--- title: "Columbia vs Rab: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Columbia or Rab more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Softshell jacket brands set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/softshell-jacket-brands/compare/columbia-vs-rab" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Columbia vs Rab: Which is searched more? Is Columbia or Rab more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Softshell jacket brands set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Columbia and Rab - **Competitive set**: Softshell jacket brands - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Columbia Share of Search**: 7.2% - **Rab Share of Search**: 10.9% ## Is Columbia or Rab more popular in search? - In September 2026, Rab had more branded searches than Columbia among softshell jacket brands worldwide. Rab had about 368,000 branded searches, while Columbia had 245,000. Rab made up 10.9% of all softshell jacket brand searches we track, and Columbia accounted for 7.2%. - The lead changed hands once in the 12 months ending September 2026: Rab took it in February 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Columbia’s share of searches among softshell jacket brands worldwide moved from 8.4% to 7.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 366K to 245K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Rab’s share of searches among softshell jacket brands worldwide moved from 6.9% to 10.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 368K. ## Top softshell jacket brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Rab was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Columbia was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Rab was listed before Columbia in every answer. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Arc'teryx | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Outdoor Research | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Rab | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Mammut | 4th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Columbia | 5th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Carhartt | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about softshell jacket brands - Asked ChatGPT "Which softshell jacket brand should I buy?": 1. Arc'teryx, 2. Outdoor Research, 3. Rab - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best softshell jacket brands?": 1. Arc'teryx, 2. Outdoor Research, 3. Rab, 4. Mammut, 5. Columbia - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best softshell jacket brand for outdoor layering?": 1. Arc'teryx, 2. Outdoor Research, 3. Rab - Searched Google, AI Overview "women's softshell jacket": 1. Columbia - Searched Google, AI Overview "men's softshell jacket": 1. Arc'teryx, 2. Outdoor Research, 3. Rab Not named in any answer: Carhartt. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for softshell jacket brands worldwide in September 2026? - In September 2026, Carhartt overtook Rab to rank 2nd among softshell jacket brands worldwide, with 13.3% of the searches. - In September 2026, Rab lost share of searches among softshell jacket brands worldwide, from 13.4% to 10.9%. - Estimated monthly branded searches for Columbia worldwide fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 366K to 245K in September 2026. ## Month by month | Month | Columbia estimated searches | Columbia Share of Search | Columbia rank | Rab estimated searches | Rab Share of Search | Rab rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 366K | 8.4% | 3 | 301K | 6.9% | 4 | | Nov 2025 | 751K | 10.9% | 3 | 368K | 5.4% | 4 | | Dec 2025 | 696K | 10.3% | 3 | 301K | 4.5% | 4 | | Jan 2026 | 466K | 9.1% | 3 | 368K | 7.2% | 4 | | Feb 2026 | 300K | 8.6% | 4 | 368K | 10.6% | 3 | | Mar 2026 | 220K | 8% | 4 | 301K | 11% | 3 | | Apr 2026 | 201K | 8.8% | 4 | 301K | 13.2% | 2 | | May 2026 | 184K | 8.2% | 3 | 301K | 13.5% | 2 | | Jun 2026 | 171K | 7.7% | 3 | 301K | 13.6% | 2 | | Jul 2026 | 171K | 7.5% | 3 | 368K | 16.1% | 2 | | Aug 2026 | 209K | 7.6% | 4 | 368K | 13.4% | 2 | | Sep 2026 | 245K | 7.2% | 4 | 368K | 10.9% | 3 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Columbia’s and Rab’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. - **Columbia**: Measured on the search terms “columbia jacket” and “columbia sportswear”, summed into one figure. - **Rab**: Measured on the search term “rab”. - [Columbia profile](/demand/global-en/brands/columbia) - [Rab profile](/demand/global-en/brands/rab) - [All softshell jacket brands worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/softshell-jacket-brands): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Columbia or Rab more popular in search? In September 2026, Rab had more branded searches than Columbia among softshell jacket brands worldwide. Rab had about 368,000 branded searches, while Columbia had 245,000. Rab made up 10.9% of all softshell jacket brand searches we track, and Columbia accounted for 7.2%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Columbia vs Rab: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/softshell-jacket-brands/compare/columbia-vs-rab This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/softshell-jacket-brands/compare/columbia-vs-rab. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.