The New Vertex Speed: Arc'teryx is here to play
Arc’teryx is all in on trail running. The brand has recently announced its new Vertex Speed shoe versed for technical mountain travel. Ovi Garcia, VP of Footwear, stated that the expanded product line enhances performance in mountain terrain while staying true to the brand's ethos and its athletes. The brand is confident that with its lineup of shoes, it will become a leader in mountain footwear.
The announcement comes after the opening of the new Arc'teryx store this past January in Chamonix France. What some would consider the mecca of trail running. Chamonix hosts arguably the largest trail events of the year, with famous races UTMB 100 mile loop around the alps, among others. To me this is no accident. The brand is being intentional about the approach it is taking to position themselves within the mountain running community.
The store leans into the brand's sustainability efforts with a Rebird Service Center to bring worn gear back to life. The store in the heart of the town offers a place for people to connect with the brand and observe their innovations. The Chamonix store is essentially putting up the bat signal to let the outdoor community know that it is here to stay.
And if this wasn't enough the brand also signed 3 new mountain running athletes Jazmine Lowther, Edoardo Rossano, and Jessie McAuley, in a statement they released. In hopes of popularizing their trail running shoes, this was a smart move connecting the brand to athletes who participate in running events. I feel the brand has long been known as a climbing brand and that is where the roots came from but there has been an investment into the running space by the brand.
Arc’teryx has a solid lineup of trail shoes and the Vertex Speed will be added to the roster in April when the shoe is launched. The Vertex comes in a mid and low version with the low version weighing a nimble 8.1 ounces. The mid version of the shoe is also light with a built-in gaiter. The shoe features a Vibram outsole with Megagrip and LITEBASE technology, enhancing traction on rugged terrain. This design perfectly balances Arc'teryx’s climbing heritage with the technical demands of mountain running.
It is no surprise that Arc'teryx is bullish on the trail running scene, with Forbes reporting the brand has grown in the footwear space 100% year over year since 2022. Meanwhile the same article states the durable Vertex Speed prototype already has 4 FKTs in the US.
Arc’teryx is known for the quality designs and equipment, but as it dives deeper into trail running with a new store in the heart of the trail running community and new product launches it raises a compelling question–can the brand stay true to its roots while trying to emerge as a leader in the running space? The Vertex Speed is built with climbing DNA and tailored for runners; perhaps the two worlds can be merged. However, it is yet to be seen if Arc’teryx can play hard in the running world.