Throw Out Your Nike Shoes and Buy This Better Brand Instead

For over sixty years, Nike has remained a mainstay in athletic footwear and apparel. The Nike brand has become synonymous with speed, reliability, and success — but investors aren’t sure that Nike stocks will stay the same way. Despite exciting new releases like the Supreme x Nike Spring 2025 Collection or LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey’s Nike Dunk Low design, Nike has recently struggled to maintain its position in the industry, especially with growing popularity around other brands. On March 20, 2025, Nike is set to release its third-quarter fiscal earnings. Nike (NYSE: NKE) stocks are already down 11.51% over the last six months and a stunning 27.43% over the last one-year period. Sitting at $71.66 a share at the time this article was written, Nike shares have the potential to drop even further if the earnings disclosure is not up to par. This is especially true as investors may be particularly sensitive to any negative news, given Nike’s already significant sales declines. (Can new management fix Nike?)

While not everybody follows the stock market closely, it’s no secret that even non-investors have been leaning into other shoe and apparel brands — and found that exceptional quality and support occurs even beyond Nike. Here, 24/7 Wall St. set out to identify the ten shoe brands that offer just as much as Nike does, and often at better prices. To find the ten shoe brands to buy instead of Nike, we searched forums like Reddit and Quora; checked out shoe reviews in GQ, The New York Times, and running blogs; and asked our friends and family for recommendations. We also sourced information on global revenue from the company reports, and the headquarter and “famous faces” information from readily available online sources. While we understand that the “best shoe ever” is subjective, we hope you find your next new shoe on our list. 

This previously published article was updated on March 17, 2025 to reflect Nike’s announcement that third-quarter fiscal earnings would be released later this week. 

Why We’re Covering This Now

Today’s seemingly endless selection of shoe brands can be overwhelming. While Nike is well-known for its quality athletic shoes, the company doesn’t necessarily offer the best shoes on the market. Nike has also struggled under its leadership, with new President and CEO Elliott Hill taking charge of the company in October 2024. One long-term problem Nike has faced, in addition to leadership challenges, is that Nike has failed to innovate compared to other brands. Many people want shoes with more comfortable or ethical material, unique designs, and dynamc performance. If Nike can’t keep up with the demands of the communities it serves, the company cannot and will not thrive. That’s why one of these brands, which are more forward-thinking, might be better suited to your needs and lifestyle. 

Here are 10 shoe brands that outrank Nike:

10. Salomon Group

• Headquartered: Epagny-Metz-Tessy, France
• Known for: Outdoor sports equipment, footwear
• Global revenue: $5.18 billion (parent company Amer Sports)
• Famous faces: Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid

Headquartered in the French mountains of Annecy, Salomon Group, or Salomon as it is better known, is rising in the ranks with its running, trail, hiking, and sports shoes. Popularized by its relationship with celebrities like Rihanna, Salmon’s top shoes include the Sense Ride, Pulsair Trail, and S Lab Genesis. While the global revenue represents the whole of Amer Sports’ sales, the company reported that in 2024, Salomon shoe sales accounted for over $1 billion in revenue. The company’s shoes are lauded for their durability and comfort, especially in relation to outdoor activities. 

9. Champion 

• Headquartered: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Known for: Sportswear, footwear, casual wear clothing
• Global revenue: $22.5 billion (parent company Authentic Brands Group) 
• Famous faces: Chance the Rapper, 50 Cent, Kylie Jenner, The Game, Saweetie

Although it was one of the biggest sporting goods companies in the 1990s, Champion has since fallen out of favor. For this reason, the brand is relatively unknown to Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. However, Champion is on the rise again, riding its one-time success as the brand that invented the hoodie with new shoes far more comfortable than those it used to sell at Walgreens and grocery stores. These shoes are stylish but also offer great features like shock absorption. 

8. Speedland

• Headquartered: Portland, Oregon
• Known for: Trail shoes
• Global revenue: Not publically available
• Famous faces: Dylan Bowman, Liam Lonsdale, Amanda Wiggenhorn

Founded in 2021, Speedland is an up-and-coming brand primarily focused on trail shoes, with plans to expand into other categories. The team’s founding members have decades of experience working at brands like Nike, Puma, and Under Armour. Speedland’s shoes continue to go viral on Reddit and TikTok, giving the brand plenty of buzz in its early years. Speedland considers itself to be the “first high-performance trail shoe,” and can handle diverse terrain. 

