Vancouver-based Arc’teryx sees substantial room to expand its physical retail network across North America, with parent company Amer Sports saying the outdoor brand’s current footprint of 75 stores could eventually reach roughly 200 locations.
The long-term opportunity comes as Arc’teryx continues to post strong growth across regions and channels while investing in new stores, larger formats and a broader product assortment. North American growth accelerated during the second quarter of 2026, and Amer Sports continues to identify Arc’teryx as one of its primary global growth engines.
Canada remains central to that strategy. Arc’teryx CEO Stuart Haselden told analysts that Canada is the company’s home market and the market where brand awareness is highest, providing a natural foundation for expansion into the United States.
“Canada is our home market, where we see highest brand awareness, and it has enabled us to have a natural launching point into the U.S.,” Haselden said during Amer Sports’ second-quarter earnings call.
In the U.S., Arc’teryx is concentrating expansion in major urban markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, where management sees the largest pools of consumer demand. That is complemented by what Haselden described as a “mountain town strategy,” targeting outdoor destinations such as Aspen and Park City, alongside e-commerce and selected premium wholesale distribution.
Canada Provides Foundation for Growth
The approach builds on a Canadian store network that has expanded considerably over the past decade. Arc’teryx had only a handful of branded stores in Canada in 2017, while in 2022 the company told Retail Insider it believed the Canadian market could ultimately support approximately 30 to 35 stores. Its current online store locator lists roughly three dozen locations across British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
The Canadian expansion has also evolved beyond adding locations. Arc’teryx has invested in larger and more prominent stores, deeper assortments and locations serving different types of consumers, from major urban shopping districts to mountain destinations.
In Toronto, Arc’teryx opened its 9,274-square-foot Alpha flagship on Bloor Street in 2024, establishing a significant presence on one of the country’s leading premium and luxury retail corridors. The store introduced a broader assortment and an expanded ReBIRD Service Centre, while positioning the outdoor brand alongside some of Toronto’s best-known fashion retailers.
Arc’teryx has also widened its geographic reach. The company opened its first Banff store in 2025, occupying approximately 4,100 square feet in part of the former Hudson’s Bay building and strengthening its connection with consumers in a major mountain destination. Halifax became the brand’s first Atlantic Canadian market, while a location at Royalmount in Montreal added another presence within a major premium retail development.
In Vancouver, where Arc’teryx was founded, the company has continued to invest in physical retail. Its downtown flagship relocated to a larger 6,430-square-foot space on Robson Street in 2025, expanding the brand’s presence on one of the city’s busiest retail streets.
The Vancouver network grew again during the second quarter of 2026 with the opening of Arc’teryx at Oakridge Park. Amer Sports highlighted Oakridge Park and Southdale in Minnesota as two of the brand’s North American openings during the quarter, describing both as elevated presentations of the brand.
Arc’teryx opened eight net new stores globally during the second quarter and continues to plan 30 to 35 net new locations across all markets for the full year.
Store Expansion Accompanied by Strong Sales
The store expansion is being accompanied by strong performance from the existing business. Revenue in Amer Sports’ Technical Apparel segment, led by Arc’teryx, increased 32 per cent year over year to US$674 million during the second quarter. Direct-to-consumer revenue increased 34 per cent, including a 17 per cent omnichannel comparable-sales increase, while wholesale revenue grew 27 per cent.
All geographic regions delivered strong double-digit growth for Technical Apparel, according to Amer Sports, with Arc’teryx also seeing an acceleration in North America.
Direct-to-consumer distribution has been a major catalyst for Arc’teryx’s growth over the past five years, Haselden said, although wholesale continues to play an important role. The company uses selected wholesale partners to reach consumers and position Arc’teryx alongside other premium brands, while its own stores give it greater control over assortment, service and the overall brand experience.
That shift is increasingly evident across Amer Sports. Group direct-to-consumer revenue increased 40 per cent during the second quarter and accounted for approximately 55 per cent of total revenue, a record high for the company. Wholesale revenue also increased 24 per cent.
Women’s and Footwear Drive New Growth
At Arc’teryx, the next phase of growth is also extending beyond the technical outerwear for which the brand is best known. Women’s was its fastest-growing category during the second quarter, with management pointing to improvements in fit, styling, function and assortment as contributors to higher traffic and conversion among female consumers.
New products and seasonal colourways generated more than 60 per cent of women’s sales during the quarter. Amer Sports has identified the category as a significant long-term opportunity for Arc’teryx and is expanding products developed specifically for women.
Footwear represents another growing part of the business. Arc’teryx reported strong double-digit footwear growth across regions during the quarter, with the Norvan LD 4 trail running shoe remaining its largest-volume footwear style. Management said the brand has a substantial pipeline of additional footwear launches planned for the coming years.
The broader assortment is also becoming more important to the store strategy, giving larger locations room to present outerwear alongside footwear, women’s products and other apparel within a more complete Arc’teryx environment.
Amer Sports CEO James Zheng said the company plans to continue investing in Arc’teryx through global brand campaigns, store openings and greater penetration in selected markets. Product investment will remain focused on growth opportunities including women’s and footwear.
Those investments are being made against a strong financial backdrop. Amer Sports revenue increased 32 per cent year over year during the second quarter, or 30 per cent excluding currency effects, while revenue in the Americas increased 26 per cent.
The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth outlook to approximately 24 per cent following the quarter. Expected growth for the Technical Apparel segment was increased to between 25 and 26 per cent, up from previous guidance of between 22 and 24 per cent.
Amer Sports is maintaining approximately US$400 million in planned capital expenditures for 2026, primarily to support retail expansion and IT infrastructure.
Arc’teryx has moved from a relatively small Canadian specialty-store network to a national footprint spanning major urban centres, premium shopping centres and mountain destinations. Canada has become the brand’s highest-awareness market and an established base for its wider North American strategy.
With 75 stores across North America today and management seeing potential for roughly 200 over time, Arc’teryx is preparing for a significantly larger physical presence across the continent. Its Canadian network shows how the brand has used owned retail, premium locations and an expanding assortment to build scale while maintaining its technical outdoor positioning.
