Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Vertex Alpine GTX

I've been super excited for Arc'teryx to put out a competitive approach shoe and they nailed it with the Vertex. Out of the box, they feel super narrow in the midsole area, so much so that I didn't think I would be able to wear them. Fortunately, after just a couple hours in them, they broke in nicely. If you have wider feet, be patient with them as they'll feel way tight. Once broken in though, the shoe feels great. Superior comfort, modern lacing system, and functional performance make this a top tier approach shoe. The rubber feels pretty sticky and the shoes hold a decent edge as well. This shoe feels way less clunky than other approach shoes on the market and is definitely geared more towards long days scrambling in the mountains and moving fast. They are light weight yet very supportive and feel like they will hold up for a long time. The vertex is a great addition to your kit if you are pursuing modern, fast and light climbing days in the mountains.

Bought these a couple weeks ago and they are amazing! So grippy and stable on steep incline, rocks and mixed terrain

This shoe is great for fast moving hiking on steep terrain. When you will be mostly hiking, but maybe jogging the flats and downs this is the shoe you want. It has good lugs for softer ground like mud, snow or loam, but still enough grip to handle rock. The GTX version won't stretch as well and will get a little hotter than the non-GTX version, so better suited for spring and fall conditions where your feet won't get as hot!

I am a professional hiking guide and adventure enthusiast. I have used these shoes for single and multiday adventures hiking and scrambling. They are super light, breathable, comfortable, waterproof, and they have fantastic grip.

Look so smart and super comfy. Very stiff and stable but have a good cushion that is supportive. Have a really good squarish toe box thays quite wide so suits my feet perfectly. Really love them

This shoes lies in the middle of a long distance approach shoe with a stable platform, versus a fast and light vertical runner. It is built for very specific purpose. The front is a very nice approach shoe fit, while the rear doesn't really hold the heel in that well due to the sock fit. The rocker emulates almost a trail running shoe for vertical ascents rather than long distance running. The lace garage is the brilliant design touch to keep your laces tight. My only issue is the construction of the rear pull tab, which I managed to pull off after a month of hard wearing these shoes in mountaineering situations.

Best hiking/climbing shoe I have owned! I am using them to hike from trailhead to basecamp of Rainier next month...and I have no doubts! They are lightweight, comfortable, and fashionable.

Haven't quite had the opportunity to test these in their niche, but have taken them on a number of trail runs, hikes & climbing approaches. They are extremely stiff out of the box & initially created some hot spots on my feet the first few days out, but have already started to soften up. They are generally quite light, but certainly feel less secure smearing than a traditional approach shoe. However, they feel significantly more burly & hopefully as durable as they seem. Thrilled with the waterproofing, effective & not hot. Despite not having a great way to attach these together to tag to a harness, they do actually fold surprisingly flat (see photo) & can fit into a summit pack. Excited to get these into their alpine environment where they've been designed for!

Been using it climbing in the PNW. Super comfortable. Didn't need to be broken in. At first try, the fit seemed a little narrow but I have yet to experience any irritation to the side of my feet at all. I also think the streamlined fit is great because it is important to be nimble on tricky terrain. Very grippy soles. One of my favorite details is that you can tuck the laces into the tongue. Never worried that laces will become untied esp when you're trying to move fast in the mountains.

I've approached in the Vertex on a plethora of terrain, especially given the variable weather as of late, and they are so versatile. The stiff and grippy sole are amazing on scrambles; I feel so secure in most if not all of the steps I take in these shoes. These shoes having Gore-Tex is great for when the conditions are wet or even on packed snow. The tapering around the ankle is a huge design win for aesthetics and practicality. Overall, an outstanding approach shoe!

About 2 - 3 times a week I like to mix up my runs with technical scrambling on rocky terrain. Found this shoe extremely helpful in feeling safe and secure on lose rock, granite and ridges. I have the feeling that the foot has a great hold in the shoe, and the outer sole has an incredible grip on rock

Most shoes in the run + approach category stay more true to one or the other. These seem to me to sit bang in the middle between a trail runner and an approach shoe. Comfy and stable for moving fast on the trail, and can scramble and climb rock pretty dang well. Great for long approaches to the alpine, and moderate alpine rock traverses. I have a wide foot and couldn't fit the original vertex. These seem a bit wider and are starting to break in, but still on the narrower side I would say. I think these may replace my approach shoe 90% of the time!