7. Mizuno

• Headquartered: Osaka, Japan
• Known for: Footwear, sports equipment, sportswear for dozens of sports
• Global revenue: $1.5 billion
• Famous faces: Sergio Ramos, Carson Foster, Catie DeLoof, Jay Litherland

After seemingly falling out of favor with the footwear market over the past decade or two, Mizuno is on the rise again. The company’s introduction of the “Rebellion” shoe has helped revitalize the brand and provide those looking to step away from Nike with something new and exciting to try. This Japanese brand is also famous for making sports equipment for more than two dozen different sports. Users report that these shoes are super solid and durable, which means you won’t have to continue wearing out your shoes — these will stand the test of time. 

6. Asics

• Headquartered: Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
• Known for: Sportswear, footwear, accessories
• Global revenue: $4.48 billion
• Famous faces: Brian Cox, Valarie Allman, Novak Djokovic, Emma Bates

Far and away, the biggest name endorsing Asics is Novak Djokovic, one of history’s top men’s tennis players. But while Asics is popular in many sporting circles, the brand could do a better job at amplifying and sharing its logo. Surprisingly, the Japanese brand initially partnered with Nike founder Phil Knight to sell its shoes in the U.S. in the 1960s. Today, Asics are known for being built for athletes. These comfortable and relatively affordable shoes have incredible cushioning — and Asics is even branching out and making shoes directly for triathletes. 

5. Saucony

• ​​Headquartered: Waltham, Massachusetts
• Known for: Athletic footwear and apparel
• Global revenue: $100 million (parent company Wolverine Worldwide earned $1.7 billion)
• Famous faces: Molly Huddle, Laura Thweatt, Jared Ward

Saucony is 126 years old — but it’s surprisingly lesser known that brands like Nike or Adidas. Many people believe that Saucony isn’t as “popular” as other brands because the shoes aren’t necessarily as stylish. But these shoes are designed for quality and performance. Saucony is wildly popular inside racing circles, and the company has long been a staple in cross-country and track-and-field groups. Its everyday shoes are said to be incredibly comfortable, with great arch support and just the right amount of bounce with every step. 

4. Alo Yoga

• Headquartered: Beverly Hills, California
• Known for: Leisure-wear, athletic apparel
• Global revenue: $250 million
• Famous faces: Jin, Jamie Chung, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kaia Gerber

Best known for its leisurewear and yoga-friendly apparel, Alo Yoga is growing rapidly in the United States and worldwide in relation to its shoes. The Alo Runner shoe is relatively new and definitely lesser known than Nike, but early reviews of the shoe and its comfort on the street and trail have been nothing short of glowing. These shoes certainly are pricy. But you’re investing in a shoe that can be worn all day and in every situation — and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

3. Hoka (One One)

• Headquartered: Goleta, California
• Known for: Running shoes, apparel, trail running 
• Global revenue: $1.807 billion
• Famous faces: Blake Lively, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon

Praised for their “pillow-like” walking experience, the Hoka brand has hit its stride with oversized midsoles. Founded in 2009 in France, the Hoka brand has been steadily growing as a Nike competitor since its American acquisition by Deckers in 2013. Hoka’s revenue accounted for 42% of Deckers’ revenue in 2024. These shoes are a standout for their Meta-Rocker design that promotes and supports your natural stride. 

2. Brooks Sports 

• Headquartered: Seattle, Washington
• Known for: High-performance men’s and women’s sneakers and accessories
• Global revenue: $1.2 billion
• Famous faces: Des Linden, Jess McLain, Chrissie Wellington, Jeremy Renner

Brooks Sports was originally founded in 1914, but dove deeper into the running shoes market in 1972. While Brooks Sports, also known as Brooks Running, still hasn’t found many ways to beat Nike, many people report that Brooks Sports actually offers a more superior shoe. Brooks shoes are arguably more supportive than Nike and are also competitively priced. Brooks reported record annual global revenue in 2024, and the company holds approximately 25% market share in the specialty running shoe market, so these numbers are only expected to rise. 

1. On Cloud

• Headquartered: Zurich, Switzerland 
• Known for: Athletic shoes and sportswear, specifically running shoes
• Global revenue: $2.627 billion
• Famous faces: Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Joao Fonseca, Roger Federer

Okay, On Cloud shoes may be similarly expensive to Nike — but these shoes are still quickly becoming a favorite shoe for millions of people. These lightweight shoes have patented technology that make them comfortable and versatile. On Cloud’s cushioning helps protect your feet while propelling you forward. The company is believed to have acquired anywhere between 6.6-8% of the running shoe market share in the United States. Its focus on community building and giving back also help people feel more connected to these shoes outside of just being a brand. 

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