There is no shortage of brands vying for the top spot in the vast outdoor market, but Patagonia has for the most part claimed the position of top dog. The brand’s commitment to sustainability, quality, and comfort has made it a go-to for everyone from wall street bros to climbing fanatics, and the mountain logo has become an unmistakable seal of approval. While Patagonia certainly has you covered for a solid amount of your wardrobe, it might not be your desired look and it comes at a pretty considerable cost. Ultimately when it comes to searching for an outdoor brand, you want a brand whose clothes are sustainable, technical, and are crafted with a gorpcore influence. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of 31 brands that are similar to Patagonia in mission, style, or are simply a good complement to garments you might already have from the brand.
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31 Great Brands like Patagonia to Add to Your Outdoor Wardrobe in 2023
1. The North Face
The North Face is a fellow Californian company that was founded in 1968. They offer tons of iconic designs such as the Nuptse jacket and the Denali fleece. Since the 2000s, The North Face has also been tapped into street culture, and has become a streetwear style symbol.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Denali Jacket
- A classic brand that has been around for decades
- Equipped with the best technical gear
- Has tons of outerwear, apparel, backpacks, and shoes
- Always innovating
2. Marmot
Interestingly, Marmot was founded just a year after Patagonia. Since then, the brand has become one of the premier purveyors of outdoor recreation gear. Marmot was also one of the first companies to adopt Gore-Tex into all of their fabrications.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Gore-Tex Minimalist Jacket
- Tried and trusted leader in outdoor performance
- Variety amongst mens, women, and unisex wear
- Sells both clothing and gear
3. Merrell
Merrell’s apparel selection doesn’t quite rival Patagonia, but they have you covered in the footwear department. Their high quality selection of shoes and boots is sure to keep you cozy on your outdoor expeditions. Some of our favorite styles include the Hydromocs and Moab boots.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Hydro Moc Slip On
- Wide variety of shoes
- Price range is reasonable with pieces averaging between $80 and $250
- Has cool apparel as well
4. Outdoor Research
Outdoor Research is a Seattle based company founded by ex-nuclear physicist Ron Gregg, who left his career in pursuit of summiting Denali. When his climbing partner got frostbite and had to be evacuated, Gregg was inspired to find a solution to frostbitten feet and founded Outdoor Research the following year.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Kulshan Storm Bibs
- Offers innovative award winning products
- Sells both apparel and gear
- Offers a range clothing for multiple sports
5. Snow Peak
If you have any experience with Japanese craftsmanship, there is no doubt that you will love Snow Peak. The brand has a massive focus on quality, creating minimalist garments that are still very functional. They don’t just stop at apparel either, selling all sorts of camping gear to get you properly outfitted.
- Our Favorite Piece: Takibi Weather Cloth Vest
- Lifetime guaranteed outdoor products
- Has apparel and gear
- Consistently stocked with new arrivals
6. Black Diamond
Black Diamond is a fantastic brand for the climbing fans out there, having produced some of the best climbing equipment in the industry since the late eighties. They are well known for their spring-loaded camming devices, meant to protect climbers.
- Our Favorite Piece: Vision Hybrid Hoodie
- Innovative equipment and gear
- Offers apparel and gear for climbing, skiing, and hiking gear
- Regular sales and discounts
7. Mammut
Born out of the Swiss Alps, Mammut can basically be considered a heritage brand as it was founded way back in 1862. The company was initially founded as a producer of climbing ropes, but in its long history it has become a premier clothing brand, gracing the backs of celebrities like Frank Ocean.
- Our Favorite Piece: Alto Guide HS Hooded Jacket
- Offers everything from urban wear to hiking accessories
- Highly technical products
- Durable products that last a long time
8. Salomon
Salomon is very well known within the skiing community, having been a manufacturer of skis and bindings since the company's inception. However, in the past few years Salomon’s vast line of trail running shoes has skyrocketed in popularity within the fashion industry, largely due to their fantastic designs and colorways. Cop a pair of XT-6’s and you’ll be the most fly guy on and off the trail.
- Our Favorite Piece: Unisex Sporty Style Shoes
- Great shoe selection
- Offers apparel and gear for a variety of sports
- Durable products that last a long time
9. Klättermusen
Klättermusen has been around for quite some time, but only recently entered the radar of many. The Swedish brand makes exceedingly high quality garments, and has similar goals to Patagonia, making the majority of their clothing from organic or recycled materials. Fun fact: the name Klättermusen means “climbing mice” in Swedish.
