If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, or perhaps a huge fan of prehistoric creatures, you already know the name Arc’teryx. Inspired by an ancient bird and focusing on designs for all outdoor activities, this brand makes clothing for those who want to get out and get active. Arc’teryx stands out for its wide color selection and its many different designs but there are brands similar to Arc’teryx that offer some of the same qualities. If you like getting outdoors or you’re the type to get active, it’s time to learn more about these brands and start expanding your wardrobe. And when you want outdoor clothing just for the sake of style, you can find brands that give you that, too.
History of Arc’teryx
The story of the Arc’teryx brand began 150 million years ago with the archaeopteryx, a carnivorous flying monster with sharp teeth and long talons. It’s an important bird to archeologists and paleontologists and in the 1990s, it was an inspiration for a group of climbers who loved getting outdoors.
Their vision was to create the next evolution of outdoor clothing. This is how they came up with the name Arc’teryx. Their clothing would represent a turning point in active fashion and serve as a basis for all other designs to come later, much like the ancient bird that is a likely ancestor for all current winged creatures flying around on our Earth. In the very literal sense of the phrase, the designs were are truly inspired.
It was Vancouver, Canada. The year was 1989. And the man was Dave Lane, a climber who was frustrated with the climbing equipment he was finding in stores. He began a company of his own instead, creating Rock Solid Manufacturing, so he could create his own gear and do his own thing.
He wanted to create lightweight, high-quality, high-functioning climbing gear. And his do-it-yourself type of attitude is exactly the thing that drives all outdoor enthusiasts. These are the people who climb mountains simply because they are there. For Dave Lane, the outdoor fashion world was just another mountain. And he was going to climb it…and get to the top of it.
When friend Jeremy Guard joined the business, the company was rebranded. The climbing equipment they created became popular. Soon, backpacks were added to the product line and later, a whole line of clothing. The brand named after a bird had truly found its wings.
Finding Brands Similar to Arc’teryx
If you’re going to get active or get outside to enjoy nature, you need Arc’teryx and brands similar to Arc’teryx. Get to know these brands and what they offer, so that you’re ready for any activity that you might get into, in whatever conditions you might have to face.
66 Degrees North (Less Expensive)
Shop at 66 Degrees North to find clothing for men and women for all levels of activity. This brand carries a huge range of products in multiple color options, something 66 Degrees North has in common with Arc’teryx.
Browse the catalog here to discover swimwear, outerwear, tops, bottoms and various layers of protection, not to mention all the accessories you need to complete your outdoor outfits. You can shop here by activity, such as hiking or skiing, or browse the entire catalog to find exactly the thing you want.
You’ll want to spend a lot of time shopping at this brand. The pricing at 66 Degrees North is less expensive, on average, than what you’ll find at Arc’teryx.
Black Diamond (Less Expensive)
Black Diamond is named for the most dangerous ski run on a mountain but there’s nothing dangerous about this fashion. This brand makes clothing for men, women and children. You can also find unique designs made for everyone to wear here.
Like Arc’teryx, Black Diamond creates clothing with multiple color options in a huge range of styles that includes all the stuff you need to wear while getting active outdoors. Black Diamond makes clothing in a huge range of colors that are designed for climbing, bouldering, hiking, skiing and running of all kinds.
Shop Black Diamond for jackets, tops, pants, gloves and accessories, not to mention all sorts of climbing and outdoor shoes. There’s a huge selection of performance gear here and it’s available at prices that are less expensive than what you’ll pay for similar items at Arc’teryx.
Columbia (Less Expensive)
Columbia is one of the biggest names in outdoor and activewear. In fact, this brand is so big that Columbia is regarded as a streetwear brand as much as it’s known as an outdoor clothing brand. This is a well-known label on the fashion scene and Columbia has an absolutely enormous selection of products to choose from in a huge range of colors.
Many products here are available in a dozen or more different color options, so you can truly find style that suits your personal taste. Shop here for casual wear, activewear and everyday wear of all kinds for women, men and children. Columbia makes high-performance clothing that feels good no matter what situation you’re in, from going to the gym to climbing a mountain to hanging out on the couch.
Shop this brand to find jackets, shorts, baselayers, pants, fishing gear, even shoes and accessories to finish off all your looks. You can even shop for equipment here. Columbia’s pricing is less expensive, on average, than what you will pay for similar items under the Arc’teryx label.
Columbia is all about performance clothing that functions well, not necessarily about stylish fashion. However, many items here have a simple, comfortable design to them that’s fashionable in its own way. If you like the high-performance design and simple looks of Arc’teryx clothing, you’ll find a lot of things to like about the Columbia brand.
