ROA

Not too long ago to remember, hiking boots were fashion’s problem child. Shoes no one wanted to claim in public. Right now, that same silhouette is the most coveted item on the style frontline, with ROA leading the charge. This Italian-based outdoor brand has managed to spin the raw act of hiking into a singular language of art, culture, and fashion. Rejecting the old prejudice that functional means clunky, ROA has grabbed both perfect aesthetics and next-level function, becoming the brand that completely rewired how we see outdoor gear.

  

Anyone paying attention these days knows that a hiking boot is no longer a tool you only pull out for the trail. You see people rocking ROA on city streets, in cafes, even at gallery openings. That's because this brand isn’t creating gear for the mountains; it’s channeling the languages of both the city and nature into one seamless dialect.

 

 

ROA’s Tastemaker Godfathers: SLAM JAM

 

You can't even begin to talk about ROA without saying SLAM JAM. Founded way back in 1989, SLAM JAM is the rare Italian retailer that successfully wove music, art, sports, and fashion into a single, cohesive community.

 

SLAM JAM founder Luca Benini ©hypebeast

©zero.eu

   

And when you talk about SLAM JAM, you have to talk about Luca Benini. If you don't know these names, you've missed a key chapter in fashion history. This Italian visionary sensed the potential of streetwear to crash the luxury party long before it was a foregone conclusion. The shop he founded in 1989, SLAM JAM, became a legendary force in Europe by curating all the different elements of street culture together under one roof with an impeccable eye.

 

©brandidentity

  

This is the world ROA was born into. SLAM JAM, established by Luca Benini, had already reshaped the European fashion landscape by cross-pollinating streetwear with a high-end sensibility. ROA was the natural next step, a project started to create "something genuinely useful.”

 

The project officially kicked off in 2015 as a collaboration between SLAM JAM’s creative team and shoe designer Maurizio Coletti. From the very beginning, ROA’s mission was crystal clear. It had to have the high-altitude performance specs, but sacrificing the aesthetic was never an option. The final result was a lineup of iconic hiking models like the Katharina, Andreas, and Neal, which immediately captured the attention of both the fashion world and the outdoor gearheads.

 

MT.Forcella della Roa ©suedtirolerland

©roa-hiking.com

   

Back then, ROA may have started with a single hiking boot, but one look at the details told you this was never about making another boring piece of trail equipment. It had the featherweight feel of a trail runner, the power silhouette of a military boot, and a sprinkle of techwear wizardry. Even in its earliest days, ROA was already selling a completely different kind of outdoor mood.

 

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ROA EFFECT

 

©roa-hiking.com

  

A ROA product pulls double duty: it’s a design object that just happens to let you walk around in it. Each silhouette stands its ground as strong, polished, and never trying too hard, while the materials have the confidence of a first-row fashion week guest. Reflective fabric, nylon, suede, and rubber share the same real estate, cohabiting like an art collective with surprisingly good taste. The colors mostly keep to neutrals, but the Vibram outsole has zero interest in blending in. Throw in a rogue pattern or two and you get a jolt of visual intrigue that never veers into chaos.

 

ROA KATHARINA

The Katharina is the poster child of the ROA lineup. Built on the silhouette of a trail running shoe, its upper is constructed from a mix of nylon mesh and suede for a one-two punch of breathability and durability. The real core of this model, however, is the Vibram outsole.

 

©@roahiking

 

It provides stable, reliable grip whether you're on a mountain path or a city street. This shoe is a champion of design that blends function with feeling, from its rounded toe and glossy rubber mudguard to the subtle ROA logo on the side.

 

roa-hiking.com ©@bstnstore

 

 

ROA Neal

The ROA Neal brings a bit more heavy-duty energy to the party. A combination of shiny reflective nylon textile and nubuck gives it a robust feel with an understated sheen.

 

ROA Neal ©@commonershop_

   

 Its high-top silhouette wraps the ankle, offering more protection from the elements and tricky terrain. The internal cushioning serves its function by minimizing fatigue during long wears. Finally, its usual two-tone brown and black colorways are both aesthetically sharp and incredibly easy to style.

