Private company

Montrail

Sub-brand of Columbia Sportswear

Columbia Montrail is a sub-brand of Columbia Sportswear that manufactures and distributes shoes for trail running, hiking, and general long-distance running.2 It is headquartered in Portland.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1982Founded1

Columbia Montrail is a sub-brand of Columbia Sportswear that manufactures and distributes shoes for trail running, hiking, and general long-distance running.2

The story

The company was originally called Brenco Enterprises with a line of boots called One Sport. Enthusiastic outdoorsman Menno van Wyck liked their boots so much that he bought the One Sport line from Brenco Enterprises in 1993. As chief executive officer, Van Eyck expanded the line of boots.

In 1997, it was rebranded as Montrail. The same year, their hiking boot Moraine was rated Best Hiking Boot in Backpacker Magazine.

In 1999, Montrail patented stretchable Gore-Tex in the Java GTX shoe. In 2002, it created the first "shoftshell" shoe made with Schoeller fabric. In 2004 "Gryptonite" ultra-sticky rubber was introduced, and in 2005 PRFRM thermo-moldable foam was introduced in the Molokai and Molokini flip flops, Enduro-Soles, and rock climbing shoes; Gryptonite rubber was extended to trail running shoes; Hardrock was introduced.

In 2006, Montrail was acquired by Columbia Sportswear for a cash payment of $15 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities. Columbia Sportwear had wanted to expand from selling winter coats and apparel. Montrail's employees relocated to Portland within the year. Columbia continued to use the Montrail brand until, in 2017, it discontinued the Montrail brand and sub-branded it as Columbia Montrail.

From Wikipedia’s article on Columbia Montrail, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1982Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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