Gear Review: Merrell Clothing
By MBT Staff

Trying to Mud Up a Merrell
We here at MBT would like to convince you that we’re on the cutting edge of the fashion world but must refrain from doing so on account of ethics. The truth of the matter is we spend a lot of our time in lycra shirts and in pink pants with plastic logos embroidered on them. We do however feel pretty passionate about buying clothing that gives back to the sport.

Enter Merrell; a company who has been catering to the needs of the outdoor enthusiast for over 26 years. What began as a leather hiking-boots company in the hills of Vermont has since expanded to a full line of durable apparel available to the whole world. Think about 26 years of refinement and the reality that business is like nature- only the strong survive. Merrell possesses an intimate knowledge of the needs of the modern outdoorsmen (and women) and has proven it with their longevity.

We recently spent a few weeks of trail duty with a couple of their product lines in effort to determine their use here in the rough and tumble world of mountain biking and trail construction. Here’s what we gathered.

The Intersect is stylish and functional hoody.

Intersect
We began with the women’s Intersect hoodie; Merrell’s take on a modern comfort- oriented design in a unique stretchy fabric that's light and airy. The Intersect is one of those shirts that can convince you you’ve worn it and have come to love it for years even while slipping it on for the first time. If there was a word that best describes the feeling of the Intersect on your skin, that word would be “airy”. The material flows with the movements of the body without bunching up or feeling bulky. We made sure of this by having our tester swing a shovel for a few afternoons. She ran out flow long before the Intersect did.

Combining tech looks with urban style, the Intersect simply blends in everywhere it goes. It’s durable enough to follow you on the trails and attractive enough to wear out to dinner afterward. Features include:

-Contoured hood
-Comfort-ribbed Waist
-Hand-warming Pockets
Retail Price: $80.00

For Flannel, the Ox is where it's at.

Ox
Next up was the shirt that had our test riders waiting in line for a chance to sample. The men’s Ox looks (on the surface) like a comfy button-up flannel like those that ruled the world during Woodstock ’94. Once wrapped up in this beauty, however, it becomes very clear that Merrell has more serious intentions in mind.

The classic plaid is actually made of 3-dry fabric which, in case you’ve never tried it, means dirt, water, mud, and sweat do not absorb into the material. But before you assume this equates to a stiff or waxy feeling material, think again. The Ox is every bit as soft and comfy as the flannels of yore. We are known for ruining many an outfit with our soil-moving efforts and figured the Ox would be no different. However, after spending two weeks of hard trail duty with multiple washings in between, the Ox showed no sign of, well ever being worn! Water literally beads up on the surface of the Ox like rain on the hood of a freshly waxed car. As you move, even the muddiest splatter just runs off the shirt without a trace.

Our only compliant is that the weather here in New York has been unseasonably warm. The Ox is clearly built to shield its wearer from the elements and spent quite a few days tied around our waists. One thing for certain though is that it will be serving double duty as the temperatures continue to dip.

Merrell says this multi-purpose outdoor shirt that will make you proud to wear classic plaid again. We agree.

-3XDRY Cotton Flannel
-Dual Chest Storage Pocket
Retail Price: $85.00

In addition to creating very trail-ready gear, Merrell supports our sport. Below is a short list of some of the organizations Merrell supports through financial and in-kind donations. Merrell supports organizations that promote access and preservation and share our love of the outdoors:

Appalachian Trail Conservancy
American Hiking Society
Conservation Alliance
Project Athena
Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund

Check them out at www.merrell.com for more information.