Since venturing into footwear in 2015, outdoor performance equipment brand Arc'teryx has leaned on the insights and expertise of fellow Amer Sports brand Salomon. However, this reliance is set to undergo a significant shift.
Beginning from the spring 2024 season onward, Arc'teryx is now fully responsible for designing and producing its own footwear collection in-house.
"Footwear was on the side of the desk. We had two people internally focused on it, so we were kind of drafting off of what Salomon had done in the past and iterating on it. This new focus is having a team of experts that actually is building footwear. We’re approaching it differently. It's almost complimentary. It doesn’t feel overlapping. It feels like there’s room for both of us. We use the mountains very differently."
- Katie Becker, Arc'teryx chief creative officer
To prioritize footwear development, Arc'teryx has significantly expanded its dedicated team for this category, growing from four members to a team of 12. Leading this effort is industry expert Ovidio Garcia, Vice President of Footwear at Arc'teryx, who brought over 15 years of experience from Nike when he joined the company in 2021.
In his capacity, Arc'teryx entrusted Garcia with the responsibility of crafting footwear solutions tailored to address vital challenges encountered by mountain athletes.
"I have admired the brand for many years, specifically for the product and the way it was created and built — the perfection and the obsession around it. The other thing was the environment the brand plays in. I come from the mountains and my background is in skiing, so I have passion for the activities we do. And from a business perspective, the opportunity was what I dream of, creating something from the very beginning and seeing it through."
- Garcia
Furthermore, alongside its Canadian headquarters in North Vancouver, Arc'teryx inaugurated a footwear office in Portland, Oregon, in 2022.
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"It's been cool getting some of the design team out of the North Vancouver bubble and starting to think more globally. The interaction and the learning around footwear materials and apparel materials and how we’re sharing, it's evolving."
- Becker
Becker also confirmed that Arc’teryx is eyeing Tokyo for its next office location.
Footwear's New Era
In its spring 2024 lineup, Arc'teryx strives to present footwear that blends elements of climbing and running, pushing the boundaries of human capability in vertical mountain landscapes.
"If you think about somebody starting their athlete missions in the valley, going up to the mid mountain and all the way up to the peak, the terrain is diverse and different. We started approaching footwear for somebody using the entire mountain. They don’t want to change shoes. We have shoes you can do everything in. It is a new space and we’re super excited about that."
- Becker
"The first thing [the athletes] told me when I started was the shoes we have today are obsolete for what we do. That's an amazing challenge for a product team. We created the reset of our line directly from the insights of our athletes. The way they move when they travel through mountain terrain is quite different from most people. The outdoor world is siloed in terms of activities. When you talk to an athlete that plays in the mountain space, they hybridize a lot of the activities."
- Garcia
The collection introduces three fresh designs, notably the Vertex Alpine GTX, heralded by Arc'teryx as a "complete reinvention of the approach shoe."
The shoe embodies the nimble agility of trail runners while incorporating the robustness and traction necessary for navigating steep, intricate terrain during approaches. To achieve this balance, Arc’teryx incorporated sticky Vibram XS Flash 2 outsoles, resilient Cordura uppers made from recycled PET, and TPU shanks and toe caps for enhanced protection. Additionally, an iteration with Gore-Tex liners featuring Invisible Fit Technology will be available to ensure the wearer's foot remains dry.
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The Arc'teryx Vertex Alpine and Vertex Alpine GTX will be priced at $220 and $250, respectively.
The Sylan GTX, the second offering in the collection, is a mountain running shoe engineered for speed training. Featuring rocker geometry, it enhances propulsion on both steep and flat surfaces. With an aggressive 6 mm lug pattern on its Vibram Megagrip outsoles, enhanced with Litebase technology, it offers superior traction. Additionally, a version of this model with Gore-Tex liners is available.
The Arc'teryx Sylan and Sylan GTX will be available for purchase at $200 and $230, respectively.
The Kragg, as described by Arc'teryx, is a slip-on approach shoe designed for use before, during, and after climbing sessions. Constructed with flexible Spacermesh uppers for comfort and durability, it also boasts collapsible heels for versatility. The shoe includes sock liners crafted with a 50% bio-based poured PU compound, featuring an open-cell foam top layer with 25% bio-based content. Additionally, removable Insite Contoura foam insoles provide cushioning, while durable Vibram Megagrip outsoles ensure reliable traction.
The Arc’teryx Kragg will be sold for $160.
All of these shoes will be able to purchase in March.
"The Arc'teryx strategy is more focused on direct to consumer and so we opened 12 stores in North America during 2023. We'll open more than that in 2024. And we see footwear as a key part of the strategy as we look to grow more relevant and grow our business in hiking, trail running and climbing."
- Stuart Haselden, Arc’teryx chief executive officer
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This unveiling of footwear follows a month after Amer Sports, the parent company of Arc'teryx, made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange.
While details are limited, Garcia confirmed that Arc'teryx has innovation narratives ready for each season in 2025 and extending into 2026.