Go Take a Hike—with Kids

Merrell and Hike It Baby are teaming up for a two-year partnership on developing footwear, resources and outdoor experiences to encourage parents and children to get out on the trail. The goal is to demonstrate how accessible hiking can be for families with babies and young children, says Bornie Del Priore, president, Kids Group of Wolverine Worldwide.

“Joining forces with Hike it Baby around a shared passion for getting families to hit the trail made so much sense and will enable us to better outfit and support trailblazing little ones,” Del Priore says, adding the partnership creates opportunity for retailers to join the mission. “It provides an outlet for our retail partners to tap into their local communities and make authentic connections with consumers.”

Festivities kicked off in April when Hike it Baby held its biannual Hike It Baby 30, a fundraiser and membership-based virtual challenge to encourage families across the globe to get their children outside more often. Winners took home a pair of Merrell shoes. Shanti Hodges, founder of Hike it Baby, looks forward to extending the organization’s services by working with Merrell. “We’ll be able to offer our community more content and opportunities to connect and work with Merrell on design, testing and development of its kids’ footwear collection,” she says.

Speaking of which, Merrell is introducing a new Hut Moc ($50 SRP), featuring the Hike it Baby Busy Hiker print. Part of its Bare Steps toddler collection, the Hut Moc is designed for the natural shape of a child’s foot and offers extra wiggle room. Available in sizes 4-10, M-W, the shoe features Merrell’s M Select Grip rubber outsole for durability and traction. Merrell will also be featuring Hike it Baby families as part of its Fall ’19 marketing campaign.