With many companies opting to move manufacturing overseas in an attempt to reduce costs and increase profits it can be difficult to find products that are made in the US. But is that true for hiking boots? In this article, I’ll be looking for hiking boots made in the USA.
Companies that Sell Hiking Boots Made in the USA? (The Short Answer)
Some readers may be surprised to learn that there are a handful of companies that manufacture American-made hiking boots. They are Danner, Thorogood Boots, Keen, and Merrell Wilderness.
American-Made Hiking Boots (Brands to Investigate)
Now that we have our brands, let’s take a look at each company in a little more detail.
Danner
Danner has been manufacturing shoes and boots since 1932. The company was founded in Portland, Oregon, this is also where its headquarters can be found. Danner’s footwear is primarily geared toward those who enjoy outdoor adventures, from climbing and running to mountaineering and hiking.
As for its manufacturing, Danner has facilities in Italy, China, Vietnam, and the US. But thankfully, Danner has a “made in the USA” section on its website where it displays all of its US-made footwear.
Danner’s hiking boots include the following.
- Wildland Tactical Firefighter
- Crag Rat USA
- Crater Rim
- Women’s Danner Light II
- Women’s Crater Rim
- Women’s Mountain Light II
Danner works hard to ensure that every pair of its hiking boots are crafted to the highest possible standard to ensure that its boots are effective and efficient and that they last for as long as possible.
Thorogood Boots
Thorogood Boots was founded in 1892 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company has a very interesting history. From manufacturing safety footwear in the 1930s to crafting boots for the US army during WWII, Thorogood has done a lot over the years. Thorogood Boots also donated 500 pairs of boots to the volunteers at Ground Zero after the September 11 terror attacks.
Like lots of companies out there, Thorogood Boots does manufacture some of its products overseas. However, an impressive 65% of the company’s footwear is made at one of its two facilities located in Wisconsin.
From what I was able to find, its overseas manufacturing seems to take place in China. But the company labels its products very clearly so it is easy to find out which of its hiking boots are American-made.
For those wanting to look at some of Thorogood Boots’ American-made hiking boots then look no further! Here are a couple of options for you to check out.
Keen
Keen is an American footwear and accessories company that was founded in 2003 in Alameda, California. As of 2006, the company moved and it is now based in Portland, Oregon.
According to the company’s FAQs, its American-built products are assembled with pride in Portland, Oregon using the finest materials sourced from around the world.
On the same page, the company goes into detail regarding its manufacturing overseas. It has facilities in Mexico and Thailand. The company is also partnered with factories in Cambodia, China, India, Vietnam, and a few countries in Europe. So while some of its products are made in the US, it seems like the majority of its manufacturing takes place overseas.
Fortunately, Keen has an American-built section on its website which allows customers to see which of its hiking boots are made in America. Its American-made selection includes the following.
- Men’s Durand II Waterproof Boot
- Dover 8 Waterproof Boot
- Woman’s Dover 6” Waterproof Boot
- Men’s Coburg 8” Waterproof Boot
Merrell Wilderness
Merrell Wilderness was founded in 1981. Its headquarters is located in Rockford, Michigan. Merrell is well known for its high-quality walking and hiking boots and it has sold its products to happy customers all over the world.
As for its manufacturing, Merrell has facilities in the US, the Dominican Republic, the UK, Vietnam, China, and more. This makes it very difficult to find out which of its products are American-made.
Here’s a link to the company’s contact page as well as its hiking boot page so you can get in touch and find out exactly which of its hiking boots are made in the USA.
Honorable Mention
As I was gathering brands for this article, I came across one brand that does manufacture boots in the US, but it is a little unclear as to whether or not they are good for hiking. Here’s what I found.
Chippewa
Chippewa was founded in 1901 in downtown Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Initially, the company focused on producing boots for loggers and people working in jobs where quality protective shoes are a must.
Most of the information I came across for this one describes Chippewa boots as work shoes, but I found a post on Amazon selling Chippewa boots that seem to be closer to hiking boots than working shoes. But I’ll let you decide that for yourself, here’s a link to the posting.
As for its manufacturing, it looks like the majority of the manufacturing takes place in the US. I got this from a post that was discussing Chippewa’s work boots. Unfortunately, it didn’t mention hiking boots.
It looks like the company also has a facility located in China, so if you decide to make a purchase then I’d highly recommend contacting the company first and asking which of its boots are made in the USA.
