In my mid-twenties, I took a solo trip to Patagonia. No, not the store. The actual Patagonia in South America. It was the adventure of a lifetime.
I had previously lived in Chile, so it was a return trip of sorts, but I added Torres del Paine to my list; a famous Chilean national park I had been previously unable to visit. Knowing I would be in Patagonia, I begged my younger brother to let me take his Patagonia ballcap, and he kindly obliged. Unfortunately, I lost the hat in the national park, but I couldn’t think of a more fitting place to lose a piece of Patagonia clothing than in Patagonia itself.
I’m not sure whether it was the #vanlife movement or the hipster/laid-back style trend that skyrocketed the Patagonia fleece pullover into cultish popularity, but whatever the case, you cannot deny the quality and style of Patagonia’s clothing. Not to mention, its commitment to its branding and admonition to “get outside.”
You may recall, every year on Black Friday, the brand closes its stores in an attempt to dissuade customers from shopping and instead, yes, going outside. It turns out to be one of their highest sales days of the year, and donate all Black Friday proceeds to “benefit the planet”. It’s pretty ingenious from a brand loyalty standpoint, right?
Saving the planet aside, if you aren’t a Patagonia purist and are in search of other outdoor clothing brands similar to Patagonia, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 16 brands similar to Patagonia, including some that are both less and more expensive.
1. The North Face (Similarly Priced)
is the other “OG” of outdoor brands, if you ask me. You can’t go wrong with just about anything from this brand. The North Face’s style is a bit more classic than the hipster/funky Patagonia, but like Patagonia, it also sells high-quality, long-lasting outdoor gear and clothing.
The pricing is about the same here, so you won’t be saving much money unless you score at a sale or outlet mall. And, fun fact, the founders of Patagonia and The North Face (Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins) were lifelong friends.
2. Canada Goose (More Expensive)
I don’t remember the first time I saw a Canada Goose jacket, but I do remember the first time I learned how expensive they were (we’re talking more than $1,000). And then a friend explained how they are made, and why they are the warmest jackets EVER.
Well, as the brand name infers, they are made of 100% Canadian goose feathers. So yeah, they’re really really warm. The iconic red, white and blue patch on the left shoulder is the dead giveaway that someone’s rocking a $1,000 parka. You’ve probably seen them in the movies, you just didn’t notice.
Like Patagonia, offers incredibly high-quality (I mean, for what you’re paying, it better be the highest quality!) outdoor items. It specializes in parkas, bombers, and jackets intended for arctic weather, but it offers a good range of styles and designs for all levels of winter wear.
3. Cotopaxi (Similarly Priced)
, to me, is like Patagonia’s younger, trendier sibling. Known for retro patterns and brightly colored products, Cotopaxi has branded itself as “gear for good”. Like Patagonia, giving back is a part of its DNA. It focuses on fighting poverty and ethical, sustainable manufacturing.
I wish Cotopaxi were less expensive, but its pricing is pretty on par with Patagonia, but the quality is still impressively top-notch. Cotopaxi is also similar to Patagonia in motivating its customers to get outside through epic, 24-hour outdoor scavenger hunts known as the “Questival”. Questival winners get to embark on a sponsored humanitarian trip to locations like Machu Picchu and Ecuador.
4. Columbia Sportswear (Less expensive)
Another well-known outdoor clothing brand similar to Patagonia is . Founded in Portland, Oregon, this brand is more budget friendly than Patagonia. Unfortunately, the quality is a bit less technical. If you’re not an advanced outdoors(wo)man and just need a few basics, Columbia is a great choice.
At the same time, its affordability is part of its charm. Columbia’s target audience is casual recreationalists, and it even offers a line of “big and tall” options for people who have a larger build. For what it’s worth, I live near a Columbia outlet store, and I love the brand’s wide array of budget-friendly items, especially for the winter months. It allows me to add more variability to my winter wardrobe.
5. Marmot (Less Expensive)
Another more budget-friendly brand is Marmot. Like Patagonia, offers many similar outdoor clothing items, but it doesn’t have quite the same portfolio of options. Rather than extensive collections, Marmot excels in the budget/mid-range category for basics like winter jacks and rain gear. For the price, the quality exceeds expectations.
Design-wise, I prefer the more classic look of some of Marmot’s pieces, especially for snow gear. Marmot is also similar to Patagonia on the sustainability front. It uses recycled materials and PFC-free DWR coatings on many of its products.
6. Arc’teryx (More Expensive)
Another Canadian (and global, really, among all adventurers) favorite is . It’s known for high-end (dare I say luxurious) craftsmanship and style. Like Patagonia, Arc’teryx is a beloved outerwear brand and offers many of the same products. It is known for its technical design expertise, but some scoff at the prices.
You can plan to pay a painful premium to wear some of the brand’s favored products, like the Veta AR and Alpha SV hardshell jackets ($599 and $799, respectively).
On the upside, because you are spending so much money, these pieces would really be considered more of an investment than anything else. You may not be able to afford as many pieces as you would with say Marmot or Columbia, but you can rest assured they will probably do better than any other comparable product you could buy.
7. Fjällräven (More Expensive)
Jumping across the pond, and heading north, we’ll find Sweden’s beloved . Like Patagonia, it offers upscale outdoor gear, from parkas and jackets to hiking tights and packs. Its signature G-1000 fabric is used for most of its products; it’s a blend of 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton. They even make a special wax to improve the material’s water resistance.
Fjällräven is pricey, so be prepared. Some would complain that the gear is too heavy and technical, but it makes sense it would be designed that way considering the price points.
