historical value, to honor the past.
Product Focus: Azura Hiking Shoe
For another post in our Product Focus series, we’ve managed to borrow more of Mark Pavsek’s time to discuss the … Read More
Two go sub four minutes to celebrate Jim Ryun’s Festival of Miles
A couple of months ago we reported on the Jim Ryun Festival of Miles, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Olympic silver medalist and politician Jim Ryun breaking the four minute mile – the first time a high school boy had achieved the feat. Well appropriately enough two competitors managed to break the four minute mile in San Diego – one of them for the very first time.
Be more like a cyclist with Runbell
If you’re an urban runner, you’ll be familiar with the frustration of walkers blocking the sidewalk. They can ruin your … Read More
Fitness tracker tech makes you ditch the car
It’s very easy to jump in the car to travel a mile or two to pick up a carton of milk, but a new partnership between Jawbone, the maker of the Up fitness band, and Automatic, maker of an activity tracker for cars, aims to put a stop to unnecessary driving.
Can you safely listen to music while running?
Running with headphones can make us unaware of our surroundings, which is especially treacherous while navigating urban streets. How often have you thought that honking horn was just part of the track?
Merrell Down And Dirty storms into Miami on Sunday
The Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Race swept through Los Angeles last month and is about to land in Miami, before tearing into nine other US cities before the end of the year.
Team Merrell GODZone Film ‘Alphas Assemble’ Out Now
Well today we’re proud to announce the release of a full documentary exclusively on The Pack. We’ve made two versions: a shorter 5 minute version, and a longer 25 minute edit. Both can be viewed on The GODZone’s Epic Trail page.
Western States 100 to be broadcast via livestream
One of the toughest and most iconic ultramarathons, the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run between Squaw Valley ski resort and Auburn, California, will be shown via a livestream feed.
Watch the Merrell GODZone adventure trailer now!
Exciting news! We’re working on a short film about the amazing GODZone adventure our four Alphas went on back in March.
Climbers descend Everest after avalanche
Roughly half of the teams preparing to climb Everest have begun their descent from Base Camp following last week’s tragic avalanche that killed at least 13 sherpas.
Nike to leave fitness hardware market?
Rumors are gathering that Nike is planning on leaving the fitness hardware game, after a report surfaced that Nike had laid off as much as 80 percent of its Digital Sport hardware team. This includes the majority of people who worked on the FuelBand tracker
Women’s Running name AllOut Rush best trail running shoe
Women’s Running magazine has listed it’s best running shoes for every occasion, and we’re delighted to report that the All Out Rush shoes were crowned the winners in the trail running category.
Product focus: AllOut Blaze
A while ago, we spoke to Mark Pavsec, the Business Director from the Performance Outdoor Footwear department, about the design challenges of the Grassbow light-weight hiking shoe. We managed to get a little bit more time with him to discuss the AllOut Blaze line.
Boston Marathon 2014 Preview
On Monday, 36,000 runners will occupy Main Street, Hopkinton, the start line of the world’s oldest annual marathon and scene of the 2013 bombings, which saw three people killed, and over 260 injured.
North Korea opens up marathon to overseas runners
On Sunday, North Korea opened up the annual Pyongyang marathon to foreign amateurs for the first time. It was an unusual move for the secretive and deliberately isolated state, with much of the country still firmly off-limits to visitors.
Runners prepare for this weekend’s London marathon
After months of hard work and preparation, the time has again come for a horde of lycra-clad runners to haul themselves around London’s famous 26.2 mile Marathon course.
Down & Dirty returns for fifth year running
Obstacle racing season officially kicks off this weekend with the first of Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle races taking place in Los Angeles. We spoke to MESP’s Alisha Bryant to find out a little about the history of obstacle racing in the USA, and how Down & Dirty has evolved over the years…
Subsidized bike hire to battle Boston obesity
From this week, patients struggling with obesity in the Boston area will be helped to improve their lifestyle with prescriptions for a subsidized membership to the city’s Hubway bike sharing system.
Introducing the Grassbow light weight hiking shoe
A new addition to the Merrell line added recently is the Grassbow light weight hiking shoe for men. It hit stores a few weeks ago, and we caught up with Mark Pavesek the Business Director from the Performance Outdoor Footwear department to find out who the shoe’s for, what it does differently and whether it’s the shoe for you.
Mobile technology slogs it out in the battle for fitness tracking
Smartphones are already an incredibly useful accessory for hiking and trail running, but the big mobile manufacturers seem to be moving further down the road of health and fitness as an added benefit for their technology.
Boston Marathon returns for 2014
The world’s oldest annual marathon, The Boston Marathon, is due to return to the city for its 118th year on 21 April. It will be the first year since the tragic finish line bombings stunned the world at the 2013 event, but organizers are working tirelessly to ensure this year’s event makes headlines for positive reasons.
