You probably know the French brand Salomon and its wide range of shoes and boots for hiking, backpacking, trail running, and many other mountain activities.
But this time you want more options for your next purchase! After all, that’s why you landed on this article, right?
And if you’ve not yet planned a new purchase, maybe you’re looking to learn about some new brands that the outdoor market has to offer, so you’ll be prepared when the time comes to change your old hiking boots.
In this article, we’ll do just that: we’ve researched and selected some of the best brands that are similar to Salomon for the footwear and the quality they offer. We’ll learn about their history, characteristics, and main products.
Let’s begin!
Contents:
1. Lowa
People wearing Lowa boots on snowy mountain
The first brand in this selection comes from Germany. Its name is Lowa, it was founded by Lorenz Wagner and has a long and rich history starting in 1923 with its first products being traditional Bavarian Haferl shoes.
Today, the company is one of the leading brands in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, producing millions of shoes each year thanks to its thousands of employees. However, over the years Lowa has also had difficulties that have been successfully overcome thanks to innovation and new technologies.
Just like Salomon, Lowa has a wide range of footwear designs for many outdoor activities. When it comes to materials, the brand uses Vibram soles, Primaloft insulation, Gore-Tex for water resistance, and uppers made of leather.
An iconic hiking boot by Lowa is the Renegade GTX Mid which uses the most advanced technologies for optimal performance on the trail.
Don’t miss: Lowa vs Salomon Hiking Shoes: Which Brand is Better?
2. Merrell
Merrell official website
Merrell comes from the United States and has been founded by Clark Matis, Randy Merrell, and John Schweizer in 1981.
Randy Merrell was already successful in the footwear market before founding Merrell, while Clark Matis and John Schweizer had worked at the Rossignol ski company. They joined forces with the aim of creating a quality outdoor boot that was affordable at the same time, so it could be accessible to all.
Over the years, Merrell has been acquired by many companies but still maintains its original vision to this day.
The brand’s shoes are made with Vibram soles, Gore-Tex membranes, leather and synthetic uppers, along with Merrell’s own technologies such as M-Select GRIP, M-Select DRY, etc.
An iconic shoe by this company is the Moab which currently is in its third version. It comes in different options and is great for hiking and mountain activities.
Must read: Salomon vs Merrell: Which Brand is Better for Hiking Shoes and Boots?
3. La Sportiva
La Sportiva official website
Founded in 1928 by Narciso Delladio, La Sportiva is based in Northern Italy. In the first years, this brand focused on producing shoes and boots for those who worked outside in nature like farmers and lumberjacks, in the Fiemme Valley, in the Trentino province.
Today the company is focused on footwear, clothing, and accessories for sports and outdoor activities.
Among its technologies, we can mention FriXion which helps improve grip in different terrains and has many configurations. Gore-Tex is also part of the products of La Sportiva.
The Aequilibrium ST GTX boot is a design from La Sportiva that we’d like to show you. It offers maximum comfort for trekking, glacier crossings, via ferrata, and mixed terrain.
Read also: La Sportiva vs Salomon Shoes: A Comparison
4. Millet
Millet official website
Millet is a brand from France, based in Annecy. It was founded in 1921 thanks to Marc and Hermance Millet who first started working on shopping bags.
Today the company offers a wide range of outdoor gear, clothing, and shoes. They specialize mainly in mountaineering products offering a large variety of colors, designs, and features.
The Men’s G TREK 5 GORETEX is the shoe from Millet that we’d suggest you try. It’s great for hiking – durable, comfortable with padding around the ankle, and made of high-quality Nubuck leather. It features a Gore-Tex membrane and Vibram Nanga Litebase outsoles.
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Read next: French Hiking Boots & Shoes: Our 5 Favorite Brands
5. Scarpa
Scarpa official website
Scarpa is another Italian brand, it was founded in 1938 in Asolo by Rupert Edward Cecil Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh.
Today the company designs footwear for many activities that you can do out in nature such as hiking, trail running, backpacking, climbing, etc.
Scarpa listens to the needs of its customers to create products that satisfy all their needs. The brand tests its products by collaborating with many professional athletes like the Austrian climber Heinz Mariacher. And this has been a successful strategy over the years helping the company create products that are much appreciated by its customers.
An example that we’ve picked from Scarpa is the Kinesis Pro GTX boot that features a full-grain leather upper, Gore-Tex membrane for weather protection, Vibram® Biometric / XS Trek outsole, and multi-density cushioned midsole.
Don’t miss: 9 Italian Hiking Boots Brands: Our Top Picks
6. Hanwag
Hanwag Omega boot
From Germany we have picked another brand for this selection, Hanwag. Founded in 1921 near Munich by Hans Wagner, this company started by making and repairing shoes. Later it developed the double-stitching shoemaking technique that it uses to this day.
Hanwag today offers shoes and boots made in Europe that are high-quality, reliable, and last for a long time. The activities covered are mountaineering, hiking, traveling, etc. The main materials and technologies include leather, G-Loft, Gore-Tex, Eco-Shell, and Bio Ceramic.
One of Hanwag’s popular lines is Alaska and from this line, we’d suggest the Alaska Wide Lady GTX boot. This boot is comfortable, durable, and versatile for any type of outdoor activity.
Must read: 8 German Boots Brands for Hiking and Outdoor Activities
7. Aigle
Aigle official website
Aigle is a French brand founded in 1853 in Montargis by Hiram Hutchinson. The brand creates clothing, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children. It’s renowned for its rubber rain boots which are very elegant, but it also has a range of high-performance walking and hiking shoes.
The distinguishing characteristic of Aigle is its simplicity and elegance: its products are very stylish but at the same time perform really well in any type of weather.
The materials are among the best and the manufacture is remarkable, and this of course is also reflected in the prices of the brand being quite high.
These Aigle waterproof shoes, for example, feature all the know-how and latest technologies of the brand. They offer comfort, durability, and optimal cushioning, for long hikes out in nature.
Read also: 9 Mountaineering Shoes & Boots Brands for Outdoor Adventures
8. Salewa
Salewa official website
We have another brand from Italy, Salewa, born in 1935 in Germany. With decades of experience in making equipment for hiking and expeditions, this company is a good option if you want an alternative to Salomon’s shoes and boots.
Over the years, the Salewa has expanded its market and today its name is recognized all over the world. The brand has different divisions in North America, Spain, France, Poland, etc.
A boot that we’d recommend from this company is the Mountain Trainer Mid Gore-Tex for men. This boot is lightweight, with a Gore-Tex membrane for weather protection, suede upper, Vibram WTC outsole, and is great for alpine trekking.
Read next: Salomon vs Salewa Hiking Boots: Which Brand is Better?
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