When it comes to shoes, especially gym shoes, only one name is generally considered the best these days: Nike. While it might be a globally recognized brand that makes shoes, apparel, and equipment and is even on the uniforms of hundreds of professional teams, it’s not the only game in town.
The reality is that if you are someone who only wears Nike shoes, you’re missing out on some other exceptional brands. For many people, wearing Nike symbolizes being “cool” or having the latest new Jordan, but the flip side of this argument is that looking beyond Nike can help you find even more comfort.
10. Salomon Group
- Headquartered: Epagny-Metz-Tessy, France
- Known for: Outdoor sports equipment, footwear
- Global revenue: $4.4 billion (parent company Amer Sports)
- Famous faces: Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski
From The French Mountains To Your Feet
Headquartered in the French mountains, Salomon Group, or Salomon as it is better known, is rising with its running, trail, hiking, and sports shoes. Popularized by its relationship with celebrities like Rihanna, the Sense Ride, Pulsair Trail, and S Lab Genesis are just a few of the shoes wearers rave about on websites like Reddit.
9. Champion
- Headquartered: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Known for: footwear, casual wear clothing
- Global revenue: $22.5 billion (parent company Authentic Brands Group)
- Famous faces: Chance the Rapper, 50 Cent, Kylie Jenner, The Game, Saweetie
Huge In the 1990s
One of the biggest sporting goods companies in the 1990s, Champion fell out of favor over the last few decades. For this reason, the brand is relatively unknown to Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. However, Champion is on the rise again, riding its one-time success as the brand that invented the hoodie with new shoes that are far more comfortable than those it used to sell at Walgreens and grocery stores.
8. Speedland
- Headquartered: Portland, Oregon
- Known for: Trail shoes
- Global revenue: N/A
- Famous faces: Dylan Bowman, Liam Lonsdale, Amanda Wiggenhorn
Only Four Years Old
Founded in 2021, Speedland is an upcoming brand primarily focused on trail shoes, with plans to expand into other categories. The team’s founding members include individuals with decades of experience working at brands like Nike, Puma, and Under Armour. Its shoes continue to go viral on Reddit and TikTok, giving the brand plenty of buzz in its early years.
7. Mizuno
- Headquartered: Osaka, Japan
- Known for: Footwear, sports equipment, sportswear for dozens of sports
- Global revenue: $1.5 billion
- Famous faces: Sergio Ramos, Carson Foster, Catie DeLoof, Jay Litherland
On the Rise
After seemingly falling out of favor with the footwear market over the past decade or two, Mizuno is on the rise again. The company’s introduction of the “Rebellion” shoe has helped revitalize the brand and provide those looking to step away from Nike with something new and exciting to try. The Japanese brand is also famous for making sports equipment for more than two dozen different sports.
6. Asics
- Headquartered: Kobe, Japan
- Known for: Sportswear, footwear, accessories
- Global revenue: $3.8 billion
- Famous faces: Brian Cox, Valarie Allman, Novak Djokovic, Emma Bates
Still An Unknown
Far and away, the biggest name endorsing Asics is Novak Djokovic, one of history’s best men’s tennis players. However, if you asked most people to identify his logo, they would be hard-pressed, even for a brand like Asics that has been around for 75 years and counting. Surprisingly, the Japanese brand initially partnered with Nike founder Phil Knight to sell its shoes in the US in the 1960s, given the two companies a strong early connection.
5. Saucony
- Headquartered: Kutztown, Pennsylvania
- Known for: Athletic footwear and apparel
- Global revenue: N/A (parent company Wolverine earned $1.4 billion)
- Famous faces: Molly Huddle, Laura Thweatt, Jared Ward
126 Years and Going Strong
For a brand that is 126 years old, Saucony is surprisingly much less known than brands like Nike or Adidas. Its shoes are wildly popular inside racing circles, and the company has long been a staple in cross-country and track-and-field circles. Its everyday shoes are said to be incredibly comfortable, with great arch support and just the right amount of bounce with every step.
4. Alo Yoga
- Headquartered: Los Angeles, California
- Known for: Leisure-wear, athletic apparel
- Global revenue: $250 million
- Famous faces: Jin, Jamie Chung, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kaia Gerber
From Leisurewear to the Trail
Better known for its leisurewear and yoga-friendly apparel, Alo Yoga is growing rapidly in the United States and worldwide. The Alo Runner shoe is relatively new and definitely lesser known than Nike, but early reviews of the shoe and its comfort on the street and trail have been nothing short of glowing.
3. Hoka (One One)
- Headquartered: Goleta, California
- Known for: Running shoes, apparel, trail running
- Global revenue: $1.8 billion
- Famous faces: Katie Wasserman, Abby Nichols, Paige Wood, Nick Hauger
A Celebrity Favorite
When you see celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Jessica Alba wearing Hoka shoes, you know they are something special. Praised for their “pillow-like” walking experience, the Hoka brand has hit its stride with oversized midsoles. Founded in 2009 in France, the Hoka brand has been steadily growing as a Nike competitor since its American acquisition by Deckers in 2013.
2. Brooks
- Headquartered: Seattle, Washington
- Known for: High-performance men’s and women’s sneakers and accessories
- Global revenue: $1.2 billion
- Famous faces: Dathan Ritzenheim, Kara Goucher, Jess McLain, Chrissie Wellington
100 Years and Counting
For a brand that has been around for far longer than Nike, Brooks Sports, as it’s better known, still hasn’t found a way to beat Nike. This is true even though, in many ways, it offers a more superior shoe. For those in the running world, Brooks shoes are arguably more supportive than Nike and remain competitively priced. The brand’s popularity is starting to shine as it holds approximately 25% market share in the specialty running shoe market.
1. On Cloud
- Headquartered: Zurich, Switzerland
- Known for: Athletic shoes and sportswear, specifically running shoes
- Global revenue: $2.04 billion (2023)
- Famous faces: Iga Swiatek, Ben Shelton, Joao Fonseca, Roger Federer
The New Nike?
While certainly not any less expensive than Nike’s, On Cloud’s products are quickly becoming the favorite shoes of millions. The company is believed to have acquired as much as 6.6% of the running shoe market share in the United States and shows no sign of slowing down. There is no question that On Cloud believes it can make better products for the planet and prides itself on being created for athletes by athletes.
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