Merrell boots were inspired by the fit of traditional cowboy boots, with their generous toe boxes and snug-fitting heels. In 1981, Randy Merrell began crafting hiking boots, and it wasn't long before he had a 6-month waiting list and a footwear revolution on his hands. In 1983, the fast-growing company was the first to incorporate Gore-Tex® into Merrell men's footwear and women's footwear, and in the years since has pioneered many other technical advances in men's backpacking and hiking boots and women's backpacking and hiking boots. Backpacking boots soon spawned versatile outdoor fitness shoes, and Merrell men's casual footwear, including multi-sport footwear, now roams from urban streets to the highest peaks.Merrell also offers a large selection of women's casual footwear and multisport footwear that combine substance and style. Plus give the younger generation a leg up with Merrell kids' footwear, built solid to carry them from one outdoor adventure to the next.At REI you'll find top-rated and top-selling footwear from Merrell, plus plenty of sale & clearance deals and bargains.
Established to break the conventional boundaries of streetwear through innovative design and craftsmanship, Illustrated Example is the in house label of Canadian sneaker boutique Livestock. With over 10 years of experience retailing, examining, and archiving the best in contemporary streetwear and menswear, it was a natural step for Livestock to start producing their own label that focused on function-driven design. Although the label sources their textiles from all over the world, the team made a commitment from the get go to manufacture their entire line within Canada to ensure an end product created with the highest possible quality. Celebrating the release of the label’s latest Fall/Winter 2016 collection and lookbook, we had the opportunity to talk with the label’s head designer Kevin Reid about the history of the brand and the inspiration behind their newest season. In 2008, {i.e. was introduced as a retail experience in Gastown, Vancouver. While other brands adopted more boastful names, Illustrated Example suggested that this was our interpretation of fashion and expressed our humble attitude in this journey.
At the time, the goal was to introduce our community to a more sophisticated level of men’s products, one which encapsulated our experiences abroad along with our appreciation for new technology, craftsmanship, functional design, modern art, and a progressively minded culture. In 2014, {ie was revived as a contemporary clothing label with the same perspective. We love the community we’ve built across Canada over the past 13 years with Livestock. With {ie, we strive to make effective clothing, from a design and cost perspective, giving our customers the best experience possible so they keep coming back. Our collective 30 years of industry experience has influenced us to take a more pragmatic approach that your typical fashion start-up. The FW16 collection takes on a tectonic concept, inspired by the layers and panels of the earth’s crust and how they protect the earth’s core. This concept pushed us to approach the season in a different way, maximizing the versatility of a relatively compact collection through styling.
Garments, like each layer of the earth, provide different functions and in combination these layers are optimized to protect the core from various climates and environments. Pairing our Bonded Military Jacket and Insulated Vest is a good representation of this concept. By developing a system using a minimal, insulated vest in combination with an engineered cotton military shell we were able to provide two purposeful garments with two distinct functions as opposed to offering a separate, less versatile, heavy, and insulated parka. Aesthetically the collection draws inspiration from the Canadian Tundra, a stunning representation of the shifting surface of the earth. The season’s colour palette mostly uses textured greyscales, mossy tones, and heathered brights referencing the igneous rock plates from the Laurentian Plateau. All of our in-line product is made in Canada, in fact, many of our factories are within walking distance of the HQ. Right from the start, we committed to manufacturing locally, allowing us to work more collaboratively with factories and tightly monitor the manufacturing process.
We’re all gear heads at heart so being able to pop over to a factory and work out an issue together is really satisfying and results in a better product. We’re happy to be carving out an aesthetic and design philosophy that represents us. Our lifestyle is one of unpredictability, we’re active, constantly shifting from city to nature, work to play, active to chill, and it never slows down. We take an engineering approach to casual wear and surprise people with functionality while providing timeless and effortless looks. Our classic Canadian-knit and constructed garments are a prime example of this where we use waterproof pocket bags, marine-grade zippers, and a water-resistant coating on the fleece to give some added versatility to the wardrobe staple. {illustrated example is unique in another sense, as we are one of few Canadian-made brands to run vertically; selling only through our partner retailer Livestock and online. This allows us to offer garments that are made at the best fleece factory in Canada and use one of the best cotton suppliers in the UK at a fraction of the cost.
As more people use our product the awareness for this increases and we’ve been really humbled by the positive feedback. Needless to say, we are excited for the future as we continue to learn and grow. {illustrated example products are available to be purchased now both online and at Livestock brick and mortar locations in both Vancouver and Toronto.I wear sneakers a lot. I tend to wear sneakers with jeans, shorts and just about anytime I'm not in a business environment. They don't cramp my feet or my style. Nowadays, the Millennials call them "running shoes." But this Baby Boomer will always call them 'sneakers.' This is fine because the inexperienced generations run in them, mainly; while the wisdom-filled elders lounge, hang-out, walk and occasionally, run in them. We're not as fond of organized running, at least without any real or charitable purpose. Whether a runner or 'hanger-outer,' I recently came across a tectonic shift in sneakers and how they are used.
With all the innovation in technology where our bodies are now dripping with "wearables," I've taken a great interest in any technology incorporated into my beloved sneakers. At CES in January, I came across the Under Armour booth complete with high-tech sneakers. I quickly got a hold of a pre-launch pair to test. Here they are after four months of vigorous, daily wear. Looking almost as pristine as when I first took them out of the box, these Under Armour, UA SpeedForm Gemini 2 Record-Equipped Men's Running Shoes ... er, Sneakers are the most comfortable sneakers I've ever worn. For running, or anything else. Now, I've owned and ran around in Keds, PF Flyers, Nike's, Air Jordan's, New Balance's, Asic's, Reebok's, Adidas, Converse's, Puma's, Van's, Fila's, Lacoste's and any number of other sneaker brands but have found none as comfy as these Under Armour's are. These are not just any sneakers. They're connected through a series of built-in sensors to an app on your smartphone called "Map My Run."
This unique, health-oriented app measures time, cadence, duration, distance, splits and captures GPS info to deliver accurate data. You don't even need to have your smartphone with you when you run, as the sneakers measure and retain the data from up to five workouts before needing to sync with your device. One year of training plans is included in the app and battery power in the sneakers is not a problem as the in-sneaker battery is designed to outlive the life of the shoes. Here are the technical specs: **UA Record-equipped technology tracks and stores virtually every running metric Innovative UA SpeedForm® technology delivers zero distraction while running **Smooth, ultrasonic welded seaming with Bemis tape for next-to-skin support & comfort **Two-color, small holed mesh offers enhanced breathability **Embedded sock-liner within cavity of midsole for added cushioning, moisture-wicking & seamless comfort **ArchForm offers additional support & soft cushioning for an even better fit & feel
**Dual-layer Charged Cushioning delivers the perfect cushioning & energy return for optimal performance **Blown rubber outsole is lightweight yet incredibly durable **Anatomically placed flex grooves allow an optimal heel-to-toe transition for a smoother ride So technically, these sneakers are amongst the best and most advanced. But what about coolness factor? Well, about 75% of people ask me about them when I'm wearing them. But I decided to do a little further test by going into the lion's den of the competition. As I entered the flagship, gigantic Niketown store on 57th street in Manhattan, I pretended to browse the plethora of Nike footwear on the walls. It didn't take long until I was approached by a salesperson who would presumably say something to the effect of "May I help you?" "Are those the new Under Armour's?" All Nike talk was quickly dispensed with in the presence of UA greatness. "Why, yes they are," I responded serenely, wondering how on Earth they were going to shift the conversation to Nike sneaker superiority.