Since 2015, Arc’teryx has partnered with Salomon developing its footwear but has decided to go it alone for a revolutionary new range of shoes – an approach shoe, a running shoe and a recovery shoe – for spring 2024 that have been designed entirely in-house.
The three shoes in the range boasts a striking new design ethos which brand says, “sits at the intersection of climbing and running”.
Arc’teryx hasn’t cut ties with Salomon completely; they are still sister sister brands under Amer Spoerts. But more Arc’teryx-only shoes are in the pipeline.
“We were kind of drafting off of what Salomon had done in the past and iterating on it,” Arc’teryx chief creative officer Katie Becker tell Footwear News. “This new focus is having a team of experts that actually is building footwear. We’re approaching it differently… It feels like there’s room for both of us. We use the mountains very differently.”
So Arc’teryx has expanded its footwear team from four to 12 people, led by industry veteran Ovidio Garcia, who joined the company in 2021 after over 15 years at Nike.
And Garcia has a vision for where he wants to take Arc’teryx shoes:
“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.
“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. When you talk to an athlete that plays in the mountain space, they hybridize a lot of the activities.”
So what about the actual shoes?
The new Arc’teryx spring range features three new shoes including the Vertex Alpine GTX, which Arc’teryx described as a “complete rethinking of the approach shoe.”
It combines the lightweight agility of trail running shoes with the durability and grip required for approaches on steep, technical terrain. It features sticky Vibram XS Flash 2 outsoles, tough Cordura uppers with recycled PET and TPU shanks and toe caps for protection.
The Arc’teryx Vertex Alpine will retail for $220 with a Gore-Tex version at $250, respectively.
The Arc’teryx Sylan GTX is a race-oriented mountain running shoe designed with speed in mind. It features a rocker geometry, which the brand says drives propulsion on steeps and flats. An aggressive 6 mm lug pattern on the Vibram Megagrip outsoles “gives it bite.”
The Arc’teryx Sylan will retail for $200 with a GTX iteration at $230.
The Arc’teryx Kragg may look like a fancy version of Vans slip-on, but Arc’teryx described them as pull-on approach shoes for before, during and after the climb”. They’re made with stretchy Spacermesh uppers for comfort and durability, along with collapsible heels which means they can be worn as slippers.
They also feature sock liners made with a 50% bio-based poured PU compound with an open-cell foam top layer containing 25% bio-based content, removable Insite Contoura foam insoles cushions and durable Vibram Megagrip outsoles.
The Arc’teryx Kragg will retail for $160.
All of the shoes will go on sale in March, and Arc’teryx claim they have more new shoes to launch in each season on 2024 and into 2025.
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