Merrell vs Oboz:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Merrell had more branded searches than Oboz among hiking footwear brands worldwide. Merrell had about 680,000 branded searches, while Oboz had 18,100. Merrell made up 41.5% of all hiking footwear brand searches we track, and Oboz accounted for 1.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about hiking footwear brands, Merrell appeared in all five answers and Oboz in two. Merrell was mentioned before Oboz in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Merrell, about 38 searches for every 1 for Oboz
Who does AI mention more?
Merrell, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Merrell, named ahead of Oboz in every answer
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Top hiking footwear brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Merrell appeared in all five answers. Oboz was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Merrell was listed before Oboz in every answer.
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.
- Merrell5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Salomon5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Altra4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
HOKA4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- La Sportiva2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
KEEN2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Columbia2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Oboz2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
LOWA1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
SCARPA1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about hiking footwear brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which hiking footwear brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best hiking footwear brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best hiking footwear brand for all-day comfort?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“hiking footwear brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best hiking footwear”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Merrell or Oboz more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Merrell and Oboz by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten hiking footwear brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Merrell, Oboz. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Merrell | La Sportiva | Altra | Salomon | LOWA | HOKA | KEEN | Columbia | Oboz | SCARPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 45.7% | 20.8% | 17% | 6.2% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.69% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.1% | 19.1% | 15.6% | 5.7% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.63% |
| Dec 2025 | 47.2% | 21.7% | 14.5% | 6.1% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 0.71% |
| Jan 2026 | 43.4% | 23.6% | 15.8% | 6.6% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.77% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.8% | 23.3% | 15.5% | 6.6% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.77% |
| Mar 2026 | 45.1% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 6.6% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.63% |
| Apr 2026 | 44.5% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 6.4% | 2.1% | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.64% |
| May 2026 | 45% | 18.8% | 18.8% | 6.8% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.62% |
| Jun 2026 | 48.9% | 18.6% | 15.2% | 7.6% | 1.8% | 2.5% | 2% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 0.61% |
| Jul 2026 | 45% | 19.6% | 16.1% | 8.4% | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.79% |
| Aug 2026 | 41.3% | 22.1% | 18% | 8% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2% | 2% | 1.1% | 0.73% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.5% | 22.5% | 18.4% | 7.5% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 0.74% |
How has the Merrell and Oboz comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Merrell was ahead of Oboz in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Merrell’s share of searches among hiking footwear brands worldwide moved from 45.7% to 41.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 661K to 680K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Oboz’s share of searches among hiking footwear brands worldwide moved from 1.3% to 1.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 18.1K.
How did search popularity change for hiking footwear brands worldwide in September 2026?
0 changes
Neither Merrell nor Oboz moved beyond provider rounding among hiking footwear brands in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Merrell’s and Oboz’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.
Other head-to-heads among hiking footwear brands
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