Merrell’s impact on the footwear world has been significant in recent years, and that has trickled down to several collaborations from anyone looking to capitalize on gorpcore. While brands like Dime and LMC have lent a hand at re-designing the famous Hydro Moc, designer Reese Cooper has finally released the long-awaited spin on the 1 TRL, and it looks as great as it operates.
As usual, the versatile shoe is still ideal for wearing across any terrain, be it the rugged backcountry trails or busy city streets. And seeing as Cooper is adept at bringing the two together with his vast inspiration of the great outdoors, it only makes sense for this joint effort to come to light. Compositionally, the ever-so-sustainable 1 TRL retains every bit of its traditional functionality, boasting a breathable recycled mesh upper with recycled TPU accents for durability’s sake — even minor details like tongue webbing and laces are fully recycled! A lightweight FloatPro Foam midsole and Vibram Megagrip compound work beneath all that mesh to ensure dependable grip across wetter environments. On top of all that, the silhouette is treated with a Cleansport NXT finish for natural odor control, so working up a sweat is virtually nothing to worry about.
It’s worth noting this is not the first time we’ve seen Cooper work alongside Merrell, as the multi-disciplinary artist also provided his own take on both the Hydro Moc and Hydro Runner just last year and kept them surprisingly affordable in the meantime. In a world where we constantly see brands slap unbelievable price tags onto their collaborative sneakers, capsules, or whatever the case is, it’s refreshing to see these two work hand-in-hand to deliver something that’s actually, you know, attainable.
The RC X Merrell 1 TRL MTL is available in pair of colors on Reese Cooper’s webshop for $150
