LOWA vs Merrell:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Merrell had more branded searches than LOWA among hiking boots worldwide. Merrell had about 40,500 branded searches, while LOWA had 6,600. Merrell made up 6.6% of all hiking boot searches we track, and LOWA accounted for 1.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about hiking boots, LOWA and Merrell each appeared in four of the five answers. Merrell was mentioned before LOWA in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Merrell, about 6 searches for every 1 for LOWA
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 4 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Merrell, named ahead of LOWA in 3 of 4 answers
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Top hiking boots in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, LOWA was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Merrell was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Merrell was listed before LOWA in three out of four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Salomon5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Merrell4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
KEEN4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
LOWA4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- La Sportiva2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Oboz2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Columbia1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
SCARPA1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about hiking boots
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which hiking boots brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best hiking boots brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best hiking boots brand for rough trails?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best hiking boots”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“waterproof hiking boots”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is LOWA or Merrell more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for LOWA and Merrell by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight hiking boots we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Merrell, LOWA. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | La Sportiva | Columbia | Merrell | Salomon | Oboz | KEEN | SCARPA | LOWA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 53% | 29% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 0.95% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.7% | 42.7% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 0.94% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.8% | 38.2% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 0.84% |
| Jan 2026 | 56.7% | 25.4% | 5.1% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1% |
| Feb 2026 | 55.8% | 25% | 6.1% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 1.8% | 1% |
| Mar 2026 | 57.7% | 21.1% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 57.7% | 21.1% | 7.8% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1% |
| May 2026 | 56.1% | 20.5% | 9.2% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 2.8% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 57.5% | 21% | 7.7% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 55.8% | 20.4% | 9.2% | 5% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 58.3% | 21.4% | 7.8% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1% |
| Sep 2026 | 59.6% | 21.9% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2% | 1.1% |
How has the LOWA and Merrell comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Merrell was ahead of LOWA in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, LOWA’s share of searches among hiking boots worldwide moved from 0.95% to 1.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.4K to 6.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Merrell’s share of searches among hiking boots worldwide moved from 4.8% to 6.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for hiking boots worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Merrell lost share of searches among hiking boots worldwide, from 7.8% to 6.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for LOWA worldwide rose 22.2% over 12 measured months, from 5.4K to 6.6K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using LOWA’s and Merrell’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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