The Running Brand Index

Modern, sleek, technical. Punchier, eclectic branding and interesting marketing vibe.

Montreal brand that started with hats and now makes a full apparel line. Ciele is pretty slept on when it comes to working on their fabrics: they dial in a few every season focused on raising the bar performance-wise, like COOLmatic | EXP, carbon and graphene-infused yarns that dissipate body heat. They were one of the pioneers of running fashion.

Luxury price point for many items. Make a lot of lifestyle stuff. Brand is mindfulness adjacent.

Modern, technical, sustainable, mission driven. Colorful patterns.

Trail focused brand popularized by Kilian Jornet. Competitive with the likes of Norda.

Made a big move into apparel this year. Sleek aesthetic. Highly performance oriented.

Adventure and travel brand out of California that moved into running with Run Amok, their trail line. Hand-drawn graphics and location-inspired collections over DriRelease and Polartec fabrics. Built for looking normal at the coffee shop after the run.

Scandinavian brand making technical, minimalistic apparel.

Modern, technical, striking patterns and materials. Performance oriented.

Heritage styles. They make a great merino baselayer and have some cool detailing on their products. Standout item: Brighton Base Layer

Maybe the lowest on the list here, but they have an outsized media presence. Mountaineering and trail running meets punk. Luxury price point. High quality materials, unique silhouettes and fabrics. Their founders come from a high fashion background.

Path Projects is a brand that makes high-quality, performance-oriented running apparel. A lot of their stuff is multi-functional and trail oriented.

The other Montreal running brand. A similar heritage vibe to Tracksmith but more Princess Diana and less Chariots of Fire. It’s giving Sporty and Rich vibes but running: 80s and 90s varsity inspired tees, ringers, luxury scripts. They’ve leaned further into heritage running lifestyle wear lately; if Aime Leon Dore were trying to appeal to runners, this might be what they’d design. My standouts are their high-peak nylon hats and the 50/50 merino cotton waffles.

Korean brand whose name stands for Climb As You Love. Technical hiking, climbing, and trail gear that reads just as well off the mountain as on it.

Environmentally driven, modern looking apparel. A little expensive for what you get IMO, even compared to some of the other brands here.

Australian brand, modern technical apparel with heritage influence.

Scandinavian brand focused on making quality functional running apparel.

Mexican brand, mindfulness adjacent. Outdoors style, so looser cuts on much of their gear.

Indie brand, heavy Swedish influence. Feels very outdoors / trail oriented.

Italian brand and media project that came out of Slam Jam. Closer to the Thrasher of running than a technical apparel label. Irreverent merch and a steady run of collabs with Nike, Salomon, and District Vision have put them well past niche.

Luxury price points, NYC style – lots of black. Similar to Bandit, but more fashion focused.

Influencer-founded NYC brand that evolved from silver jewelry into full menswear and running apparel. Very founder-led and experimental, following the personal interests and evolution of its creators. The brand shares a lot of behind-the-scenes content as they learn fashion in real-time, creating an authentic, transparent journey. Product range spans performance gear (running shorts, racing tops, long sleeves, hats, gloves, socks) and contemporary menswear. Known for their Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 collaboration.

Berlin brand. Modern, technical, with a minimal aesthetic.

UK brand, unique materials. Fashion forward.

Packs first, and they’re great. Also affordable apparel, like $100 mocknecks in magenta, white, or navy.

Brazilian apparel brand. Similarly fashion-forward, futuristic vibe. Similar to Running Order.

Canadian brand promoting accessibility and inclusion. Lifestyle look to a lot of their gear.

stylish, modernist, catered towards women but unisex. Unique silhouettes.

European outdoor label founded in 2017 that calls itself a research clothing line. Mostly apparel, with some bags and accessories, and they make eyewear now too.

Rave wear x running. Very fashion-forward, Y2k aesthetic.

