After our selection of mountaineering jackets and clothing brands that we did a few days ago, we’ll continue with footwear companies that make boots and shoes for mountaineering.
After all, we have to complete our outfit before we begin our next adventure in the mountains right?
Mountain trails have all kinds of terrains, from beginner-level to the most difficult ones. No matter the trail, one thing is for sure – you need a good pair of boots, to protect your feet and reduce fatigue at the same time.
The brands that we’ll see below have all the footwear options you may need, so you’ll surely find the design that’s right for you.
Also, these companies are based in different countries, Germany, Italy, France, and the USA, even though many of them are global brands. So, you’ll not only find many of them in your country, but you’ll also be able to compare their different styles and designs.
Let’s get started!
Contents:
1. Keen
Keen official website
Keen Footwear is a famous American brand based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded by Rory Fuerst and Martin Keen in 2003. Martin Keen was already working on its famous Newport Sandal since 1999.
Keen started with sandals and water footwear before moving on to other types of shoes and boots such as those for mountaineering.
Since 2010, Keen has had its factory in Portland where it creates its footwear made of materials sourced from different countries around the world. Keen is also dedicated to environmental protection by recycling whenever possible.
The brand uses various materials for its boots such as leather, rubber soles, and mesh linings. To ensure protection from water it has developed the KEEN.DRY technology which is a waterproof membrane that lets your feet breathe at the same time.
KEEN.Warm insulation to protect from cold, and KEEN.Polar traction for ice-walking boots are two other technologies developed by the company, among many others.
For mountaineering, the KEEN TARGHEE EXP Men’s Waterproof Boot is a great option.
Don’t miss: Keen vs Salomon Hiking Shoes and Boots: A Comparison
2. Salomon
Woman wearing Salomon boots hiking on a mountain trail
Salomon is a brand from France that got its start in the outdoor market in 1947 by making ski bindings. These bindings had great success in the following years and were used in different skiing events all over the world.
From there, the company expanded over the years and today it covers many outdoor sports and activities. From skiing to hiking to trail running you’ll find all the gear you need at Salomon.
Among Salomon’s footwear technologies and materials, we can mention Gore-Tex, the famous waterproof and breathable membrane, Contagrip outsoles for a good grip in difficult terrains, OrthoLite insoles for cushioning, etc.
By Salomon, we can suggest the Outward Gore-Tex boot. It comes with a durable leather upper, optimized grip, and is lightweight.
Read also: French Hiking Boots and Shoes: Our 5 Favorite Brands
3. Lowa
People wearing Lowa boots on a snowy mountain
Moving on to Germany, Lowa has a long history as it was founded in 1923 by Lorenz Wagner in Jetzendorf, Munich. The company started by designing traditional Bavarian Haferl shoes.
Over the years it has had its highs and its lows which has always managed to overcome by introducing new technology and innovation.
Today the company has thousands of employees and produces millions of shoes every year. It’s one of the leading brands of outdoor and hiking boots in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Lowa uses various materials and membranes such as Primaloft to protect from cold, Gore-Tex for water resistance and breathability, Vibram rubber soles for maximum grip, and leather uppers.
One of Lowa’s most iconic boots for mountaineering and hiking is the Renegade GTX Mid. It includes the brand’s most advanced technologies to provide the best performance.
You might also like: Lowa vs Meindl Boots: Which Brand is Better?
4. Merrell
Merrell official website
Merrell is another brand from the United States founded in 1981 by Clark Matis, Randy Merrell, and John Schweizer.
Clark Matis and John Schweizer had worked at the Rossignol ski company, while Randy Merrell was already a successful boot maker. So they had the needed experience to know how to create a quality outdoor boot that was also affordable.
After being acquired by different companies over the years, today Merrell still maintains its vision and quality of its products.
They use water-resistant leather or synthetic leather uppers, Vibram rubber outsoles, and Gore-Tex membranes, while also adding their own technologies such as M-Select DRY, M-Select GRIP, etc.