- Our Favorite Product: Functional Backpack 18L
- Great backpack selection
- Eco-friendly brand
- Offers refined mountaineering
10. and wander
And wander takes a bit of a different approach to outdoor clothing, with both of its founders previously having designed at Issey Miyake. Due to the designers’ fashion background, all of and wander’s garments are both functional and beautifully crafted.
- Our Favorite Piece: Schoeller 3XDRY Stretch Jacket
- Unique approach to design
- Functional brand with technical products
- High quality outdoor gear suited for different sports
11. Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer founded his eponymous brand in Seattle, Washington in 1920. Twenty years later, he would become the first person to patent the quilted down jacket, a design that is universal now. The pioneering spirit of the brand has maintained today, and the company continues to put out high quality products.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's CirrusLite Down Jacket
- Offers apparel and gear
- Classic and trusted brand that is over 100 years old
- New products and frequent collabs
12. Arc’teryx
There’s no doubt about it: Arc’teryx is the cream of the crop when it comes to outdoor gear. The build quality and functionality is second to none, and on top of that their stuff just looks good. The brand has also enjoyed a massive surge in popularity of late, with collaborations with brands like Palace and Jil Sander propelling Arc’teryx into the realm of fashion. Their stuff comes at a pretty hefty price, but trust us, it’s worth it.
- Our Favorite Piece: Monitor Down Coats
- Great footwear and clothing
- One of the best when it comes to outdoor wear
- Both stylish and technical/pragmatic
13. Columbia Sports
In contrast to Arc’teryx, Columbia provides some of the more affordable options for outdoor clothing on the market. If you’re looking for some warm layers this year but are on a bit of a budget, Columbia is the perfect option.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Facet 75 Mid Outdry Shoe
- Affordable clothing with prices with ranging from $100 t0 $200
- Great unisex selection
- Offers products for a wide variety of sports
14. Mountain Hardwear
A subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear, Mountain Hardwear is geared even more towards alpine enthusiasts. The brand sponsored the first American, Ed Viesturs, to summit all 8,000 meter peaks in the United States. He also helped the brand develop many of their products, so you know they’re good.
- Our Favorite Piece: Scrambler 25L Backpack
- Quality gear at an affordable price
- Durable products that last you a long time
- Offers both apparel and gear
15. Helly Hansen
Helly Hansen, unlike many of the other brands in this list, actually came from the realm of sailing. The Norwegian brand has been around since 1877, outfitting everyone from lumberjacks to mountaineers.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's HP Racing Lifaloft Jacket
- Trusted and worn by many professional athletes
- Great selection of gear for men, women, and unisex
- Large variety of products for a range of sports
16. Rab
Rab came about somewhat unexpectedly, when Scottish climber Rab Carrington was unable to begin an expedition in Patagonia without his climbing gear, which was stuck in England due to a dock strike. This prompted Carrington to learn how to make his own sleeping bags, and ultimately resulted in the brand’s creation. They focus on high-quality, lightweight products.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Cinder Phantom Waterproof Jacket
- High performance clothing
- Offers both apparel and gear
- Great backpack and sleeping bag selection
17. REI
REI has been, and always will be, the best retailer for outdoor gear. They carry anything you could possibly need for the outdoors, and also carry the vast majority of the brands in this list. Additionally, REI offers their own line of outdoor gear, frequently at lower costs than many other companies.
- Our Favorite Piece: Sahara Convertible Pants
- Among the best retailers when it comes to ourdoor gear
- Carries a lot of brands
- Wide range of prices and awesome sales
18. Jack Wolfskin
The German company has been a mainstay in Europe since the 80’s, but only recently made waves in the U.S. Their commitment to quality and sustainability has built a reputation that ensures that when you see the Jack Wolfskin paw logo, you know you’re getting your money's worth.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Refugio Texapore Mid
- Durable products that last you a long time
- Great waterproof selection
- Offers clothing, gear, and footwear
19. Kuhl
Kuhl is a Utah based company that has a primary focus on designing for people in motion, with the use of gusset and darts in their patterns. This allows for articulation at critical points, ensuring that you are always comfortable in any position.
- Our Favorite Piece: Free Rydr Pants
- Offers high quality hiking gear and apparel
- Decent selection of casual clothes
- Affordable with prices ranging from $90 to $300
20. Osprey
If you’ve got a bunch of clothes from brands on this list, surely you’ll need to store them somewhere. Look no further than Osprey: the brand has been crafting high quality bags since the 70’s. They offer any size backpack you could imagine for any purpose.
