The Merrell Q-Form sole is a new innovation designed specifically for women; a moulded sole that takes into account that women generally have wider hips, a lower centre of gravity, higher arches and even longer toes! Women have a wider angle between the hip and the knee, called the Quadricep angle or Q-angle. This means that women are more likely to supinate, roll on the outside of the foot and then overcompensate by pronating, shifting the weight over to the inside of the foot. This can lead to hip, knee and back problems. Merrell have varied the stiffness of the Q Form, with the idea the sole guides the women’s foot into a more centralised position. Thicker EVA has been used to support the woman’s higher arch and a softer area eases the pressure on the metatarsal. Finally, the flex point has been re-positioned to account for women’s longer toes and distribute the pressure across the ball of the foot.

For the spring/summer 06, the colourful Merrell ‘Pacific’ range of sandals, feature a sun light activated anti-bacterial foot bed to ward off bad smells. The Chameleon II ‘Kahuna’ sandal, designed to impress the outdoor adventurer, is a technical performer featuring; a pig skin upper with breathable neoprene lining, a patented cushioned mid-sole, a Microban foot bed and Vibram sole. Incorporating all the technical features of the Kahuna, the Chameleon II Convertible has a removable neoprene back strap. This sandal is ideal for water sports or adventure walking. Another very popular part of The Merrell summer range is the Waterpro ‘Ultra-sport’, great for scrambling across a slippery deck. Useful features are the ventilated uppers and drainage ports for quick drying.

For the Autumn/winter range the Merrell Spirit ‘Tibet High’ is a winter boot with soft leather and lots of detailing of the laces and buttons. The special Polartec lining and spun wool collar make the Spirit range very comfortable and feature the pretty snowflake designed outsole give plenty of grip.