Webcomic creator launches ‘Beat the Blerch’ marathon
When comic author Matthew Inman – creator of The Oatmeal Comic – published a work called ‘Why I Run’, he probably didn’t see it ending the way it has. The comic, which explains his struggle with motivation and disinclination to running, has already been turned into a book, and will soon come to life as a 10k, half or full marathon in Carnation, Washington on September 21 2014.
Grand Traverse takes skiers from Crested Butte to Aspen in 8-16 hours
In 10 days time, at midnight, the 40 mile Grand Traverse race will begin at Crested Butte in the Elk Mountains, Colorado. Over the 8-16 hours it takes to complete the course, skiers will climb more than 7,800’ to the finish line at the base of Aspen Mountain.
Team Merrell crosses the GODZone finish line
It’s over. After five days, 20 hours and 24 minutes, the four members of the new look Team Merrell crossed the finish line, and celebrated with some well earned champagne.
GODZone day six update
We’re approaching the end of GODZone now, and Team Merrell has put in a superhuman effort so far, with only a small part of the 500km race to go.
GODZone day five update
Day 5 was one of the best for Team Merrell in the GODZone, featuring a 38km hike across the Glynn Wye Range to the Hurunui River.
GODZone day four update
Day four of the GODZone race continues apace, with a new addition to Team Merrell: Sabrina Verjee. She was part of another team – Movie AR – who lost a member to injury and decided not to continue.
GODZONE – DAY TWO & THREE
The gruelling 300-mile-plus, multi-discipline GODZone race continues. Team Merrell had an epic day yesterday climbing Mount Tapuae O Uenku, the highest peak in the northeast of New Zealand’s South Island.
Outside’s 2014 Travel Award winners announced
Outside Magazine has published its 2014 Travel Award winners, and as you’d expect we were especially keen to see what Outside would flag up as the best trail running and mountain biking locations.
GODZone – Day One Gallery
Team 41 Merrell Alpha Pack are making good progress in the GODZone Adventure Race. Despite the loss of Catalina Gerstle – out with a knee injury – the team is looking strong. Here are just a few pictures from the TA03 transition.
Breaking news – Catalina Gerstle out of GODZone
Team 41 Merrell Alpha pack’s injured teammate Catalina has made the difficult decision not to continue the GODZone Adventure Race.
GODZone – Day One
A good start from the Merrell Alpha Pack team with the 9Km coasteering section and 12Km open water kayak completed without any drama and in a good time. After a change over at the first checkpoint, the team began the 53Km mountain bike sections that’s expected to take around 8 hours.
Team Merrell Alpha Pack’s Graham Bird revs up for Godzone
The Merrell Alpha Pack team leader talks about the team’s approach to one of the world’s toughest adventure races, the grueling schedule and the challenges they’ll face along the way.
Win Merrell gear with Map My Fitness
We’ve teamed up with MapMyFitness to offer some fantastic Merrell prizes in the Out.Perform ‘Hike Mt. Blanc’ Challenge. We challenge users of the app and website to hike and run your own 103 mile epic trail between March 3 and April 20 2004.
Introducing #thepack social
So, The Pack has been live for a few days now, and we hope you’re enjoying the articles we’ve already published. We want you to get involved though, and for that reason we’re announcing #thepack – the social way to get involved in our adventures!
Merrell Alphas head to GODzone
Merrell has sent members of its Alpha Pack to GODZone in New Zealand. Here’s details of the challenge ahead…
The Pack – introducing our new online adventure magazine
Exciting times today at Merrell as we can officially announce the launch of the new-look online adventure magazine: The Pack! Our Alpha Pack is comprised of world class experts from across the full spectrum of active adventure, and they’ll be on hand to offer advice in everything from nutrition to training schedules.
Chuckanut 50k returns to Washington
For the 22nd year running, the Chuckanut 50k is returning to Washington next month. Mixing the urban elements of Washington with climbing 5000ft of the stunning Chuckanut Mountain ridge, it’s a grueling but hugely rewarding event.
Transgrancanaria race returns for 2014
March 1st sees Transgrancanaria return for its 11th year. The race around the Spanish island of Gran Canaria brought together 2,500 runners last year (a big improvement on the 65 it attracted when it began back in October 2003) of varying abilities, thanks to the different options it provides its runners, mixing up the elevation, distance and time allowed to complete.
Introducing Flyfit, the fitness tracker you strap to your ankle
Flyfit is a new wearable fitness tracker with one small but crucial difference – it’s designed to fit around your ankle. This might seem like a subtle distinction from the wristbands that dominate the market, but think about it, which body parts are the engine behind most exercise…
START TRAINING NOW – NEPAL TO SLASH COST TO CLIMB EVEREST
Many of us dream of climbing Mount Everest, but the price is a huge barrier for many of us. Even if you overlook the expense of getting the equipment in the first place and flying out to Nepal, a license to climb the world’s highest mountain costs an individual $25,000. Good news though, the Nepalese government has announced that from 2015 this price will be slashed by more than half, dropping to just $11,000!
