British adventurer Karl Bushby has completed the Goliath Expedition, arriving at his mother’s home in Hull 28 years after setting out from Punta Arenas, Chile.
Bushby, a 57-year-old former paratrooper, began the journey on 1 November 1998 with two rules: he could not use transport to make forward progress and could not return home until he arrived on foot. He covered approximately 31,000 miles across 30 countries.
His route included the Darién Gap, the frozen Bering Strait from Alaska into Siberia, the Caspian Sea and, on 5 October 2026, the English Channel. Along the way, Bushby was arrested as a spy, detained in Russia, held at gunpoint and encountered polar bears.
Merrell Moab put through an extreme real-world test
Bushby first discovered Merrell in 2013 while walking coast to coast across the United States and dealing with a Russian visa ban. The Moab became his hiking shoe of choice for the comfort, durability and versatility required to continue across Central Asia, Europe and back to Britain.
“For the first 15 years, my footwear was whatever I could find in the next roadside town. You get what you can find. Then in 2013 while walking across America, I tried a pair of Merrells and took an instant liking to them. From then on I sought them out wherever I could,” said Karl Bushby.
“Through Central Asia, Europe and all the way home, the Moab was my go-to for its comfort and durability. I’ve taken both the waterproof and the breathable versions to destruction on the road. The possessions you do carry hold significant sentimental value – the shoes were always so dependable.”
Richard McLeod, Chief Marketing Officer at Merrell, said: “Karl’s journey is the kind of product test no lab could ever recreate. The fact that he independently chose the Moab, then continued to rely on it for more than a decade, is a powerful testament to its comfort and durability.
“At Merrell, we believe It Starts Outside, and Karl’s extraordinary journey shows just how far a single step can take us. His determination and resilience are what make this homecoming so remarkable.”
The latest generation, the Moab 3, is available from Merrell.
Source: Merrell press release distributed by Brandnation. Featured image: Ben Read / Merrell.
