5 Questions with Merrell Footwear

1. How long has Merrell been making footwear?

- Merrell began making hiking boots in 1981 and has since become a staple in the outdoor industry. While we make the best-selling hiking boot in the world, the Moab 3, our outdoor DNA can be traced throughout our footwear lineup, from hiking to trail running to outdoor lifestyle.

2. What in your opinion makes a great Disc Golf shoe?

- Overall versatility is important, but I think there are a few key features that benefit disc golf in particular.
a. First, it’s important that the outsole of the shoe can provide traction and durability across a variety of ground conditions – from a concrete tee pad to a grassy fairway to the varying wild earth that we’ve all had to try and save par from. When we build trail shoes, it’s a very different outsole design compared to shoes made for the road. Assuming our tee shot is the only time we need proper traction on concrete (Northwood Black from Ledgestone has a par 68, which if we shoot par, equates to 26% of total shots from the concrete tee pad), then roughly ¾ of our total shots are coming from off road environments. Therefore, it’s critical that a great disc golf shoe has the right outsole material and lug design to provide excellent traction on dirt, rocks, grass, and any other earth type that we find ourselves throwing from. At Merrell we partner with Vibram®, a global leader in outsole rubber, to bring the best rubber compounds for traction on outdoor terrain to our shoes.
b. Second, fit and comfort are really important for any sport that has participants on their feet the entire time. Going back to Northwood Black, players will walk around 2 miles over the course of 18 holes (your mileage may vary – I’m sure I could shank enough shots to hit 3 miles in a round). That’s a lot of time on your feet. A great disc golf shoe needs to feature resilient and supportive midsole foam that will provide consistent support as you play. At Merrell, we build shoes for the active outdoor consumer who might be going on a multi-day backpacking trip or preparing to run a trail ultramarathon. We constantly test new materials and technologies with our roster of athletes, and once we get their approval of what works, especially when it comes to midsole foam, then we bring it to market. It’s really important in disc golf to have the right amount of support and cushion in your midsole to keep players comfortable and thinking about their next shot, not how their feet are sore.
c. Last, it varies by course and conditions, but having the right amount of protection from your shoes is critical for a great disc golf shoe. Protection can look differently for every player, but having a waterproof option available for rainy days or wet conditions (I’m always surprised how soaked my shoes can get just from morning dew on the grass) is crucial. For courses that feature really rocky ground conditions, thinking about a trail shoe with a rock plate can help protect the bottom of your feet from pain or discomfort. And then for those that want ankle coverage, protection from a mid-height boot or shoe can be a game changer not only for more coverage but also for stability.

3. What seem to be the most popular shoe models for disc golfers, or which would you recommend?

- Our most popular shoes from our catalog for disc golf are:
- Nova 3 – This is a solid, versatile trail runner that has sneaker-like comfort but all the capabilities of a running shoe (I ran a trail 50k in these and they absolutely crushed). I think what’s great is that these also have a Wide option as well as a Gore-Tex option. The women’s version is called the Antora 3 and both men’s and women’s have mid-height versions as well if you want that ankle coverage. (https://www.merrell.com/US/en/nova-3/56428M.html?dwvar_56428M_color=J067609&ref=nova%203#q=nova%203&start=1)
- MQM 3 – The MQM 3 is a hybrid hiking shoe we created for hikers that do it all – hiking, scrambling, and moving fast. The magic of this shoe is in the outsole where the front has a “climbing zone” that also functions well on concrete tee pads as a toe-off zone. Both men’s and women’s have mid-height versions as well if you want that ankle coverage. (https://www.merrell.com/US/en/mqm-3-gore-tex/52476M.html?dwvar_52476M_color=J036803&ref=mqm%203#q=mqm%203&start=1)
- Moab 3 – The Moab is the best-selling hiking boot in the world and for good reason. This shoe has out-of-the-box comfort and proven performance benefits year over year. There are low and mid height options, medium width and wide width options, and waterproof or ventilated versions. (https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3/52481M.html?dwvar_52481M_color=J036287#cgid=moab-collection&start=1)

4. How did a sport like Disc Golf catch the eye of huge outdoor brand like Merrell?

-There’s a few of us on the team that play regularly. Heck, I even have my practice basket set up here at our corporate office outside off our patio near our garden and firepits. It’s been a sport that the team enjoys playing and following for a while, and we’ve seen our local courses become busier and busier. The sport is booming and we love to see it. I was talking to one of my product designers last year while we played a round and we both had this “duh, a-ha” moment where we knew we had the right footwear for the sport, and that we just needed to connect with players and start talking to the disc golf audience. Then, the universe aligned with our idea and I was introduced to Nate Heinold and the rest is history. Merrell is based in Michigan so we’ve been stoked to be a part of two of the largest tournaments based right here in the Midwest.

5. Merrell being the presenting Sponsor for the 2023 Ledgestone Open is a huge deal for Disc Golf, how did that come about?

- I had a chance encounter where I met Nate Heinold and it was at the same time that we were exploring disc golf as a strong opportunity for the brand to get involved. When Nate presented us with the opportunity to sponsor Ledgestone last year, we jumped at the opportunity, and it went really well for us. We’re stoked to be back this year in a bigger and better way. Nate and I dreamed up some cool ideas for how Merrell could show up and stand out, and I’m specifically excited about our Fastest Throw tent where spectators can come over and we’ll run a speed gun on a custom Merrell Discraft disc that you can throw into a net. Fastest throws at the tournament will be rewarded with prizes from the brand.


For a look at all the shoes Merrell recommends, check out this link. https://www.merrell.com/US/en/disc-golf-shoes/