KEEN vs Merrell:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Merrell had more branded searches than KEEN among waterproof boots brands in New Zealand. Merrell had about 3,480 branded searches, while KEEN had 20. Merrell made up 8.6% of all waterproof boots brand searches we track, and KEEN accounted for 0.05%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about waterproof boots brands, Merrell appeared in four of the five answers and KEEN in three. Merrell was mentioned before KEEN in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Merrell, about 174 searches for every 1 for KEEN
Who does AI mention more?
Merrell, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, KEEN in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Merrell, named ahead of KEEN in 3 of 4 answers
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Top waterproof boots brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Merrell was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. KEEN was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Merrell was listed before KEEN 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.
- Merrell4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Blundstone3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Salomon3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
KEEN3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Skellerup2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Skechers0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Hunter0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Columbia0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about waterproof boots brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which waterproof boot brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best waterproof boot brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best waterproof boot brand in New Zealand for wet weather walking?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“waterproof boots nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“women's waterproof boots”
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 eight waterproof boots 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 | Skechers | Blundstone | Merrell | Salomon | Skellerup | Hunter | Columbia | KEEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 69.3% | 10.2% | 7.9% | 5% | 4.4% | 2.2% | 0.85% | 0.11% |
| Nov 2025 | 74.1% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 5.7% | 2.3% | 1.6% | 0.55% | 0.14% |
| Dec 2025 | 72.6% | 8.3% | 7.7% | 5.4% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 0.97% | 0.09% |
| Jan 2026 | 67.8% | 10.1% | 8.9% | 6.2% | 3% | 2.8% | 1.1% | 0.08% |
| Feb 2026 | 65.2% | 11.8% | 8.9% | 5.8% | 4.7% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 0.09% |
| Mar 2026 | 68% | 12.6% | 7.5% | 5% | 3.4% | 2.6% | 0.97% | 0.08% |
| Apr 2026 | 63.8% | 12.1% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 1.2% | 0.12% |
| May 2026 | 65.7% | 12.1% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 2.7% | 1.3% | 0.07% |
| Jun 2026 | 63.6% | 12.1% | 6.8% | 7% | 5.7% | 3.4% | 1.3% | 0.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.2% | 14.1% | 9.2% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.13% |
| Aug 2026 | 63.3% | 13.3% | 7.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% | 4% | 1.3% | 0.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.6% | 12.3% | 8.6% | 5.9% | 4.3% | 3.3% | 0.86% | 0.05% |
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 waterproof boots brands in New Zealand moved from 0.11% to 0.05%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40 to 20.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Merrell’s share of searches among waterproof boots brands in New Zealand moved from 7.9% to 8.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3K to 3.5K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand waterproof boots brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Merrell gained share of searches among waterproof boots brands in New Zealand, from 7.1% to 8.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for KEEN in New Zealand fell 50% over 12 measured months, from 40 to 20 in September 2026.
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 waterproof boots brands
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