We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
10 oz. (292 g) for a US M9
29 mm in heel, 23 mm in forefoot (6 mm drop)
All-around/moderately technical
Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole, Matryx Micro upper, InFuse EVA and Polyolefin midsole, aggressive rocker
Available now for $200
TAYLOR: Mountain living is both wonderful and harsh. Despite its beauty, the average person isn’t cut out for it, which is why communities like the Front Range of Colorado and SLC are booming like dynamite in a tin shed. These spaces embrace a normal life with modern amenities while providing close access to the array of mountain activities just a few miles away.
I prefer the backwoods hermit way of living. One of the beauties about the small-town mountain lifestyle is that you can wear whatever the heck you want and nobody is going to do a double take. I could be waiting in line at the grocery store wearing 2” split shorts next to someone decked out in mountaineering gear, while the next person in line shows off their 1974 Broncos windbreaker and the person behind them is someone dressed to the nines. It just doesn’t matter.
Being a gear-minded guy, I tend to take note of the wide variety. I’m not trying to offend anyone, but I rarely see the skeletal lines of the Arc’teryx brandmark on a lot of folks. When I do, it’s typically from a high-class visitor.
Why? Well, price probably has something to do with it. For this very reason, this brand has garnered a bourgie reputation. I’m fine with that being the case, I guess. But if the brand claims to be a mountain-centric company, it better perform to its price tag.
That’s where we come in. Reese and I can tell you that Arc’teryx is, in fact, in the cream of the crop category for quality running gear. We recently reviewed a round-up of their 2025 winter apparel and it’s a masterclass. My mouth is still sore from getting slapped about my preconceptions about Arc’teryx.
So, when we got the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro in for review, I properly postured myself for the possibility of a satisfactory experience. Let’s just say I came away quite shocked.
REESE: I’m a big Arc’teryx fan. I own a few of their clothing pieces and their insulated jackets are second to none. I would go so far as to say that my Arc’teryx clothing is my nicest clothing– I’d wear it head to toe for a night out on the town, as the kids say. (Do they say that? What is gen Z saying?). Even so, I would likely get turned away at a Michelin-star restaurant if I showed up in athletic clothing. That’s just a me thing.
Despite the perennial quality of Arc’teryx apparel, I’ve been less than thrilled about their shoe lineup. The colorways and design give nurse shoe vibes, i.e. nondescript, comfortable work shoes. I’ve found that the fit is always wonky and the foam feels like a day-old breadstick. It always seemed like there was some disconnect between the clothing and the shoe designers. How can they make the lightest, warmest, nicest gear, but get it wrong with the shoes?
That said, things are changing. Arc’teryx recently overhauled the footwear division in an effort to elevate their performance. They arguably pulled New Balance’s top talent when they landed Seth Maxwell as senior designer in 2024, the man behind the 990v6, SC Trainer, 1080v13, and Rebel v2. I mean, that right there is just a list of the most iconic New Balance designs of the last 5 years. He didn’t design this one, but hiring the right talent proves that Arc’teryx is getting serious about footwear.
Now, enter the Sylan Pro and for some reason, my brain wants to call it Sylvan. Anyway. This is their top-of-the-line trail runner. The cream of the crop. I had high expectations. If someone is slapping a $200 price tag on a shoe, I better be getting more than just the clout of the brand. After putting in some big runs in these shoes, my impressions are actually overall very positive, with only a few minor gripes.
Shop The Shoe - Men Shop The Shoe - WomenTAYLOR: The Arc’teryx Sylan Pro is designated for mountain running. My initial question was, what does this actually mean? High-altitude romping, or just a foothills trail runner? Turns out it worked pretty darn well for both.
Outsole design is often really telling of intention. The fact that they used Vibram Megagrip Litebase tells me that Arc’teryx wanted this to be a lighter shoe on foot. Which it is. The numerous 6 mm lugs handle more aggressive terrain than the typical trail shoe. At the same time, the overall rounded geometry of the outsole/midsole is a nod toward versatility. All of that is felt underfoot. Being that the rubber compound provides grade-A grip on dry, wet, mucky, packed, everything and it is quite durable, the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro was already off to a great start.