Tiempos makes lifestyle inspired running clothes, similar to Satisfy. Style driven over performance (read: cotton tees), but their stuff is well made.

Swedish running brand founded in Stockholm in 2022 by John-Ruben Holtback (founder of L’HOMME ROUGE). Brand name means “treat yourself” in Swedish, emphasizing well-being over performance. Created after founder’s health scare highlighted the importance of exercise on body and mind. Products designed in Sweden, made in Europe from recycled and organic materials.

Annecy, France brand started in 2020 by ultrarunners, for ultrarunners. Kit built for long days in the mountains: ultra-stretch tights, weather-ready shirts, a range of shells, plus a 24L race pack and a minimal belt.

Founded by industry veterans Patrick Stangbye (former ROA Creative Director), John Roberts (former Rapha product development), Colin Meredith (Vancouver-based designer), and Barrie Bloor (graphic design/brand identity specialist). Portal creates multimodal gear that breaks down silos between running, cycling, and hiking.

Mindfulness style brand, similar to HK and DV. Mental health and wellness themed. Apparel is mostly suited for hiking / lifestyle.

Fashion forward brand with performance focus based out of Berlin.

Seoul-based brand bridging performance and lifestyle. Known for premium hydration vests and clean technical apparel. Collaborations with FILA and retail presence at The Hyundai Seoul.

Brooklyn-born running brand blending art, sport, and street culture since 2008. Founded by brothers Rob Schnable and Matt Vosburgh, every piece is hand-printed in their Gowanus studio. Offers both performance gear and lifestyle apparel with distinctive graphic designs.

Quiet luxury running athleisure. If The Row was into running, they’d make this. Minimalist aesthetic with premium materials focused on understated elegance.

Minimalist, feminine running brand with some edgier, more striking silhouettes on traditional running items. Their boldest piece is probably the footwear: a high-ankle velcro shoe.

Women’s focused running brand creating equipment designed to enhance the performance of female athletes. Known for their marathon shorts with 6 strategically placed pockets for cargo carrying capacity. Proceeds from every order go to Women in Sport.

UK-based, women-first running brand founded in 2025 by Alice Bugeja. Designs performance gear in more traditionally feminine colors like pink, lime green, and purple. Seems to be doing really well, with their hydration pack selling out multiple times. Priced mid-tier, so it won’t break the bank despite being more fashion-forward than other brands.

Korean GORP-core brand that does collaborations with On and District Vision.

Black-owned performance streetwear brand from Boston founded by Sidney Baptista in 2020. Name references “Pioneers,” connecting to both the PIONEERS Run Crew (established 2017 in Dorchester) and the historic Pioneer Club, Harlem’s first integrated running club from 1936. First Black-owned running apparel company championing community, culture, and diversity through highly technical running gear rooted in streetwear design. Known for their Brooks collaboration on the Hyperion Max 3.

Experimental technical wear brand known for their warp knit constructions — engineering pockets and structure directly into the fabric with no seams, glue, or zippers. Founded by Nur Abbas, who previously designed at Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton, and Nike ACG, and now serves as Creative Director at Goldwin 0.

Low-key brand built around merino-based fabrics. Founded by the CFO of American denim brand imogene + willie. Understated, materials-first running apparel that leans on the natural performance of wool.

Atlanta running brand leading with lifestyle and punk-inspired graphics. Fun graphics, but not particularly opinionated in terms of the product offering.

Italian performance brand doing serious technical work without getting much attention in the US. Popular for skiing, and up and coming for running. Where everything lately has been loose fitting and lifestyle, UYN feels sleek, high tech, and fast, with natural-fiber materials and advanced seamless knits. Their first dedicated trail line, Dolomya, is named for the Dolomites.

New budget running brand marketed on transparent design and pricing practices. Rachel Entrekin set the Cocodona 250 record in their shorts.