Skyrunning coming to the US in a big way in 2014
Skyrunners in the US will have a tantalizing selection of events to choose from in 2014, with the inclusion of three races in the Skyrunner World Series as well as a separate US Skyrunner Series.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race schedule confirmed
The Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run has inspired thousands of athletes to push themselves to the limits over military fitness-inspired courses across the US. Down and Dirty racers compete over 5K or 10K courses and little ones can join in too, in the Adventure Kids one-mile mud run or the shorter adventure dash.
Merrell launches All Out collection: Performance trail running shoes and lightweight hiking shoes
Lightweight, flexible and combining ample ground feel with effective protection, the All Out range of hiking and running shoes is a study in minimalism. A flexible underfoot wrap mobilizes the arch and the design activates the body’s natural form by creating continuous ground contact for increased flexibility and efficiency.
Tarawera Ultramarathon joins Ultra-Trail World Tour
The 6th Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon will take place on March 15th with a field of over 850 runners from 26 different countries. The endurance run from Rotorua to Kawerau, New Zealand, can be entered as a 100, 85, or 65km trail through exotic forests, native bush, lakes and waterfalls. Check out the trailer!
Merrell Pack Projects bring outdoor adventures to all
Through our Pack Projects program, we award grants of up $2,500 to encourage people to spend time outside and to have their own active adventures in the great outdoors. These grants have made a difference to hundreds of lives, increasing participation in outdoor pursuits and creating connections between both children and adults and the outdoors.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Chicago 2014
The Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run has inspired thousands of athletes to push themselves to the limits over military fitness-inspired courses across the US. Down and Dirty racers compete over 5K or 10K courses and little ones can join in too, in the Adventure Kids one-mile mud run or the shorter adventure dash.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Miami 2014
The Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run series – which this year includes a race in Miami – has inspired thousands of athletes to push themselves to the limits over military fitness-inspired courses across the US. Down and Dirty racers compete over 5K or 10K courses and little ones can join in too, in the Adventure Kids one-mile mud run or the shorter adventure dash.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Atlanta 2014
Now in its fourth year, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru has pushed thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the US. 2014’s schedule includes Atlanta on October 12th.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Sacramento 2014
Since 2010, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru has encouraged thousands of athletes to push themselves over military fitness-inspired tracks across the country. 2014’s schedule includes Sacramento on November 2nd.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Detroit 2014
Since 2010, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru has been encouraging thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the USA. 2014’s schedule includes Detroit on August 24th.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – New York 2014
Now entering its fourth year, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru encourages huge numbers of athletes to push their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the USA. 2014’s schedule includes New York on September 28th.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Dallas 2014
Now entering its fourth year, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru has encouraged thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the country. 2014’s schedule includes Dallas on June 8th.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Hartford 2014
For the fourth year running, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru is to encourage thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the country. 2014’s schedule includes Hartford on June 22nd.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Philadelphia 2014
Now entering its fourth year, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru is to encourage thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the country. 2014’s schedule includes Philadelphia on July 27th.
Merrell Down and Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru – Washington DC 2014
For three years, Merrell’s Down & Dirty Obstacle Race presented by Subaru has pushed thousands of athletes to test their limits over military fitness-inspired tracks across the country. 2014’s schedule includes Washington DC on July 13th.
Hike hard, rest easy
Since 1981, Merrell’s been the footwear that gets you to the mountain – built with innovation & exceptional design. Nothing proves this more than the development and story of our infamous Jungle Moc. Brought to you in ’98 from one man’s idea for a new category that changed the industry.
My first trail half marathon
Half-marathons are possibly the most addictive runs to do. If you haven’t trained for one, go find your pals and start cranking; you won’t regret it. Thirteen miles is long enough to get the endorphins flowing and leave you feeling accomplished, but short enough that you can train for it before the kids wake up.
American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day
Merrell is a proud partner of the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® (NTD), a celebration of America’s magnificent Trail System, and will occur this year on June 1, 2013.
Free up your running form with barefoot running shoes
Proper running form is important to the health and strength of your muscles and joints. Barefoot running is all about re-training your body to run the way it was designed to run.
The 2012 Merrell-go-round calendar
Merrell event season is here and with it comes our recently named Merrell-Go-Round! For 2012, the Merrell-Go-Round will be making appearances at the Merrell Down and Dirty Mud and Obstacle Series and the Merrell Oyster Adventure Race.
2012 schedule of Merrell sponsored events!
Here at Merrell, we like to get busy outside during the summer months. What does that mean? It means you can find us at all kinds of places. If there is something fun going on outside, we will be there and we hope YOU can join us! Check out below for a complete month-by-month schedule to find out where our next Merrell Event will be.