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Image courtesy Norrona
While many of the most well known outdoor brands hail from North America, some of the most exciting outdoor gear is being made by lesser known brands around the world. By both heritage companies and newcomers. In the past we’ve outlined Japanese outdoor brands to know. Now, we’re taking an even more exhaustive approach to sharing Scandinavian brands that should be on your radar.
Scandinavian design is inescapable, from the affordable modular furniture of IKEA to Danish modernism to of course, hygge. But the region’s impact reaches far beyond architecture and interior design, with dozens of outdoor gear brands making everything from knives to hiking boots, outerwear, and camp equipment.
With roots in the 1950s modernism movement in Europe, Scandinavian design principles persist today at the intersection of form and function. Think neutral palettes, clean lines, an emphasis on quality construction and premium materials—with no unnecessary ornaments. Skilled craftsmanship manifests in the subtle details, and garments and tools are built for everyday use outside, not just a camping vacation.
“We sew our garments in Sweden, inspired by the very climate we run in,” shares Viktor Maiorana, of emerging running label Kuta Distance Lab, “this, in essence, captures our approach to design.”
Below, I’ve curated a list of as many outdoor brands as I could find from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, as well as honorable mentions from Nordic neighbors Finland and Iceland. Even if I wasn’t Norwegian, I’d still be obsessed with the ergonomics and aesthetics of their designs.
Norwegian Outdoor Brands
Aclima
Date founded: 1939
Category: Wool baselayers and clothing
Eivind Johansen is a man after my own heart: He bought a punch press and sewing machine at age 19 to start turning wool from friends’ farms into insoles. After WWII, he added a knitting machine to his fleet to expand his textile skills. Today, his son, Jan, runs the baselayer brand.
Alfa
Date founded: 1931
Category: Ski and hiking boots
In Scandinavia, Alfa is a household name for outdoorists. Their roots are as a children’s shoe producer, and making “shoes for someone who grows every day” forced them to become experts on walking. Since then, they’ve crossed Norway, Canada, and Siberia to develop boots for all kinds of feats.
Amundsen Sports
Date Founded: 2009
Category: Outdoor apparel
Inspired by Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, Amundsen Sports makes utilitarian outdoor and lifestyle clothing—and just might be the only brand making knickerbockers, or baggy-kneed breeches worn by 20th century mountaineers. It’s a vibe.
Bergans of Norway
Date founded: 1908
Category: Backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, and apparel
The backpack used by famous Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen was made and patented by bicycle manufacturer and avid outdoorsman Ole. F Bergan. More than a century later, both legacies live on in brand’s production in its vast array of outdoor equipment.
Dale of Norway
Date founded: 1879
Category: Wool outerwear
For every Winter Olympics since 1956, Dale of Norway has been tasked with making garments for the country’s team. This year, they’re making the official jacket for the Paris summer 2024 games. Keeping outdoor athletes temperature regulated in merino wool is their specialty.
Helly Hansen
Date founded: 1877
Category: Outdoor clothing
Sea captain Helly Juell Hansen and his wife, Margrethe, launched the business with waterproof oilskin jackets, trousers, sou’westers, and tarpaulins made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil. While the brand’s materials have advanced, its spirit of protecting against rugged elements remains.
Helsport
Date founded: 1951
Category: Tents, sleeping bags, and hiking gear
Based in the ski resort town of Lillehammer, also home to the Norwegian Olympic Museum, Helsport specializes in camping and outdoor equipment that can withstand arctic temperatures. Tents and sleep systems are their main categories, but they also make packrafting and bikepacking gear.
Kari Traa
Date founded: 2002
Category: Women’s skiing and hiking clothing
Founded by three-time Olympic medalist Kari Traa, her namesake brand celebrates femininity in the outdoors through colorful and playful designs. It’s probably most well known for the Nordic-inspired, jacquard knit baselayers that are as useful as they are beautiful.
Norrøna
Date founded: 1929
Category: Outdoor clothing
Four generations after its founding, adventurer Jørgen Jørgensen’s family is still running the company. Along with gear, Norrøna also organizes adventures, operates a mountain bike hotel in the middle of the wilderness, and is opening a nature spa called Norrona Lodge Senja in 2026.
Oyster
Date founded: 2023
Category: Performance cooler
New to the Nordic gear scene is Oyster, a 100% recyclable vacuum insulated aluminum cooler that’s supposed to keep your snacks cold three times longer than other coolers. The brand is based in Raufoss, a hydroelectric-powered city that’s home to an expert in the lightweight metal.
Sweet Protection
Date founded: 2000
Category: Helmets and eye protection
Back in 1988, skateboarding was still illegal in Norway and one of the would-be founders scribbled down the Sweet Protection mantra as part of a school assignment. A few business ideas later and the headwear brand was born in the mountain village of Trysil. They make an array of sleek helmets and eye protection for biking, snowsports, and whitewater rafting.