Arc’teryx Sylan Pro
Moving up to the surprise of the package: the InFuse midsole. Again, the build says a lot about the intentions. It falls into a moderate stacked category (29 mm heel / 23 mm forefoot, 6mm drop), a similar range as many highly praised trail runners like the Saucony Peregrine 15, Norda 001, Brooks Catamount 3, and La Sportiva Prodigio. All of these options are quite versatile and can tackle moderately technical terrain with ease. The same goes for the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro, but the shock value came from its energy return.
The midsole was much softer and bouncier than I expected it to be. Since it’s a moderate stack shoe, the softer touch helped in the comfort department, which in turn allowed me to spend many hours in the shoe. The Sylan Pro is a neutral shoe, so the moderate stack allowed for an appropriate amount of stability through more technical sections.
Everything in the shoe comes together with the Infuse midsole paired with an aggressive forefoot rocker. The energy return paired with the noticeable rock forward made each stride feel lively and smooth, enough to transition to any pace. In this way, it reminded me of the Brooks Catamount 3. It’s simply a fun shoe to run in because of how smooth and character filled it is.
As we’ve seen in The North Face Dream Foam midsole (debuted in Altamesa 500 and Vectiv Pro 2), the blended formula made for true character as well as durability. Arc’teryx used an EVA and Polyolefin midsole. Both are durable but versatile. It’s a tricky thing to get right, but when a company does, it’s a magical touch.
I typically get a little nervous when a shoe is intended for the more technical stuff but comes equipped with an aggressive rocker. As with the Craft Pure Trail X, the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro executed its geometries well.
Part of this comes from the more durable and well-mapped Matryx Micro upper. It’s a tightly woven and very durable upper. The Sylan Pro’s fit was borderline slim– even sock-like– because of the collar and integrated tongue. That was very okay with me as I felt that this close-to-foot fit is what allowed the shoe to be taken to more technical ground and faster paces. My foot was securely fastened from all sides.
The tongue included a lace garage that was intuitive and held the laces well throughout my runs.
REESE: The first thing I noticed and liked about the shoe is the rocker. As Taylor mentioned, it’s pretty aggressive, though not at the level of the Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra. I ran a few road miles on the way to the trail and found the rocker super pleasant. It promoted a really natural and smooth stride. Very demure, very mindful.
The foam also helped out with this smooth ride, which I wasn’t expecting from an Arc’teryx shoe. Arc’teryx uses a foam made from InFuse EVA and polyolefin, which is to say a blend of plastics. I couldn’t find out much from their site about what InFuse is so your guess is as good as mine. But the point is this: the highly responsive foam combined with the rocker makes for a great feel. And even after logging a few three-hour runs in these, the foam maintained its integrity and my feet felt great at the end of the run. Not a ton of wear and tear on a $200 pair of shoes is a win in my book.
The upper was the section where things kind of went 50/50, love it or leave it for me. So first, the love it. The knit sock is a nice touch and it did keep most debris out of the shoe. Although Arc’teryx states that this shoe has a “comfort fit,” I found that it was more snug, especially around the midfoot. To me, this is a good thing. My heel didn’t come up, my toes had some room to breathe (sorta…more on that later) and my midfoot felt secure on uneven footing.
The Sylan Pro’s sport 6 mm lugs, which on paper seems pretty beefy. But in practice, I didn’t feel like they weighed or slowed the shoe down. Guessing that’s because of the Vibram Megagrip with Litebase, a lighter version of the Vibram outsole we’ve all come to love. It’s got a fantastic grip. So go hop from rock to rock in these shoes if that’s your thing.
Shop The Shoe - Men Shop The Shoe - WomenTAYLOR: Sizing isn’t the end-all-be-all. As we’ve experienced with a few other brands, it can be cumbersome when your typical size isn’t even close to the size you need. Some consumers simply won’t want to mess around with the search. That was all of our experience with the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro. I needed to go down a full size before feeling comfortable with the length. Of course, going down a full size also drained the volume of the shoe, which ended up being just fine for me with an average/wide foot.
Another “issue” we had was upper warmth. Matryx uppers are typically very breathable. Reese and I went out for a run together to get our first thoughts on the Sylan Pro. Both of us had similar remarks about how steamy our feet felt in the shoe, and it was 48℉. Temperature is not something I always note, but the tight weave of Matryx Micro upper lacked breathability. I also never ended up with debris in my shoe. So there are tradeoffs.
While I had many great runs in the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro– even a couple that were hours long– the “neutralness” of this shoe shows up at some point. There’s very little medial support for the runners who like/want that experience. I do think you could spend all day in this shoe and be fine, but the lack of support is something to consider for those who will want to take this for all day adventures in the mountains. It’s not necessarily a negative aspect, just something to note.