8. Quiksilver (Less Expensive)
I realize that when most people think of outdoor gear, they jump to heavy-duty parkas and sleeping bags, but I can’t skip over one of the most iconic summer/surf brands. Especially since I grew up in a surfing town! makes high quality surf and snowboarding gear, making it comparable to Patagonia’s summer products.
Its retro and fun patterns and designs embody everything “cool” about beach camping and surf culture. The brand’s gear is not cheap, by any means, but it is slightly more affordable than Patagonia. You may not know that Roxy, the women’s arm of Quiksilver, gets its logo from Quiksilver. If you take the Quiksilver logo, tip it on its side, and add a second mirrored half, you get the Roxy heart/logo.
9. Helly Hansen (Similarly Priced)
was in the shadows with the rise of other brands like The North Face and Patagonia, but the recent rebirth of the puffer jacket has brought back its relevance. This Nordic brand specializes in skiing and sailing gear, but it has many cold-weather, high-performance pieces like Patagonia. Helly Hansen is known for its technical mastery of protecting you against the elements.
It’s similarly priced to Patagonia (a classic puffer jacket runs about $150) and has retro styles that are sure to fit in with today’s trends.
10. Kuhl (Similarly Priced)
is Patagonia’s snooty older brother. It’s a Utah-based brand like Cotopaxi, but Kuhl’s design is distinctly more boring, in my opinion. Some would even describe it as utilitarian. The products are competitively priced, and their durability and high-quality designs speak for themselves. They’re especially known for hiking gear, such as the popular Renegade pants.
Kuhl’s target audience are outdoor experts who have plenty of disposable income and thrive on the exclusivity of their adventures. They only list three physical stores on their website, so that should say enough, but if you don’t mind spending as much money as you’d spend at Patagonia (and in some cases more), and you prefer a simple, understated style, Kuhl is just for you.
11. Eddie Bauer (Similarly Priced)
This Washington-based brand has lost popularity over the years, sadly. It’s a Pacific Northwest staple, and boasts more than 100 years of industry experience. himself patented the first quilted down jacket in 1936.
Like Patagonia, the brand makes high-quality, beautifully crafted outdoor gear. It offers everything from insulated jackets and rainwear to hiking boots and accessories. Its design and style is a bit more mature and understated than fun brands like Cotopaxi or Fjällräven, but the quality is worth the price. The brand also offers a wider array of clothing, including denim and footwear.
12. Outdoor Research (Similarly Priced)
Another Pacific Northwest staple, was founded in Seattle in 1981 and creates beautiful outdoor gear. They have fun, casual items in addition to more technical pieces. Their in-house waterproofing (proprietarily known as AscentShell) is a unique feature, and the pricing is attractive.
The brand has an excellent selection of gear for activities ranging from hiking to skiing. OR’s target audience is right in between Columbia and Arc’teryx, making it a comparable brand to Patagonia indeed.
13. Mammut (More Expensive)
Not to be confused with Marmot, is a Swiss outdoor gear brand, similar to Patagonia. It specializes in gear for activities such as mountaineering, climbing, hiking, and skiing. Based in a country situated in the heart of the Alps, you know the gear is tried-and-true for ultimate performance.
Because of the high-quality and technical caliber of Mammut’s products, the pricing is not exactly budget-friendly. The incredible quality justifies the higher price points, and you can be assured your Mammut pieces will last for many seasons and adventures to come.
14. Carhartt (Less Expensive)
Isn’t it fascinating how popular has become in the past few years? It’s like, all of the sudden, everyone wants to be a lumberjack or a construction try-hard. While you may just think of Carhartt for beanies and utility jackets, the brand has quality, durable outdoor gear, making it a comparable brand to Patagonia.
I’m not saying you’ll see Carhartt jackets on the slopes this winter, and it’s by no means a true high-performance brand like Canada Goose or Mammut, but Carhartt’s technical gear is a worthy mention. Its prices are less than Patagonia’s, and its style is a bit more utilitarian and simplistic, so if you’re looking for bolder designs, stick with Patagonia.
15. Salomon (Similarly priced)
I can attest to the high quality of . I bought a pair of thermal ski leggings for my freshman year of college, and even still, ten years later, they still work. Granted, I didn’t ski every weekend for ten seasons straight, but they got their fair share of wear and tear.
Salomon is primarily known as a running and skiing brand, but their selection of outdoor gear is on par with Patagonia. Having begun in the French Alps in 1947, it has every right to produce mountain-focused gear. Its stylish, weather-proof apparel is appropriately priced and the design is a perfect mix of fun and function, without being too quirky or loud. It also boasts a commitment to sustainability, as does Patagonia. One of my favorite brands, hands down!
16. L.L. Bean (Less Expensive)
And last but most definitely not least, rounds out my list of brands similar to Patagonia. Hailing from Freeport, Maine, this brand is naturally one of the East Coast’s most prominent brands. Its pricing for some clothing categories is just under Patagonia’s, which is a bonus.
It’s a nice balance between casual outwear and performance gear, but most of their pieces lean towards the casual side. However, that is part of the brand’s appeal. Many fans of L.L. Bean appreciate being able to wear outdoor gear for a transitional day–hiking in the morning and grocery shopping in the afternoon.
The brand offers many of the same products as Patagonia, including jackets and sweaters, fleeces, baselayers, sleepwear, and even their signature flannel-lined jeans. Genius! One downside is that most of L.L. Bean’s stores are on the east coast, so unless you live in the eastern United States, you’ll have to be okay with ordering online, and possibly returning what you purchased.
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