Topo Athletic makes running, walking and hiking footwear, with designs that emphasise toe space and a low heel-to-toe drop. Its founder Tony Post says his experience as a runner and in footwear development shaped the company, which he launched with a small team in 2013. The shoes are intended to support natural movement without discarding familiar running-shoe features. Comfort and biomechanical benefits are brand design claims, not outcomes guaranteed for every runner.
Same category, HQ in USA
ALAltra makes road and trail running shoes built around its FootShape fit, a roomy toe box that lets toes splay, and a zero-to-low drop that balances weight across the foot. Its lineup includes the Vanish Carbon race shoes, Olympus and Experience Wild trail shoes, with FootShape offered in several fit options. Altra is part of VF Corporation, which completed its acquisition in 2018 and still lists it among its brands.
Road and trail running footwear
BLBlack Diamond makes gear and apparel for climbing, skiing, running and hiking, including harnesses such as the Solution, headlamps, shells and climbing clothing. Its heritage traces back to Chouinard Equipment and a backyard anvil and hammer; in 1972 Yvon Chouinard and Tom Frost published the Clean Climbing Manifesto in the Chouinard Equipment catalog.
Sports apparel and footwear
COColumbia Sportswear makes outdoor clothing, outerwear, sportswear, footwear, bags and gear built to handle the weather. Gert Boyle took over the struggling family business in 1970 and turned it into a leading company, and Columbia Sportswear Company is now one of the largest outdoor and active lifestyle apparel and footwear companies in the world, with a portfolio of well-known brands. Columbia Sportswear Company identifies Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, SOREL and prAna as the four primary brands in its outdoor portfolio.
Outdoor apparel and footwear
HOHOKA is a performance footwear brand for road running, trail running and hiking. It was born in the French Alps in 2009, when two athletes set out to design a running shoe that made downhill running feel like flying, and its shoes quickly won over elite ultramarathoners. HOKA's site tells its story as part of Deckers Brands, the company that began with a surf flip-flop in Santa Barbara in 1973 and grew into a multi-brand footwear group.
Road and trail running footwear
MEMerrell makes outdoor footwear and gear, focused on hiking and trail activities, and is known for the Moab hiking boot and the Jungle Moc. It was established in 1981 when two Rossignol ski company executives, Clark Matis and John Schweizer, launched a new maker of hiking boots. Merrell calls itself the global leader in outdoor active footwear, and since 1997 it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Wolverine World Wide.
Hiking and trail footwear
SMSmartwool makes Merino-wool socks, base layers and outdoor apparel for hiking, running and snow sports. Founded in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 1994, it began with Merino ski socks and expanded into a wider clothing range. Its current US privacy policy says Smartwool is a division of VF Outdoor LLC, a VF Corporation subsidiary; the brand also says it works with the New Zealand Merino Company on the ZQRX wool programme.
Sports apparel and footwear
2X2XU is a performance compression brand founded in Australia in 2005 and born from triathlon. It makes compression tights, shorts, long sleeves and recovery tights, plus sports bras and training wear, under the idea of Prepare, Perform, Recover.
Sports apparel and footwear
BRBrooks Running makes running shoes, apparel and accessories for road and trail, including the Ghost and new Ghost Amp road shoes. Its global headquarters is in Seattle next to the Burke-Gilman trail and Lake Union, in a LEED-certified building that also houses the Brooks Trailhead, its only flagship retail store. Brooks has been a standalone operating subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. since 2012.
Running footwear and apparel
