Merrell’s latest trail runner — the Bare Access XTR Sweeper — is named for the behind-the-scene folks making race day work. They cheer, they support, and, most specifically, they leave our trails better than they found them.
It’s easy to celebrate the people standing on the race day podium, but it’s rare to celebrate the people that set up the dang thing. The folks at Merrell felt the need to bring attention to that exact crew.
And they’ve done it two-fold. The brand’s latest trail runner bears the Sweeper name, in a nod to both the fact that the shoe is made of trash (read: recycled materials) and a nod to those that pick up the trash left behind. In addition to adding some name credibility where it’s due, they put together a short film focused on three longtime volunteers for the Ragnar Relay Series.
I’m telling ya to watch “The Sweepers: Leaving it Better Than They Found It.” I laughed out loud at the antics, and the message of public service within such a positive space is palpable. These are the folks making things happen and cleaning up after. Cheers to the sweepers.