Eddie Bauer (Less Expensive)
Eddie Bauer is one of the best-known names in fashion, not just in outdoor fashion. There’s a huge product line here that includes all kinds of items, not just the stuff you might wear outdoors. Eddie Bauer carries loungewear and sleepwear, along with flannels and baselayers and hoodies and all sorts of other items you might need if you’re getting active and outdoorsy.
The clothes here are made in a huge spectrum of colors, with items available in multiple options so you can choose exactly what you want to wear. Eddie Bauer makes clothing for men, women and children, along with gear and footwear you might need while you’re out there hiking or camping or whatever, too.
Shop Eddie Bauer to find clothing that is less expensive, on average, than the prices you will find when you’re shopping the Arc’teryx label.
Helly Hansen (Less Expensive)
Helly Hansen makes an enormous range of products that includes every layer and every item you might possibly need for your next outdoor adventure. As a brand, Helly Hansen stands out for its vivid colors. Where lots of outdoor brands make clothing in shades of black, gray and blue, Helly Hansen’s clothing comes in striking shades of orange, yellow, blue, green and just about any other shade you can name.
These clothes stand out for their style, too. Helly Hensen puts an emphasis on creating form-fitting and figure-flattering designs that look good as well as function well when you’re outdoors. Shop here to find clothing and gear of all types for men, women and children.
Browse this brand to find jackets of all types, from lightweight windbreakers to heavy parkas and ski jackets. You can look for warming mid-layers or find tough pants. Shop for baselayers, footwear, accessories, whatever it is you need. Helly Hansen makes a huge range of items that can be worn for casual wear or performance wear. The more you browse here, the more you’re going to find.
Pricing here is less expensive than the items you will buy at Arc’teryx, so you can shop here without feeling a whole lot of guilt. Besides, you’re getting colorful, good-looking clothing that’s designed to feel good and perform well, and that’s some good shopping.
L.L. Bean (Less Expensive)
L.L. Bean is a famous name in fashion, known for its once uber-popular catalog and for its extensive line of products. L.L. Bean is outdoor wear with a preppy sort of vibe. It’s like outdoor wear if you want to look really good while you’re being outdoors. There are a lot of color options and great classic patterns here. Shop this famous brand to find flannels and color block designs, and that’s just for starters.
There are plenty of items to shop for here, clothing for men, women and children of all kinds. This brand carries a huge line of clothing for people of all ages, including items mades for toddlers and babies. Who says you can’t wear fashion at a young age…or even the youngest ages? Certainly not L.L. Bean.
Browse the catalog to find shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans, swimwear, sleepwear, activewear and accessories to go with it all. L.L. Bean offers different color options for every item of clothing, too, so you can get the same thing in a few different shades if you really like a certain design.
This is where outdoor activity meets stylish apparel. L.L. Bean prices are more affordable and less expensive, on average, than similar items you will find at Arc’teryx.
Marmot (Less Expensive)
When you want your outdoor wear to look like everyday casual fashion, shop at Marmot. This is outdoor wear with a truly classic look in traditional, timeless designs that just never go out of style. Button-up shirts, T-shirts, polos, all the classics are here.
Shop Marmot for clothing for men, women and children of all kinds. Marmot carries all the wardrobe staples, the pants and shirts and hoodies that you need to get out there and get active.
Marmot is highly focused on performance clothing, using various technologies and designs to make the items here resistant to weather conditions and everything else you might put your clothing through. Find items designed for warmth or for dryness, clothes to keep you cool when it’s hot and clothes to keep you insulated when it’s cold. You can find it all here.
And you’ll find that it all has a casual, traditional style that looks good anywhere. Wear Marmot whenever you need good-looking and high-performance activewear that can take you everywhere you want to go outside. The prices here are less expensive than what you’ll pay for similar items at Arc’teryx.
Montbell (Less Expensive)
Want to inject some coolness into your outdoor clothing? Time to turn to Montbell. This brand infuses some fun into its outdoor fashion thanks to items like graphic T-shirts and colorful hoodies. There’s an enormous line of products here that includes baselayers and all the other layers you want to wear, too, including pants, shirts, jackets and all the caps, hats and accessories you need to finish off your outdoor looks.
Shop Montbell to find clothing and gear for men and women. The styles here are cool enough to be casual everyday wear but they’re also designed for the performance you need, whether you’re hiking on a summer day or climbing down the side of a mountain.
You may not know what you’re going to do next. But with brands like Montbell, maybe you can figure out what you’re going to wear next. The prices here are less expensive than the prices you will pay for similar items at Arc’teryx.
The North Face (Less Expensive)
Thanks to heavy branding and clothing that truly performs well in all weather conditions, the North Face has become an extremely well-known label in the world of active fashion.