The Merrell Women’s Moab 2 Mid GORE-TEX is a great boot for hiking and various mountain activities that we recommend you check out.
Don’t miss: 9 Shoes and Boots Brands like Merrell: Our Top Alternatives
5. Hanwag
Hanwag Omega boot
Hanwag was founded in 1921, near Munich, in Germany by Hans Wagner. He started by making and repairing shoes while at the same time improving the double-stitching technique that the brand uses to this day.
After entering various outdoor footwear markets over the years, Hanwag today still offers its core values to customers with its high-quality, durable, and reliable designs.
The brand offers shoes and boots made in Europe for various activities like hiking, mountaineering, traveling, etc.
Their main materials include leather, G-Loft®, Bio Ceramic, Gore-Tex®, and Eco-Shell.
One of their designs that we’d recommend is the Hanwag Alaska Lady GTX.
Read next: Hanwag vs Lowa Hiking Shoes: Which Brand is Better?
6. Salewa
Salewa official website
Salewa is an Italian brand born in 1935 in Germany with a rich history of making gear focused on hiking and expeditions.
Over the years, the company has expanded to become a worldwide brand with divisions in North America, France, Spain, Poland, etc.
For mountain activities, the Salewa Men’s Mountain Trainer Mid Gore-Tex boot is a great option to consider for your next purchase. It’s lightweight, with a durable suede upper, a Vibram® WTC sole, and Gore-Tex Extended Comfort lining for weather protection.
Don’t miss: Salewa vs Salomon Hiking Boots: A Comparison
7. Meindl
Hiker wearing Meindl shoes
The history of Meindl starts in the 1600s when Petrus Meindl began making boots in Bavaria, Germany. However, the company as we know it today was founded in 1928 by Lukas Meindl.
The company has gained the customers’ trust over time and today it employs 200 expert shoemakers.
Meindl uses more than 200 steps to create its boots. Gore-Tex membranes, Comfort fit cork footbeds, and Meindl Rock Outsoles are some of the technologies included. PrimaLoft insulation is also a great feature of the brand’s cold-weather boots.
The Lady Meran Comfort Fit boot is a design that we’d suggest by Meindl.
You might also like: Meindl vs Hanwag Boots: Which Brand is Better?
8. La Sportiva
La Sportiva official website
La Sportiva is another footwear brand from Italy, founded in 1928 by Narciso Delladio. The company first created shoes for lumberjacks and farmers in the Fiemme Valley, in the Trentino province. Later it began to focus more and more on sports and outdoor activities.
One of La Sportiva’s important technologies is FriXion which improves grip in different types of terrain and is available in various configurations. Gore-Tex is also used, like many of the brands in this selection.
As an example, by La Sportiva, we have picked the Aequilibrium ST GTX boot which is great for via ferrata, glacier crossings, trekking, and mixed terrain.
Read also: 9 Italian Hiking Boots Brands: Our Top Picks
9. Oboz
Oboz official website
The name of the brand, “Oboz”, was coined from the words “outside” and “Bozeman”. This reflects the love of the company’s founders for the outdoors in their hometown of Bozeman, Montana, USA.
Oboz was founded in 2008 by John Connelly. The local mountainous environment was a great place for the company to test its shoes. And this helped it reach massive success in the following years.
The love for the outdoors is a distinctive characteristic of Oboz and it has prompted the brand to focus on various forestry initiatives.
The O Fit Insole is one of the Oboz main technologies which offers optimal foot and ankle support. In addition, the midsoles are lightweight and provide stability while the outsoles offer traction, grip, and durability no matter the terrain.
The Sapphire Mid Waterproof Boot for women is the pair that we’d suggest from the Oboz wide footwear collection.
Read next: Oboz vs Merrell Hiking Shoes: Which Brand is Better?
To learn how we use your data when you comment, read our Privacy Policy.