Merrell may not be the first name when thinking of hot footwear labels, though, for those looking to explore the great outdoors and trek through its terrain, Merrell has been a go-to choice for years. Most famous in the sneakerhead world for its Hydro Moc that many liken to the Yeezy Foam RNNR (even though it did see a release prior to that model), the gorpcore community has found plenty of products from the label to add to their rotation. On top of this, the brand has begun to expand into the “hype” world through collaborations with the likes of Dime and is now continuing to work with famed designer Reece Cooper and his RCI Reserve label on a collection consisting of half a dozen footwear choices.
First beginning in the Spring/Summer 2022 season, Reece Cooper’s RCI Reserve will take over 3 silhouettes in 2 colorways, the MTL MQM, MTL Long Sky 2, and Hydro Runner, as a part of Merrell’s 1TRL collection. This sublabel of Merrell is a more “high fashion” take on outdoor-ready footwear designs and its vision is played out through the fusion of form and function when it comes to the construction of silhouette under the 1TRL banner.
Starting with the Hydro Runner, we have a “Forest Night” colorway that utilizes shades of green and a “Pebble” that sees a neutral tone cream shade take over the exoskeleton atop the mesh base. The MTL Long Sky 2 gets a “Clover” and “Otter” color palette that again continues to utilize earth-tone shades such as the greens used on the former of the two and browns on the latter. Finally, the MTL MQM receives a “Hunter Green” and “Pirate Black” colorway, both taking on their titular shades for the majority of each respective sneaker. Across all models, we see co-branded Merrell and Reese Cooper logos as well as outdoor-ready features like Vibram sole units and rugged traction patterns on the outsole.
The Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL Collection has already seen a small release at an NYC pop-up shop on February 11th and 12th while a wider release online via Reese Cooper will take place on February 24th, 2023. Pairs will release via Merrell and select retailers on March 3rd. As of this writing, the retail price for each silhouette is TBA. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL Hydro Runner “Forest Night”
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL Hydro Runner “Pebble”
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL MTL Long Sky 2 “Clover”
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL MTL Long Sky 2 “Otter”
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL MTL MQM “Hunter Green”
Reece Cooper x Merrell 1TRL MTL MQM “Pirate Black”
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
