Zoot Sports makes triathlon apparel and multisport equipment. Its brand story traces its founding to Kona, Hawaii, in 1983 and describes Christal Nylin noticing that Ironman athletes needed race clothing that avoided changing during transitions. Zoot says that idea informed its first triathlon suit and later swim, bike and run ranges. The claimed 'first' status is the brand's own historical account, not an independent comparison of every early triathlon garment.
Same category, HQ in USA
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
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
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
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
NENew Balance makes athletic shoes, sneakers and sportswear for runners, athletes and everyday wear, including signature collections such as the Sydney Levrone collection. It began in 1906 as an arch support company and has grown into a global brand represented by athletes and ambassadors worldwide, describing itself as "a brand with heritage" rather than a heritage brand. New Balance Athletics, Inc. is a privately owned company headquartered in Boston that has stayed independent since 1906.
Running footwear and team sportswear
NINike makes athletic footwear, apparel and equipment, with ranges across sports such as the NFL and collaborations such as NikeSKIMS. NIKE, Inc. is made up of the Nike, Jordan and Converse brands. The company was co-founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman and has more than 50 years of history. Its Philip H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Oregon, opened in 1990, covers 400 acres with more than 75 buildings, many named after its sponsored athletes, and hosts more than 11,000 employees.
Athletic footwear, apparel and equipment
