The company behind Merrell shoes was created in 1981 by Randy Merrell, Clark Matis, and John Schweitzer. Their goal in creating Merrell Footwear is to offer performance outdoor footwear to their customers. Since the time that the company began, it has produced and designed shoes and sandals that can withstand the rugged outdoors.

The history of Merrell shoes

When Merrell Footwear started in 1981, the first products were hiking boots, which may be likened to cowboy boots in the way they fit the wearer. These boots were created uniquely for the North American feet. The heels of the Merrell boots are narrow while the toe box is wide. This is in contrast with the shoes that were made for European customers. At the time that Merrell Footwear was established, the company was located in Waitsfield, Vermont.

The special technology used in the design and creation of the Merrell boots made it receive the citation by the Backpacker Magazine as the most functional and comfortable in North America. When a person places an order for a pair of Merrell boots, he or she has to wait for six months and each handcrafted pair of Merrell boots would cost a lot.

The next year, the Bank of Vermont agreed to help the small company by investing in it. John Schweitzer and Clark Matis sold their private company after some time to Karhu USA.

In 1997, Merrell Footwear was acquired by Wolverine Worldwide. Under the Wolverine Worldwide management, Merrell expanded its line of footwear and the company started to produce and design footwear in association with Patagonia.

The year 2006 is the start of the distribution of the Merrell apparel that is still being offered today. Their clothing line uses special technology to advance the field of sporting and outdoor activity apparel in the United States.

Another achievement for the Merrell Shoes is the award given by the Footwear Plus magazine in 2007. Merrell shoes was given a Design Excellence Award as an Outdoor Footwear brand. This was the fifth year in a row that Merrell received this award.

What makes Merrell shoes unique

Aside from the special shape they have made especially for the American feet, almost all of the Merrell Shoes have a sturdy heel cushion and Vibram outsoles, which is a special rubber outsole.

At present, the company is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jacques Lavertue lead the outdoor group of Wolverine Worldwide until his death in 2007.