Tokyo brand founded in 2012 by Makoto Okuya of Harajuku’s Lost Hills. Technical outdoor apparel that blends mountaineering function with urban minimalism — packable, layering-focused pieces with refined Japanese design. Premium price tier (jackets $300-$600+). Stocked at HBX and Wallace Mercantile rather than DTC.

Chinese outdoor brand founded in 2003 and one of the biggest technical names at home. Their FUGA line is the trail running arm, launched in 2016 and now split across Pro, EX, BOA, and a handful of other series, plus gaiters and accessories.

Seoul brand founded in 2023 that makes over 90% of its gear in South Korea. The name means colleague. Ultra-premium pricing, already big at home, and only starting to land in US stores.

Premium technical running apparel from Shanghai. Their QiFlow looks similar to Nike Radical Airflow. They have a wide range of apparel covering all conditions, and their pinnacle performance is the N01 collection.

Techy streetwear label making city-to-outdoor technical apparel. Did a trail shoe and apparel line with Li-Ning.

100% domestic vertical integration — materials in Kumamoto, cut/sew in Fukui, prints in Tokyo, accessories in Osaka. Inspired by philosopher Takashi Uchiyama’s “Sato” concept. Minimalist technical wear in cotton-textured polyester with deep pockets and reflective detailing.

Japanese maker of high-end fastpacking and trail running backpacks.

Bespoke running Apparel, natural fabrics. All made by hand.

Brand-concept doing 1 off releases

Just a guy making cool apparel. Iconic for his “I Dig Running” hat.

Trendy new brand from former D1 javelin thrower Nash Howe. He’s a multi-faceted creator that does all of their production and design, from photoshoots to apparel. A softer SoCal take on performance running apparel for serious athletes.

Akla makes trail / running hats from technical fabric scraps.

Brand new trail running brand out of Colorado with a lifestyle lean.

Art-focused brand creating striking graphic apparel using premium blanks. One person operation featuring hardcore-inspired designs with bold prints and unique visual aesthetics.

Affordable, stylish apparel that combines functionality with vibrant designs.

Community-first Philadelphia running brand founded in May 2024 by members of the local running community. United through love of the sport and storytelling through movement. Features Miles the Raccoon mascot and actively involved in Philly running scene through collaborations with local clubs.

Fun running apparel with punk and pop culture references.

Hats and accessories designed in Denver, CO and tested in the Rockies by mountain athletes. Founded by Malcolm Pascotti (formerly Arc’teryx, IKON Pass).

UK-founded brand from Jareth Ashbrook, now working out of Hong Kong. Ashbrook comes from creative direction. Sits between performance kit and avant-garde fashion, with silhouettes you won’t see from anyone else.

Retro-leaning running apparel, including Japanese soccer-inspired jerseys and shorts that double for running. Started in Hong Kong by John Lehman. One of my favorites.

UVU has a cult following in London and makes running / training apparel. More brand + community than substance but they’ve made a big splash. Merch forward, carried by strong branding and creative direction in their marketing.

Women’s performance brand founded by sisters Lucy and Megan Davis. Started as an online community for women who train with intention. Women owned and women led, focused primarily on Hyrox and functional fitness with crossover to running.

Training line from Manchester streetwear label Represent, with Cole Buxton behind it. Merch forward, with heavy branding and impressive creative direction.

New road racing brand that launched in 2024. Debut model is the Arc of Speed, a carbon-plated racer with nitrogen-infused supercritical PEBA/EVA foam at $190. Their first 390-pair drop crashed their site. Positioned as a high-performance challenger to the establishment.

Make several models of trail shoes that look good while running and hitting the urban trails.

Marketed to ultra-runners, they make super durable training and racing shoes.

New brand making a recyclable, bio-based running shoe in a few colors. Minimal design in black, white, cream, and duotone.

Make their “Supernatural Runner” a fully plant based daily trainer. Comes in 3 colors.

Make a limited run of models for trail, daily runs, racing, and long runs. These shoes have a unique, but still classic, look to them.

