Where Are Karhu Shoes Made | Who Is Behind This Brand?

Karhu shoes are made in Finland, and that’s where the company was founded over a century ago. Its popularity as a brand peaked from the 1950s through the ’70s, but sadly, in the late ’80s, the company started to decline. 

However, they are still in business and are coming up with new styles of shoes and apparel for the market. Now that you know where are Karhu (main website) shoes made—in Finland—join us in finding out more about the history, wins, and losses of this century-old sportswear brand.

PS: There is another American shoe company that has been in the footwear business for over a century named Drew Shoes. You can find out more about them here

where are karhu shoes made

about Karhu and Olympians

The Olympians, especially the Flying Finns, had a great influence on the success of the Karhu as a brand. The Flying Finns, the nickname given to the Finnish Olympians, popularized this sports brand.

The first two ‘Flying Finns” Ville Ritola and Hannes Kolehmainen, wore Karhu shoes and brought attention to the brand. 

The Three Stripe Deal With Adidas

The famous three stripes shoes that we see from Adidas today actually originated from Karhu in 1950

Karhu reached new heights in the 1952 Olympics with 15 gold medal performances. 

While they were riding this newfound success, they managed to sell the three-stripe trademark design to Adidas.  

Innovations in Shoes by Karhu

Karhu brought new inventions and technologies to footwear when there were not many innovations going on. 

Here are the top three technologies that they introduced to their shoes. 

Air Cushion

As a sports footwear brand, Karhu always tries to make the shoes as comfortable and functional as possible. In 1970, they added their patented Air Cushioned midsole to their shoes to soften the footbed and provide heel support. 

FULCRUM

Karhu collaborated with the University of Jyväskylä in 1986 to bring Fulcrum technology to their shoes. It’s an advanced propulsion feature that allows the foot to move forward with a balanced cushion, proper support, and energy. 

SHAPED BY ORTIX

With the help of their retailers in 2018, Karhu came up with the best shape and size for their shoes. They examined over two million foot scans to select the best and most perfectly fitting shape for their shoes. 

Ortix is the accumulated results from the measurements of the insoles, the geometry of the midsole, and the volume of the upper sole. It’s the reason why most people find Karhu shoes fit them perfectly right out of the box. 

Do Karhu Shoes Run True To Size? 

True-to-size shoes must be manufactured using the Brannock Device measurements in order to fit Americans correctly. Otherwise, they can not be considered true to size. 

Karhu shoes do not use the Brannock Device to size their shoes. Therefore, they are not true to size and usually run small for Americans. That’s why Karhu advises choosing a pair that is at least a half size larger.  

Are Karhu Shoes Good Quality? Reasons To Buy A Pair

There is no denying the superior quality of Karhu footwear. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be feasible to conduct business for more than a century. 

Here are the top four reasons to get a pair of Karhu shoes. 

1. Fashionable and Stylish

Shoes from Karhu’s Lifestyle line have stylish designs and trendy colors that go with the latest fashion. You can find a variety of shoes—especially trendy streetwear shoes—in their footwear lineup. 

They have a wide variety of footwear available in the product lineup. The most striking and stylish of them are Aria 95, Mestari, and Legacy 96. 

2. Functional Sportswear

Apart from being stylish, Karhu shoes are also extremely functional. Karhu is one of the pioneers in sport’s shoes. In the 60s, no one was making ‘training shoes.’

Karhu felt the need for these types of shoes and launched the Trampas, which quickly became a hit and are still available on the market. 

3. Budget Friendly

Although Karhu has a long legacy of shoemaking, their shoes have comparatively low prices. You can get their sneakers for under $150. It’s a steal compared to the shoe quality, comfort, and stylish design. 

4. Highly Comfortable

Earlier, we talked about the technologies and innovations that Karhu puts in its shoes. These features come together to give a pleasing and comfortable footwear experience.

The Otrix feature gives the shoes almost a perfect custom fit right out of the box. The Air Cushioned midsole makes the footbed very soft and cozy. 

Do You Get A Guarantee For Your Shoes?

Almost everyone is a little hesitant about getting a pair of shoes online. You are never fully certain if the shoes are going to fit you perfectly and whether they will be comfortable on your feet. 

Karhu offers a 30-day refund policy on their shoes, which takes the pressure off of you. If the shoe you ordered doesn’t fully satisfy you or doesn’t fit perfectly – you can get a refund for your money. 

Note: this policy is not applicable to products on sale. Furthermore, a refund is only possible if you get the shoes directly from the company’s website. 

FAQ about Where Are Karhu Shoes Made

Now you know where are Karhu shoes made and everything else there is to know about the brand.

Here, we want to answer a few more short questions that might be going on in your mind. 

Is karhu a Good Running Shoe? 

Yes, Karhu shoes are great for running. The shoes are lightweight, comfortable, and have a thin upper layer to let the airflow and keep your feet moisture free. 

Is Karhu a good brand? 

Yes, Karhu is a good sports brand. They have been in business for over a century. Karhu shoes were used by famous Olympians back in the ’50s and ’60s.

Are Karhu shoes good for plantar fasciitis?

Karhu shoes have a soft cushioned footbed that aids for plantar fasciitis. Another great brand for plantar fasciitis is FitVille. You can read our blog on FitVille to learn more about them. 

Where to Buy Karhu Shoes?

We would highly recommend you buy Karhu shoes directly from their website as they only offer a money-back guarantee for purchases from their website. 

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