Ulvang
Date founded: 1995
Category: Wool clothing
When a country’s average winter temperature is below 0°F, there’s bound to be a lot of baselayer brands. Most modern of them all in Norway is Ulvang with the classic jacquard knits as well as more contemporary color block crews, half-zip fleece, and screenprint tees.
Viking Footwear
Date founded: 1920
Category: Hiking boots
From BOA GORE-TEX hunting boots to lightweight trail runners, this century-old Oslo-based footwear brand is committed to all aspects of outdoor life. But it first started out as a rubber company making galoshes for rain and mud, then snow socks, soccer cleats, and gymnastic shoes. You won’t find those shoes today save for rain boots.
Swedish Outdoor Brands
Fjällräven
Date founded: 1960
Category: Outdoor apparel and backpacks
Most recognizable for the Kånken backpack, designed in 1978 as an ergonomic children’s school bag, Fjällräven epitomizes Swedish design. It’s durable and functional, but also playful and multipurpose. For the last 20 years, the brand has hosted the Fjällräven Classic, multi-day trekking experiences in countries including Sweden, the U.S., Korea, and Germany.
Haglöfs
Date founded: 1914
Category: Outdoor apparel
Founded by carpenter Wiktor Haglöf, the brand’s first product was a backpack that could withstand even the most extreme conditions. Over a century, Haglöfs has evolved into an outfitter of all kinds of equipment, like the ultralight L.I.M. Series of light hikers and jackets.
Hestra
Date founded: 1936
Category: Gloves
In the small village of Hestra, four generations of the Magnusson family have been in the glove-making business. They personally source all the leather, fabric, and wool, which are then turned into handmade gloves for almost every sport you can think of, protecting from fingertip to wrist. In 2021, Hestra produced over 2 million pairs.
Hilleberg the Tentmaker
Date founded: 1971
Category: Tents
In 1973, Hilleberg introduced the first commercial tent, called the Keb, to have a connected inner and outer that quickly pitched together. Dozens of innovations later, Hilleberg is still The Tentmaker based in Stockholm, popular among mountaineers and climbers.
Houdini Sportswear
Date founded: 1993
Category: Outdoor apparel
Lotta Giornofelice was working as a climbing and skiing guide in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, one treacherous climb gave her the name for her new clothing brand when a member of the crew called out “Save me Houdini.” Today, her brand is pushing the boundaries of sustainability by working with scientists to investigate chemical use, biodiversity, and circularity.
Icebug
Date founded: 2001
Category: Outdoor footwear
“When you expect to slip, suddenly, you get a grip,” is Icebug’s poetic motto for its traction shoes. Not all of their shoes have built-in spikes for biting ice, but boots and even the walking shoes feature a RB9X rubber compound made to stick in wet and dry conditions.
Klättermusen
Date founded: 1975
Category: Outdoor apparel and backpacks
In the mountain village Åre, a tight-knit band of local climbers started a small DIY workshop where they’d assemble parts and tailor their gear. Eventually, it turned into a full-blown business supplying packs and clothes for climbers, hikers, and mountaineers. The brand’s signature triangle appears on every garment and pack, and you can find gems in their archive selection.
Kuta Distance Lab
Date founded: 2021
Category: Running apparel
Inspired by the chalk-ridden environment of the Gotland island, Kuta Distance Lab’s clay and moss colorways blend in with nature rather than contrasting against it. The community of runners and creatives’ mindset is similar when it comes to their made-to-order production philosophy, combatting the environmental impacts of mass production.
Lundhags
Date founded: 1932
Category: Outdoor apparel and footwear
Named after the shoemaker Jonas Lundhag and started in a small workshop in the Swedish wilderness, craftsmanship and environmental impact are at the brand’s core. Like many century-old companies, it has expanded beyond boots to packs, clothing, and accessories.
Peak Performance
Date founded: 1986
Category: Outdoor apparel
Don’t let the golf category throw you off course—this brand is just as much for outdoorists as it is for putters. Commuting is also a top category. Ski jackets, tech hoodies, hiking trousers, and rain shells make up the bulk of inventory. On the second floor their store in Åre is the Åre Syverkstad (Swedish for “repair shop”).
Pinewood
Date founded: 1996
Category: Outdoor apparel
More hook and bullet than others in the lineup, Pinewood makes clothes for hikers, hunters, anglers, and dog sports. The dog sport trainer vest can carry a small pooch, while the knit sweaters are water repellant. Camo and orange are prominent colors, but in a tasteful way.