  

ROA Neal ©@commonershop_

 

 

ROA Andreas Strap Hiking Shoe

The Andreas is ROA’s foundational boot and the clearest expression of its mission. It’s a true hybrid, pairing the rugged soul of a mountain climber with a refined, urban-ready aesthetic. The uppers often feature premium, water-repellent materials like tough Kudu suede or technical ripstop, finished with a protective rubberized toe cap. Its iconic look is defined by classic metal hiking hooks and a padded, high-top collar for support.

 

 

 ROA x Our Legacy Andreas ©fieldmag

©mrporter.com

 

Of course, it’s all anchored by a custom Vibram® Megagrip sole, whose aggressive tread gives you serious traction on any surface. For a more technical look, the Andreas also comes in a strap version that wraps its laces around the top of the shoe twice, giving an additional level of support, security and style.

 

 

 

A Director Who Gets It: Patrick Stangbye

In 2021, when Norwegian director Patrick Stangbye joined the team, the brand’s horizon expanded dramatically. This was the moment ROA began its evolution beyond an outdoor shoe brand and into the realm of apparel. The brand doubled down on its identity as a label that also dictates how things are worn.

 

©@PatrickStangbye

 

A look at his FW23 collection tells the whole story. A long jacket with a waterproof coating, a zip-up shirt with an unconventional curve, running pants that gently hug the knee. Individually, each piece is a masterclass in utility. Assembled into a look, they feel like wearable art. It has all the technical specs, yet you actually want to wear it. That feeling is a direct result of his creative vision.

Stangbye is someone who logs more hours on the trail than on the runway. He's a runner, a hiker, and at the same time, a strategist who understands the markets in London, Oslo, and across the globe. Having worn the hats of a buyer, agent, consultant, and even a run club operator, he has spent his career deeply contemplating the relationship between the moving body and the things we put on it.

 

©@PatrickStangbye

 

He describes the outdoors as “a space to restore one’s relationship with oneself.” In the brief escape from the frantic pace of the city, during the moments when you move at your own speed, what role should clothing play? Stangbye constantly asks this question. The answer is the philosophy etched into the very fabric of ROA today.

 

ROA SS25 ©@roahiking

 

 

Nature as the Teacher: The RRR Project

ROA observes nature. Not as a static landscape, but as a living process that includes the passage of time, constant change, and the traces of human interaction. The brand’s unique archive for documenting all of this is the ‘ROA RESOURCE RESEARCH,’ or RRR.

RRR is a project that explains less about where the brand is made and more about what it sees and feels. It could be the seasonal burning ritual (Noyaki) on Mt. Aso in Kumamoto, Japan; the mysterious architectural spaces in Italy’s provincial hinterlands (Outlaw Zones); or a small inn (Kishuann) run in a tiny seaside village. The locations are different, but a single question flows through them all: Where lies the boundary between nature and humanity?

ROA doesn't give you a neat answer. Instead, it invites creators to explore these sites, responding through the senses with video, photography, and text. Sometimes it means lighting a fire, other times it means walking through abandoned structures, and other times it's about breathing in the salt-laced air. The output of this process can be a product, a simple image, or at times, a pure philosophical statement.

     

ROA FW23 ©@roahiking

    

The key takeaway here is that ROA doesn't use nature. The brand doesn’t frame it as a stage or as something to be conquered. The focus is on an attitude of observation, interpretation, and an attempt to connect. That perspective is the brand's philosophy.

    

ROA FW23 ©@roahiking

   

ROA is a brand that makes hiking shoes, but it’s much more interested in talking about everything else that surrounds them. By exploring the line between nature and the city, the balance of function and beauty, and the intersection of utility and art, ROA is on the front lines, showing us just how far outdoor fashion can evolve.

Ultimately, ROA is redefining the very way we approach any destination. It doesn't matter if your path is a mountain trail or a city street, or if your goal is a summit or your daily routine.