Ridge Merino vs Smartwool:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Smartwool had more branded searches than Ridge Merino among merino clothing brands worldwide. Smartwool had about 90,500 branded searches, while Ridge Merino had 8,100. Smartwool made up 48.9% of all merino clothing brand searches we track, and Ridge Merino accounted for 4.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about merino clothing brands, Ridge Merino and Smartwool each appeared in four of the five answers. Smartwool was mentioned before Ridge Merino in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Smartwool, about 11 searches for every 1 for Ridge Merino
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 4 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Smartwool, named ahead of Ridge Merino in every answer
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Top merino clothing brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Ridge Merino and Smartwool were each mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Smartwool was listed before Ridge Merino 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.
- Smartwool4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Icebreaker4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Ridge Merino4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Minus333 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Wool&Prince2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Devold0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Mons Royale0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Merino Country0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about merino clothing brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which merino clothing brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best merino clothing brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best merino clothing brand for cold weather layering?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“merino wool clothing”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“merino base layer”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Ridge Merino or Smartwool more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Ridge Merino and Smartwool by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight merino clothing brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Smartwool, Ridge Merino. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Smartwool | Devold | Mons Royale | Icebreaker | Wool&Prince | Ridge Merino | Minus33 | Merino Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 56.4% | 13.8% | 11.3% | 9.3% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 0.43% |
| Nov 2025 | 60.8% | 15% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 2.7% | 3% | 1.9% | 0.26% |
| Dec 2025 | 67.5% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 2% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 0.23% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.3% | 14.1% | 9.4% | 11.5% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.8% | 13.9% | 11.4% | 9.3% | 3.8% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 0.44% |
| Mar 2026 | 48.8% | 12% | 17.9% | 9.8% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 1.6% | 0.88% |
| Apr 2026 | 46.7% | 11.4% | 17.1% | 11.4% | 5.7% | 5.1% | 1.6% | 1% |
| May 2026 | 46.1% | 11.3% | 16.9% | 11.3% | 5.7% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.8% | 9.6% | 17.5% | 11.7% | 5.8% | 5.2% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 46.8% | 11.4% | 17.1% | 11.4% | 5.7% | 5.1% | 1.4% | 1% |
| Aug 2026 | 47.8% | 11.7% | 17.5% | 9.6% | 5.9% | 5.2% | 1.6% | 0.71% |
| Sep 2026 | 48.9% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 9.8% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 2% | 0.72% |
How has the Ridge Merino and Smartwool comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Smartwool was ahead of Ridge Merino in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ridge Merino’s share of searches among merino clothing brands worldwide moved from 2.8% to 4.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.6K to 8.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Smartwool’s share of searches among merino clothing brands worldwide moved from 56.4% to 48.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 135K to 90.5K.
How did search popularity change for merino clothing brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Smartwool gained share of searches among merino clothing brands worldwide, from 47.8% to 48.9%.
In September 2026, Ridge Merino lost share of searches among merino clothing brands worldwide, from 5.2% to 4.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ridge Merino’s and Smartwool’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.
Ridge Merino
1 branded search term
- ridge merino
Smartwool
1 branded search term
- smartwool
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