I wore these for a two week trip to Red Rock and they held up super well on long approaches, slabs, and down climbs! The sock like fit around the ankle kept out most of the sand and rocks. They do run a little big , so I would recommend sizing down at least half a size.

These shoes are so stable around the ankle. The stiffness of the sole works perfect when scrambling. I use this as my approach shoe when hiking between loose grave and boulders to reach the crag at the New River Gorge when going climbing.

I have not worn these yet because I am questioning if I got the right size. Waiting for another size to be restocked. Hopefully they work out as I know they will be a great shoe for my needs. They are sturdy, comfortable and lightweight.

I purchased these recently. They are beautifully designed, however, due to the small opening I could never get my right foot into the shoe. The left foot went into the shoe with some difficulty. Note: my feet are AA (narrow). A shoe horn is a necessity, as there is no back structure to keep shoe from folding inward. So, I had to return the shoe.

Best hiking/climbing shoe I have owned! I am using them to hike from trailhead to basecamp of Rainier next month...and I have no doubts! They are lightweight, comfortable, and fashionable.

Taken these out for two mountain trips but with snow and ice still on the ground, perhaps not the best conditions for em. They're comfortable and supportive out of the box. I experienced a bit of heel lift but changing the last eyelet at the ankle solved the problem. Toebox can be a bit a narrow so also had to loosen the laces towards the lower foot. Seems to have solved the problem. A bit slippery on the ice n snow, particularly the packed trails. Paired with some crampons and they worked wonderfully up and down to Lake Louise Teahouse. I enjoyed having the short gaitors so stepping off trail slightly prevented snow and ice slipping down the ankles. Nice touch! Pull tabs at the back are easy to hook a finger in to pull the shoes on. Overall great shoes to wear around a mountain town and keeping the feet protected on slushy trails. Can't wait to use these once all the snow and ice disappears

Taken these out for two mountain trips but with snow and ice still on the ground, perhaps not the best conditions for em. Theyre comfortable and supportive out of the box. I experienced a bit of heel lift but changing the last eyelet at the ankle solved the problem. Toebox can be a bit a narrow so also had to loosen the laces towards the lower foot. Seems to have solved the problem. A bit slippery on the ice n snow, particularly the packed trails. Paired with some crampons and they worked wonderfully up and down to Lake Louise Teahouse. I enjoyed having the short gaitors so stepping off trail slightly prevented snow and ice slipping down the ankles. Nice touch! Pull tabs at the back are easy to hook a finger in to pull the shoes on. Overall great shoes to wear around a mountain town and keeping the feet protected on slushy trails. Cant wait to use these once all the snow and ice disappears

This shoe provides many of the benefits of a classic approach shoe but is enhanced in certain aspects. The Vibram's asymmetrical cover provides excellent climbing shoe grip when scrambling up to the crag. Additionally, a generous amount of knit collar keeps pesky pebbles out of my shoe. I did end up choosing my usual Arc'teryx shoe size, and it was helpful for me to take some shorter trips in them for the shoe to mold to my foot shape best.

I recently got the Vertex Alpine shoes and have been wearing them on snowy trails around the mountains. I love the sleek design, the lightweight feel of the shoe yet the solid traction of the lugs, and of course, the knit collar to keep out dirt and snow. I do find the shoe a little slippery for the snow/ice (I had to wear nanospikes over the top), but I'm really looking forward to putting this to the test on all my mountain hiking objectives this summer.

These shoes are excellent. Looked nice, and light weight. I was really excited to use these, sadly the shoes are too narrow. Will you ever offer your shoes in wide ?

I purchased these recently. They are beautifully designed, however, due to the small opening I could never get my right foot into the shoe. The left foot went into the shoe with some difficulty. Note: my feet are AA (narrow). A shoe horn is a necessity, as there is no back structure to keep shoe from folding inward. So, I had to return the shoe.

I don't like the gusset at the top. I find I get more rocks in my shoe somehow than without it. I find the soles quite slippery, especially on wet or frosty wood. Purchased in October 2024 and the randing is separating from the fabric around the ball of the foot.