Arc'teryx Has Landed at Up There Athletics

Archaeopteryx lithographica, the first bird. A symbol of disruptive evolution and a fitting name for Arc'teryx - a brand driven by innovative design.

The year is 1989 and Canadian mountaineer Dave Lane was dissatisfied with the climbing products on the market and decided to forge his own path. Founding Rock Solid Manufacturing, he began making climbing harnesses and bags. Shortly afterward he decided to take advantage of his friend and colleague Jeremy Guard‘s enormous knowledge and experience in climbing, and it was here that the legend of the “Dead Bird” was born.

In 1991 Lane and Guard decided to change the name of the company, inspired by Archaeopteryx, an extinct genus of dinosaur, a transient form between feathered dinosaurs and modern birds that is considered the oldest known bird. The choice fell on this specimen, to reflect the vision of the company and its founders: to create a breakthrough evolutionary innovation in the outdoor field, just like Archaeopteryx, which served as an evolutionary bridge between terrestrial feathered dinosaurs and early birds.

The logo is the brainchild of graphic designer Michael Hofler and depicts “the Berlin specimen”, a fossil discovered in 1875 by Jakob Niemeyerl, the most complete skeleton of this specimen to date.

Aligning on a joint thirst for class-leading innovation and obsessive design. Representing the brands ‘System of Dress’ through their Pinnacle trail and Après Run lines, expect only the best from Arc’teryx’s cutting-edge designs and never-ending quest for extreme durability and responsible resourcing.

Shop the full Arc’teryx collection in-store and online now.