- Our Favorite Piece: Hikelite 18
- Some of the best backpacks in the game
- Has backpacks for all sports, activities, and seasons
- Solid pricing with bags ranging around $100
21. Cotopaxi
Named after an active volcano in the Andes mountains, Cotopaxi has a major focus on its eco-footprint. They pay close attention to their materials, carbon output, and ensure that all workers are fairly paid. Naturally this comes with a higher price tag, but all of that is worth it for a quality product that does some good for the world.
- Our Favorite Piece: Fuego Hooded Down Jacket
- Innovative outdoor products
- Environmentally friendly
- Gives back to the community
22. Smartwool
Smartwool is bar none the best when it comes to anything wool related. Their proprietary merino wool is in all of their socks and apparel, and is treated to be itch and shrink resistant. Try a pair of their socks and you won’t be disappointed.
- Our Favorite Piece: Print Crew Socks
- Unique designs and prints
- Among the best when it comes to wool products
- Durable and lasts you a long time
23. L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean is an American classic, being well known for their duck boots since the company’s inception in 1912. Their catalog of products has obviously grown since then, and all of it can be found at reasonable prices.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Keen Targhee III Waterproof
- A tried and true brand that has been around for over 100 years
- Offers products for a wide variety of sports
- Has both apparel and gear
- Great shoe selection
24. Napapijri
Famous for its Skidoo jacket, Napapijri is an Italian manufacturer of high quality garments that began producing alpine bags. The brand has an outdoorsy look, but is more focused on casual wear.
- Our Favorite Piece: Jacket Skidoo
- Offers functional and premium outerwear
- High quality products with a contemporary aesthetic
- Awesome jacket selection
25. White Mountaineering
If you’re looking for outdoor focused gear but don’t need insane climbing focused items, White Mountaineering is the brand for you. The brand is great at combining the performance needs of the outdoors while remaining fashionable, using materials like polar fleece and Gore-Tex.
- Our Favorite Piece: Black Steak Hoodie
- Blends fashion and performance
- Suitable pieces for all sports and seasons
- Large variety of products
26. Goldwin
Goldwin describes itself as a brand “for city dwellers who commune with nature on weekends”, and everything that it comes out with is indicative of this mission. With a 50 year heritage making high quality ski garments, Goldwin has positioned itself as a premium brand for the casual consumer.
- Our Favorite Piece: GORE-TEX 2L Jacket
- Excellent nature brand
- Variety of outdoor apparel
- Great ski selection
- Durable products that last you a long time
27. Gerry
Founded by Gerald Cunningham, Gerry is responsible for some of the things we take for granted on a daily basis, like the cord locks that are found on pretty much every piece of performance wear these days. The innovative nature of the brand has been maintained today, with Gerry making some of the best cold weather garments on the market.
- Our Favorite Piece: Men's Relaxed Fit Commuter Pants
- Has you covered from a to z with outerwear
- Some of the best backpacks on the market
- Great selection for cold weather products
28. UNIQLO
Uniqlo might not be the first brand to come to mind when thinking of brands like Patagonia, but the Japanese retailer offers a massive amount of performance clothing. The heattech line contains all sorts of garments made from insulating fabrics, and the hybrid down parka is sure to keep you warm during the cold winter months.
- Our Favorite Piece: Pocketable UV Protection Parka
- Large catalog to choose from
- Offers apparel and gear for all sports and seasons
- Great pricing with the average cost being $50 to $100
29. Nike ACG
Nike’s ACG line stands for all condition gear, which is a subsidiary that produces garments and footwear for any climate you need to tackle. Since the line's inception in the late 80’s, it has built a cult following for performance oriented pieces in bold, exciting colorways.
- Our Favorite Piece: Nike ACG Mountain Fly Low SE
- Stand out sneaker selection
- Has products for all sports, seasons, and climates
- A tested brand that has been around for decades
30. Woolrich
Woolrich holds the title of the oldest manufacturer of outdoor goods in America, having been founded in 1830. The Pennsylvania based company has been producing luxury clothing for nearly two centuries, so we’re sure they know a thing or two about it.
- Our Favorite Piece: Wool Blend Flannel Overshirt
- Classic brand that is nearly 200 hundred-years-old
- Among the best when it comes to luxury clothing
- Offers outdoor clothing for men and women
31. Backcountry
And if you are looking for a one-stop-shop for all of your outdoor needs, look no further than Backcountry as they carry tons of brands ranging from the big names to the small names, along with a large variety of products that will take you through all four seasons and any sport you wish.
- Our Favorite Piece: KAVU Teannaway Fleece Jacket
- Large variety of brands
- Offers both clothing and gear for all sports and seasons
- Carries smaller brands
- Affordable pricing
