Merrell Thrills and Frightens People With a Crazy Oculus Rift Mountainside Hike

First 'walk around' commercial VR experience

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You know you've designed a good Oculus Rift virtual reality experience when people emerge from it squealing in delight and with their knees trembling.

Hiking boot brand Merrell did one such activation at Sundance last month, partnering with Rolling Stone magazine to create the Merrell TrailScape—an immersive journey that had people feeling like they were walking around a crumbling ledge and over a treacherous wooden bridge high in the mountains.

The experience—which Merrell says was the first commercial use of "walk around" virtual reality—was created by Merrell agency Hill Holliday and designed by Framestore.

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