Named for the coldest and toughest part of any mountain or mound of rock, the North Face is a company that was founded by outdoor enthusiasts for outdoor enthusiasts, just like Arc’teryx. The two brands have a similar story, in fact, and a similar commitment to making outdoor wear of all kinds that are going to look good and perform well.
Shop the North Face to find fashion for men, women and children in a huge range of designs. This brand carries everything, including T-shirts, pullovers, vests, parkas, pants and everything else you might need to wear to protect yourself from the elements. You can shop by climate or by activity here, or just browse around and look for the styles you like. If you like outdoor clothing and activewear, it won’t take you too long to find styles you like.
The pricing at North Face is less expensive than the prices you will pay on similar items at Arc’teryx.
Outdoor Research (Less Expensive)
From active underwear like sports bras to heavy outerwear like ski jackets, Outdoor Research makes all the layers of all the clothes you need to wear for whatever you’re going to be doing outdoors. This brand makes clothing for men and women and they make a lot of it. If you like the big selection of items at Arc’teryx, you will like the huge catalog of clothes you find at Outdoor Research.
Shop this brand to find vests, pants, shirts, flannels, rain jackets and every type of protection you might need for whatever is happening outside. Outdoor Research carries a gigantic range of headwear and handwear, too, along with all the bags you might need to haul the equipment you’re going to take with you for your outdoor adventures.
Outdoor Research categorizes clothing by activity, so you can shop for what you need based on what you’re going to be doing. Many items here are available in multiple color options and they’re made in casual, simple designs that look great as everyday wear, too. This is traditional clothing with timeless style. After all, you don’t need to be trendy when you’re out in the woods.
Outdoor Research is less expensive, in general than Arc’teryx. You can buy more fashion here and spend less, which makes this a great brand to shop for when you’re working with a limited outdoor clothing budget.
Patagonia (Less Expensive)
Patagonia focuses on function over fashion, offering a big line of products that are designed for performance. The clothing here is made in a neutral color palette, mostly in shades of gray, black, blue and brown, along with a range of Earth tones. Many items are available in multiple color options so you can customize your look.
But looks aren’t what this brand is about. Patagonia makes clothing for men, women, children and babies, and all of it is made with technology designed for performance. Shop here to find everything from socks and underwear to jackets and vests, tops, bottoms, swimwear and accessories, whatever you need. There’s enough stuff available under this brand to keep you busy shopping for a long time.
And if you do shop here for a long time, you’ll end up spending less than you would with Arc’teryx. The clothing here is more affordable than similar items you can purchase at Arc’teryx.
REI Co-op (Less Expensive)
What do you need your outdoor clothing to do? Should it repel insets? Wick moisture? Protect you from the dangerous rays of the sun? REI Co-Op makes a huge range of clothing with a ton of features, including items that can do all of this and much more. This brand is focused on creating a range of clothing in neutral color shades and Earth tones, everyday items that look as good when you’re lounging around as they do when you’re out on the trail.
Shop REI-Co-op to find clothing for a huge range of outdoor activities. This brand makes designs for hiking, camping, climbing, cycling, running, even for those days when you’re out there in the snow. Shop here for men, women and children to find all the jackets, underwear, swimwear, whatever you need for every way you’re going to get active, indoors and out. You can find it all here, including performance sunglasses, watches and other accessories you can wear for whatever you’re out there doing.
The clothes here are made in simple, casual designs with minimal branding and colors. REI Co-Op clothing is less expensive, in general, than the prices you will pay for clothes at Arc’teryx.
Salomon (Less Expensive)
Focusing on simple, elegant design and purity of construction, Salomon clothing is great-looking and classic in design, made in form-flattering styles that enhance the lines and curves of your body. Salomon clothing is colorful and classic in style but with a distinctly modern look, too. This is the best of simple design and modern style, all put together in a high-performance design
Shop here for clothing for men, women and children of all types. Anything you need to wear as casual or outdoor wear is here, including jackets, tops, pants and, of course, all the accessories and bags you need to go with it. Shop here not just for sunglasses and socks but even for headwear and walking poles, not to mention flasks. If you can wear it on your body while you’re having an outdoor adventure, you can find it at this brand.
Salomon makes simple but stylish clothing where good design shines through in a huge range of products. The pricing here is less expensive than what you’ll pay at Arc’teryx, so you can get even more fashion here while still spending less.
Wearing Brands Similar to Arc’teryx
Arc’teryx may be the next evolution of outdoor clothing but this brand doesn’t stand alone. There are several brands similar to Arc’teryx that create clothing to handle all kinds of activities and all sorts of different weather conditions. Some are made for performance, some for looks, some for selection. Whatever it is you need when you’re out there adventuring, or even if you’re just sort of hanging out and looking amazing in your clothes, you can find what you need with these brands that are similar to Arc’teryx. Shop all of these brands to find just what you need for whatever you’re going to do.