Primus
Date founded: 1892
Category: Camping stoves
Primus has been on some of the most famous expeditions, like to the South Pole in 1911 with Roald Amundson and up Mount Everest in 1953 with Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. They’re more recognizable in the states—you can find their titanium pots and backpacking stoves at REI—than some of the other brands on this list.
Silva
Date founded: 1933
Category: Headlamps, packs, and compasses
By submerging the magnetic needle of a compass into clear liquid, the Kjellström brothers along with fellow orienteer Gunnar Tillander invented the first modern compass. They went on to form the company Silva, which remains reputable today for its navigational tools.
Trangia
Date founded: 1925
Category: Camping stoves
At their beginning, Trangia made household pots for farmers and workers, but following the Swedish holiday reform in 1938, Swedes had more free time to go camping. The Stove-arkiv is a bestseller, or you can build your own stove set.
Woolpower
Date founded: 1969
Category: Wool baselayers and socks
From nylon pantyhose to military jackets to thermal midlayers, Östersund-based Woolpower has evolved with the times. In 2021, the brand built Sweden’s largest clothing production factory where fair employment conditions and natural materials are a given. Everything made by a human.
Danish Outdoor Brands
Forét
Date founded: 2014
Category: Outdoor apparel
Your outdoor clothes don’t have to be separate from your everyday clothes, as exemplified by this forest-inspired brand. “Every piece we make seeks to blur the line between outdoor clothing and casual staples, retaining our signature sense of stillness and simplicity,” founders Jeppe and Jesper write. A seersucker summer shirt gets the same space as a waterproof shell jacket.
Glerups
Date founded: 1993
Category: Wool footwear
Making slippers for friends and family started as a hobby for Nanny Glerup on a farm in Jutland, and now her cozy 100% wool shoes are sold worldwide. The brand celebrated 30 years in 2023, and I had the opportunity to visit the farm where it all started. Recently, they launched sneakers.
Nordisk
Date founded: 1967
Category: Tents and sleeping bags
Founded as a subsidiary of Northern Feather, a down and feather brand, Nordisk helped grow the outdoor sector in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. Along with selling tents, sleeping bags, and other gear, they also operate a hygge glamping campground in Japan named Nordisk Hygge Circles // Ugakei.
Pas Normal Studios
Date founded: 2014
Category: Cycling apparel
Aptly based in the cycling epicenter of Copenhagen, with their flagship store in the colorful postcard strip of Nordhavn, Pas Normal Studios makes bibs and jerseys, arm and leg warmers, and socks and helmets. Designs often repeat across categories so you can build a matching kit.
Robens
Date founded: 1973
Category: Camping equipment
Like most outdoor companies, this one started in a basement—a cellar, actually—at the home of Klaus Robens. The front lawn was his tent display. Today, tents are studied in the brand’s test center, which subjects them to extreme wind and rain. Sleeping bags, camp furniture, axes, cooking tools, and lighting are now a part of the supply.
Finnish Outdoor Brands
Finland and Iceland are considered Nordic, not Scandinavian, FYI
Karhu
Date founded: 1916
Category: Running shoes
Karhu, which translates to “bear” in Finnish,” first made javelins, discusses, and skis. It’s evolved into a reputable running shoe brand, worn by Olympic gold medalists. In 2018, the brand developed a scanning method called Ortix Fit to analyze different shapes and volumes of runners, and create shoes that fit the average measurements.
Kupilka
Date founded: 1995
Category: Camp dishware
Evocative of wooden bowls, Kupilka’s dishware is inspired by the cups carved more than 200 years by Finnish ancestors. Today, the plates, bowls, and cutlery are made from softwood-based cellulose fibers and food-grade plastics to form a structure that will last.
Suunto
Date founded: 1936
Category: Sports watches
When it’s dark all day in the Arctic and you’re trudging through knee-deep snow, you need reliable navigation tools to lead the way. Finnish adventurer and engineer Tuomas Vohlonen would be thrilled to know that his company is now one of the leading manufacturers of watches, compasses, and dive products.
Icelandic Outdoor Brands
66°North
Date founded: 1926
Category: Outerwear
If 66°North kept fishermen, farmers, and other tradespeople protected from the North Atlantic’s extreme elements, then hikers, skiers, and outdoorists are surely safe from the cold. The brand is known for making products that will last a lifetime out of materials that reduce harm to the Earth.
Icewear Magasin
Date founded: 1972
Category: Insulated clothing
Icelanders are experts in warmth. Whether they need gloves, vests, jackets, sweatpants, parkas, or blankets, Icewear Magasin has it. The brand originated in a simple knitting factory in the Icelandic village of Hvammstangi, where a small team made knitwear for other companies. By the 1980s, they created their own line that’s now sold online worldwide.
Published 08-28-2024
