Where Are Salomon Shoes Made

Salomon shoes, including its trail running and hiking models, are made mainly in Vietnam and Indonesia by independent contract factories, the same general manufacturing regions used by most global athletic footwear brands.

Salomon itself is a French company founded near Annecy in the French Alps, and while it still manufactures some of its own alpine ski equipment domestically in France, footwear production has moved almost entirely overseas.

The brand is owned by Amer Sports, a Finnish sporting goods company that also owns Arc’teryx, Wilson, and Atomic, and that itself is controlled by a consortium led by Chinese sportswear giant Anta Sports.

Understanding where Salomon shoes come from helps outdoor shoppers evaluate manufacturing quality, compare the brand to competitors, and decide how country of origin factors into a purchase.

This article breaks down exactly where Salomon footwear is manufactured, who owns the company today, how Salomon differs from its own ski manufacturing operations, and how it stacks up against other trail and hiking brands.

Where Are Salomon Shoes Made?

Salomon footwear, including its popular Speedcross, XA Pro, and X Ultra trail and hiking lines, is manufactured through third party contract factories located primarily in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Salomon does not own these shoe factories. Like Nike, On, and most other performance footwear brands, it designs and engineers products in house and pays independent manufacturers to build them to specification.

A smaller share of Salomon footwear production has historically taken place in China, though the brand, like most of the industry, has been reducing that share in favor of Vietnam and Indonesia in recent years.

No Salomon shoes are manufactured in France. The company’s home base near Annecy focuses on product design, testing, and, for select categories like alpine skis, specialized equipment manufacturing rather than footwear assembly.

Does Salomon Make Anything in France?

Yes, but not shoes. Salomon still operates ski manufacturing at its long time home base near Annecy in the French Alps, where the brand got its start in 1947 producing steel ski edges.

That French manufacturing heritage applies to select alpine ski products rather than the footwear lineup, which has followed the broader industry shift toward Asian contract manufacturing over the past several decades.

This split between locally made winter sports equipment and overseas made footwear is common among heritage European outdoor brands, which often keep specialized, lower volume categories closer to home while outsourcing high volume footwear production.

Who Owns Salomon Today?

Salomon was founded in 1947 by François Salomon, who began by producing ski edges in a small family workshop before his son Georges expanded the business into skis, bindings, and eventually footwear.

Adidas owned Salomon from 1997 until 2005, when it sold the brand to Amer Sports, the Finnish sporting goods company that still owns Salomon today.

Amer Sports itself is controlled by a consortium led by Chinese sportswear company Anta Sports, which holds about 44.5 percent of shares, alongside investors including Lululemon founder Chip Wilson and Chinese technology company Tencent.

Amer Sports went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AS in February 2024, raising about 1.4 billion dollars, and reported revenue of roughly 5.18 billion dollars for 2024 across its full brand portfolio, according to the company’s Wikipedia entry.

Amer Sports is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and is led by Chief Executive Officer James Zheng, overseeing a portfolio that spans footwear, apparel, skis, tennis equipment, and baseball gear.

How Does Salomon Control Quality at Overseas Factories?

Salomon places engineering and quality control staff inside its partner factories to monitor construction of technical features like its Sensifit lacing systems, Contagrip outsoles, and waterproof membranes used across its trail and hiking lines.

Because Salomon shoes are built for demanding outdoor use, the brand maintains detailed material specifications for its factories covering everything from outsole rubber compounds to seam sealing on waterproof models.

The asset light manufacturing model also lets Salomon adjust production volume between Vietnam, Indonesia, and other countries based on cost, capacity, and demand for specific shoe categories like trail running versus casual hiking.

Amer Sports has stated its intention to continue investing in supply chain diversification across its brand portfolio, which includes Salomon, as global trade policy and tariff conditions continue to shift.

What Materials and Technology Go Into Salomon Shoes?

Salomon shoes rely on several proprietary technologies that shape how and where they can be manufactured, including the Sensifit wrapping system that cradles the foot and the Quicklace pull cord closure used across many trail models.

Contagrip, Salomon’s branded outsole rubber compound, is formulated specifically for grip on wet rock, mud, and loose trail surfaces, and factories building Salomon shoes must meet strict specifications for how this rubber is applied and cured.

Waterproof Salomon models use Gore Tex or the brand’s own Climasalomon membrane technology, both of which require precise seam sealing during assembly, adding another layer of quality control beyond a standard athletic shoe build.

These technical requirements are part of why Salomon works with a relatively focused group of manufacturing partners rather than spreading production across dozens of loosely supervised factories.

Salomon vs Hoka and Merrell: Where Are the Shoes Made?

Salomon, Hoka, and Merrell all compete heavily in the trail running and hiking categories, and all three brands manufacture footwear primarily in Vietnam and Indonesia through similar networks of contract factories.

The meaningful differences between these brands come down to specific factory partnerships, proprietary materials, and quality control processes rather than which countries assemble the shoes, since the broader region is largely shared across the trail running industry.

For a closer look at how comparable outdoor and running brands source their footwear, see Who Makes Hoka Shoes and Where Are Brooks Shoes Made.

Salomon tends to price its technical trail shoes slightly above mainstream running brands, reflecting its focus on rugged outdoor performance features rather than any difference in country of manufacture.

Are Salomon Shoes Worth the Price?

Salomon has built a strong reputation among trail runners and hikers for aggressive outsole grip, secure lacing systems, and durable waterproof construction, particularly on its Speedcross and X Ultra lines.

Most Salomon running and hiking shoes retail between 130 and 220 dollars, positioning the brand alongside Hoka and above mainstream road running shoes from Nike or Adidas.

Reviewers consistently rate Salomon highly for technical trail performance, though some note that the brand’s narrower fit and firmer cushioning compared to road focused brands may not suit every runner.

For serious trail runners and hikers who need reliable grip and support on rough terrain, most reviewers consider Salomon a strong value despite the premium price point relative to casual footwear brands.

Frequently Asked Questions About Salomon Shoes

Are Salomon shoes made in Vietnam?

Yes. Vietnam is one of the primary manufacturing countries for Salomon footwear, alongside Indonesia, with both countries handling the large majority of Salomon shoe production through independent contract factories.

Is Salomon a French company?

Salomon was founded in France in 1947 and maintains design and testing operations near Annecy, though its footwear is manufactured overseas. The company is currently owned by Finland based Amer Sports.

Does Salomon own its shoe factories?

No. Salomon uses an asset light model and contracts with independent third party manufacturers in Vietnam and Indonesia rather than owning production facilities, the same approach used by most major athletic footwear brands.

Who owns Salomon in 2026?

Salomon is owned by Amer Sports, which is controlled by a consortium led by Anta Sports along with investors including Chip Wilson, FountainVest Partners, and Tencent. Amer Sports trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AS.