KEEN vs Merrell:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Merrell had more branded searches than KEEN among walking boot brands in New Zealand. Merrell had about 3,480 branded searches, while KEEN had 1,600. Merrell made up 19.3% of all walking boot brand searches we track, and KEEN accounted for 8.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about walking boot brands, Merrell appeared in all three answers and KEEN in two. Merrell was mentioned before KEEN in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Merrell, about 2 searches for every 1 for KEEN
Who does AI mention more?
Merrell, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Merrell, named ahead of KEEN in every answer
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Top walking boot brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Merrell appeared in all three answers. KEEN was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Merrell was listed before KEEN 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.
See every answer about walking boot brands
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which walking boot brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best walking boot brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best walking boot brand in New Zealand for wet weather walking?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best walking boots”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“hiking boots for women”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is KEEN or Merrell more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for KEEN and Merrell by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven walking boot brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Merrell, KEEN. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | HOKA | Merrell | KEEN | LOWA | Salomon | SCARPA | Meindl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 68.1% | 16.6% | 9% | 3.9% | 0.95% | 0.78% | 0.67% |
| Nov 2025 | 68.7% | 16.4% | 10% | 3% | 0.87% | 0.58% | 0.41% |
| Dec 2025 | 70.6% | 14.7% | 10.3% | 2.5% | 0.9% | 0.47% | 0.51% |
| Jan 2026 | 68.6% | 16.1% | 8.9% | 4.2% | 0.98% | 0.66% | 0.56% |
| Feb 2026 | 71.8% | 15.3% | 6.7% | 3.8% | 1.3% | 0.57% | 0.52% |
| Mar 2026 | 67.3% | 15.8% | 8.9% | 4.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.67% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.9% | 17.6% | 7.9% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 1% | 0.6% |
| May 2026 | 67.3% | 16% | 9.3% | 4.3% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 67.9% | 16.4% | 9.4% | 3.6% | 1% | 1% | 0.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 63.4% | 19.1% | 10.4% | 4% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.82% |
| Aug 2026 | 67% | 17% | 9.1% | 4.2% | 1.2% | 0.97% | 0.57% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.9% | 19.3% | 8.9% | 4.2% | 1.2% | 0.94% | 0.56% |
How has the KEEN and Merrell comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Merrell was ahead of KEEN in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, KEEN’s share of searches among walking boot brands in New Zealand moved from 9% to 8.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Merrell’s share of searches among walking boot brands in New Zealand moved from 16.6% to 19.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3K to 3.5K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand walking boot brands in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Merrell gained share of searches among walking boot brands in New Zealand, from 17% to 19.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using KEEN’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.
Other head-to-heads among walking boot brands
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