Karhu

Karhu, meaning 'bear' in Finnish, is a leading running brand which has provided technical running and outdoor gear for over 100 years. With an authentic heritage in athletics and a deep connection to the outdoors, Karhu follows the Finnish principles of design simplicity and running purity. Karhu shoes have been worn on the feet on the greatest Finnish runners, including Paavo Nurmi (the 'Flying Finn') and five Boston Marathon champions. Born in 1916, the brand famously sold its 3-stripes trademark to another sportswear company in 1952 for the quivalent of around £1,500 and a couple of bottles of whisky! The 'M' symbol used extensively on its designs since 1960 is based on the Finnish word 'Mestari', meaning champion.