Karhu

Karhu Sneakers

In 1916, a small workshop was founded in Helsinki by Ab Sportartiklar Oy, where locally sourced birch was crafted into skis, javelins, and discuses. During the same year, the workshop developed spiked running shoes, which were worn by record-breaking marathon runners Hannes Kolehmainen, the first "Flying Finn", and Ville Ritola, the "Flying Wolf".

In 1920, the brand changed its name to Karhu (Finnish for ‘Bear’) and dominated the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, taking five gold medals on the track in Karhu spikes. Shortly afterwards they became Finland’s official equipment provider for all Olympic Games. After eight years, Paavo Nurmi comes home with nine Olympic gold medals, all won in Karhu footwear. Later, as part of the Finnish defense effort during WWII, the brand manufactured camouflage uniforms, tents, army boots, rucksacks, and skis for the Finnish army.

As a result of Karhu's 1951 sale to Adidas, it became known for its now famous 'M' design, which is derived from the Finnish word ‘Mestari’, meaning 'champion'. Just a year later, the brand boasts fifteen gold medal-winning spikes in the Helsinki Olympics, including those on Emil Zatopek.

In 1968, Karhu recognised the demand for an off-track running shoe, and created their first sneaker, the Karhu Trampas model. Receiving an overwhelmingly positive response, the sneaker became the standard issue footwear for the Finnish Olympic team, and also numerous American colleges. Karhu developed its 'Karhu Air Cushion' in 1976, a year before Nike registered its 'Air' technology in 1977. As the first model to feature this technology, the Karhu Champion immediately became a bestseller.

In 1986 Karhu replaced its Air Cushion system with ‘Fulcrum’ technology, which was based on increasing a runner’s efficiency by limiting the amount of wasted energy in each footstep. Scientific research has proven that the Fulcrum reduces a runner’s vertical bounce by 13% compared to traditional shoes. Originally made from denser EVA than the surrounding midsole in the pivot point of the shoe, in 2019 it was redesigned to be encapsulated by liquid-based foam, combining the forward propulsion from the Fulcrum with shock absorption and durability.

In 1996, the brand created a new lacing system called Synchron, which provided diagonal lacing across the toe box to wrap the feet firmly within the shoe, providing a better fit for runners. In addition to their long history in sports, Karhu sneakers have recently gained recognition as a lifestyle brand,  resulting in collaborations with major labels.

In 2015, Sneakersnstuff and Moomin teamed up on a Moomin-patterned Karhu Albatross, Dutch sneaker boutique Patta collaborated on a Fusion 2.0, and Concepts brought back the classic Aria ’95 in a colorway that paid homage to Finland. A year later, Patta and Karhu also released the 100th-anniversary special collab on the Karhu Synchron.

The brand gained new admirers and hype in the US after Kanye West wore Karhu Fusion 2.0s in 2017. Furthermore, Karhu's continual innovation and dedication to understanding running is what makes the brand and Karhu running sneakers so popular.