Merrell’s Lacy Trail Mary Jane Shows Its Soft Side

The Story

Lace? On the trails? Merrell says so. Meet the SpeedArc Trek Mary Jane, Merrell's latest enigma.

After making a name for itself with hardwearing trail runners, Merrell is getting in touch with its softer side via a delightfully dainty Mary Jane that marries two opposing concepts: Beefy trail shoes and a delicate, buckled-up school shoe.

Its dual-strapped upper lies atop cream lace detailing, giving the brawny shoe some graceful juxtaposition. Underneath, the SpeedArc Trek Mary Jane reminds us that it's still a trail shoe above all else.

For enhanced shock absorption, the turnt up Mary Jane sports a SpeedARC midsole, which essentially acts as a suspension mechanism, giving the charming shoe some dual-pronged adaptability.

See, forget getting in the lab, Merrell got in the auto shop for this one. Literally. The SpeedArc Trek Mary Jane's bouncy midsole was actually inspired by automotive suspension. The split midsole mimics the shock absorption mechanism of a car, allowing the shoe to adapt to the foot and the trails simultaneously. If that's not duality, what is?

The art of fusion is a phenomenon taking over large factions of the sneaker world. It's not enough to just be one thing: The hybrid sneaker era demands more. That's why we have stunners like New Balance's cosplaying loafers and aquatic adidas boat shoes.

The release of Merrell's SpeedARC Mary Jane, available on the Merrell website for $150, proves two things to be true: Singular identities aren't cutting it, and Gorpcore isn't dead.

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