Tracksmith recently made their Eliot Runner, a daily trainer. They will soon release the Eliot Racer, their first ever carbon plated racing shoe.

Women’s footwear brand creating performance running shoes designed specifically for female biomechanics and fit. Focused on addressing the unique needs of women runners rather than adapting men’s designs.

Indie shoe brand making a clean, minimal daily trainer as an alternative to the big-name establishment shoes.

“Rally Against Destruction.” Portland- and England-based brand rooted in Hyrox and training rather than running, but they’ve made real inroads in the run space by partnering closely with boutique running stores. Best known for the UFO, a popular super trainer, plus the R.A.D ONE V2 and the lighter R-1 for gym and cross-training. Their Running Exploration Department tests product and steers the footwear design.

Their most popular product line. The Junya Racer is iconic.

Had a popular collab with Tracksmith early on and make high quality frames.

Makes some larger frame sunglasses. Standout item: Mantra VZUM

Korean brand with interesting, retro inspired designs. Reminiscent of the 2000s Oakleys.

Founded by an optician who also runs the shop Black Optical. Custom-developed lenses, titanium frames, and tins to store them in. Extremely premium and detail-obsessed.

Their C1 uses electrochromic lenses: swipe the temple and the tint changes in about a second. USB-C charging, roughly 28 days per charge. Aimed at trail runners and cyclists dealing with changing light.

Women-founded eyewear brand making feminine performance frames in hexetate, a light, heat-resistant acetate that won’t warp mid-run. Polarized lenses, sweat-resistant temple grips.

Motocross and cycling heritage brand that’s crossed over into running. Bold, sporty frames like the Speedcraft and Hypercraft with a strong presence in the pro peloton and trail scene.

Long-standing outdoor optics brand with ChromaPop lens tech. Strong in trail and mountain running with lightweight performance frames.

The performance eyewear standard. Prizm lenses and iconic frames like the Sutro and Radar are staples across running and cycling.

German compression technology brand offering medically-backed compression socks, sleeves, tights, and functional sportswear. Manufactured in Germany with medical-grade techniques, their products use medi compression technology to increase oxygen flow, reduce muscle vibrations, boost coordination, and speed recovery. Leader in performance compression gear for runners.

Much like Bandit in their early days, they only make socks.

Exclusively make socks themed to match popular racing shoes.

Socks designed for runners and cyclists. Their HiFI sock has sort of a fun 3D print to them which feels nice.

American sock brand manufacturing performance socks in Tennessee since 2008. Known for their compression technology and seamless toe construction designed for endurance athletes.

Performance running socks with anatomical left/right fit and targeted cushioning zones for serious runners.

London-designed socks knit in Italy. Anti-blister construction, targeted compression, and open mesh venting.

Swedish brand founded in 2015 specializing in run-commuting bags and accessories. Their award-winning Backpack Pro features zero-bounce technology with ergonomic design, allowing runners to carry professional gear while maintaining stability. Complete line includes the ISPO Award-winning Everyday Rolltop (22L waterproof), Space Bag modular storage, and various commuter kits.

Technical ski touring brand that has expanded into trail running with exceptional success. Known for premium alpine and ski bags, now making some of the best running belts and belted running shorts on the market. Their trail running bags have performed exceptionally well.

Outdoor skincare brand founded by runner Richard Welch. Makes a broad spectrum SPF30 moisturizing sunscreen and a refillable SPF50 tinted sunscreen stick in recyclable aluminum packaging.

Skincare brand co-founded by surfer Kelly Slater. Their Peak Performance SPF 50 mineral sunscreen uses vegan squalane and spider silk protein, with 80 minutes of water resistance.

NYC mineral sport sunscreen. SPF 50 built on 25% non-nano zinc oxide with ferulic acid, niacinamide, squalane, and vitamins C and E. No white cast, 80 minutes of sweat- and water-resistance, reef safe and vegan.