Those pairs of shoes that are immediately comfortable – with no breaking in time – are few and far between. But as soon as I pulled on my new Merrell All Out Crush sneakers, they felt like old friends. Best of all, they’re vegan-friendly. Merrell’s worked hard to engineer synthetic materials that perform as well as more traditional leather. I really appreciate companies that take us animal lovers seriously as consumers. So thank you, Merrell!

The Merrell All Out Crush posing with the world’s cutest dog

The All Out Crush are made for trail running and getting muddy, so I took them with me on a recent trip to Utah and Arizona. Between hiking and camping, my sneakers were soon coated with the red dirt of the Southwest. But they still looked cute and felt great.

Some of my favorite features of the All Out Crush include:

• Mesh, washable uppers
• Reflective details to help you be seen and safe at night
• Only 7 ounces means they’re good travel shoes
• Choice of four cute colors: pink, blue and green, black, or grey and purple

Merrell and Tough Mudder have teamed up to present a huge obstacle challenge this year. The All Out Crush is the official shoe. From Vegas to Toronto, Long Island to Whistler, they’re covering a lot of ground with their race events. Check here to see if there’s a Merrell-sponsored Tough Mudder near you. Events are scheduled through late in 2016. Tough Mudders are team challenges. So sign up with your friends, families or coworkers. Many teams use the experience as an opportunity to raise money for a favorite cause. Tough Mudder makes it easy to set up a fundraising page for your team. Why not wear the All Out Crush and support your local veg organization or favorite animal sanctuary?