In the context of Merrell hiking shoes, what does the term ‘Moab’ mean?

Question

Can someone help me understand the meaning of ‘Moab’ on the Merrell hiking shoes?

Answer 1

The term Moab denotes ‘Mother of All Boots’. It is a sales strategy of Merrell, in which the company tries to position that othe hiking boots can ever match the quality of the boot in question. This portrays the boot as more than a hiking boot, as it can be worn in a variety of situations.

Comments

Back in the early 90s Merrell products arrived in the UK and I had quite a bit of contact with the footwear Guru, Gary Richter; then Merrell’s Minister Of Culture. At the time there were no Vibram soles on any of their hiking shoes, instead they used their own branded ones. The problem with these soles was they retained a coating of the mould-release compound which made the sole almost useless in wet conditions, thus earning them the unfortunate name of “Perrells”. One afternoon I received a call from Gary who was very concerned about the drop in sales here in the UK. I suggested it was due to the sole units and that UK customers only had faith in Vibram and Skywalk soles, with a preference for Vibram. I doubt I was the only one to tell him this, but without the switch to Vibram I can’t imagine these shoes would have attained the sales and status they have.

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I always thought Moab referred to Moab, Utah where Arches National Park is. My memories of this place feature some intense desert hiking and very long inclines.