REESE: I don’t have way too much in this section. But I do think there are some things Arc’teryx overlooked on this shoe. For a pricey shoe, I expect that all the little details are sorted out and the thing I should be complaining about is like… that the carbon plate isn’t exactly perfect. (This shoe does not have a carbon plate by the way.) Instead, I’m going to complain about shoe laces, sizing, and hot feet. Things that I think should be sorted out on a top-of-the-line shoe.
Oh shoe laces. So simple, and yet. The laces came untied quite a bit. I didn’t use the lace garage on the tongue, as I prefer to park my laces at the curb. Plus, the positioning of the garage was under the top lace. Even in a double knot, the laces still came loose. The laces, the things keeping my foot in the shoe, felt like an afterthought. FWIW, I’m a big fan of the TNF, Adidas, and Asics “braided” laces.
Sizing. I’m normally a 7.5. Depending on the brand I might be a 7, maybe a 6.5 in some Adidas and Salomon shoes. I am a 6 in the Sylan Pro. Not something that Arc’teryx can change, but something to be aware of if you order the shoe.
Lastly, breathing room. Assuming your laces stay tied, the fit of the shoe is on point. But the “breathable” upper was not so breathable. My feet were little furnaces. Even in 30-degree temps. And I’m not someone who ever has trouble with hot or sweaty feet. So, if you are someone who is, be aware that these are toasty.
Shop The Shoe - Men Shop The Shoe - WomenTAYLOR (11 out of 15): Put Ricky Bobby on the ads for this one, because we have a winner!
In a surprise fashion, the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro showed up with mountain-grade quality that does equate to high performance. Even though this shoe is oriented toward mountain running, I was surprised by the versatility of the Sylan Pro. Honestly, I think pigeon-holing it as a “mountain running” shoe is doing it a disservice.
The overall shape and composition of the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro made this a fun and fantastic shoe for a variety of terrain. I ran with it in the mountains, in the foothills, even in the plains of Iowa. I went long and slow and kicked up the pace for a solid soft-ground trail half mary. I was more than satisfied with all of my runs in the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro.
REESE (12 out of 15): Maybe I was a little harsh with the laces, sizing, and hot shoes, but I do like these shoes. It’s why I’ve worn them on two 18-mile runs. Once you have the size of the shoe figured out, the fit and feel of the shoe are terrific. I am considering just ordering some laces I like so I don’t need to stop and retie my shoes mid-run. Problem solved.
The rocker combined with the durable yet responsive foam is the shining star of this shoe. While I complained about the tiny things being overlooked on an expensive shoe, I will say that this shoe has minimal wear and tear. I see the Sylan Pro lasting well into the 300-mile-plus range. Compared to say, The North Face Vectiv Sky, also a $200 shoe, which barely makes it to 250 before the foam is totally blown out.
Plus, these shoes look fast AF in the solaris/black colorway. And that’s exactly the look I want when I roll up to the trailhead or a nice restaurant.
You can pick up the Arc’teryx Sylan Pro for $200 on by using the shop links below.
Have something to say? Leave a Comment
Taylor Bodin is a trail and ultra runner living in Estes Park, Colo., with his wife and daughters. Trail running is pretty much the only hobby he can manage right now and loves it. Every so often, he will pop off a race or FKT attempt because competition is pure and the original motivator for him getting into running anyways. When not running, Taylor is a 1st grade teacher, running coach (track & field, Cross Country, and Trail/Ultra athletes), and volunteers at his church.
More from TaylorReese Ruland is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based ultra trail runner with over 15 years of competitive running experience. She has a penchant for PopTarts, a gear addiction, and is always taking photos of her two French Bulldogs, Loaf and Oatie. In addition to her athletic endeavors, Reese serves as an ambassador for Project Heal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accessible mental health care for those affected by eating disorders. She’s also one of the fastest women ever to run R2R2R (7:59).
More from Reese
I bought these shoes 2 months ago and logged about 100km since, on HK trails that range from concrete path to stairs, to steep dirt trails and pretty technical sections with lots of sharp rocks and roots.
The rocker and midsole are fantastic, super comfortable and feeling fast, especially on hard tarmac. But then… I have a big issue with stability with this shoe.
OK, I am not a very good trail runner, so the skills are certainly an issue here, but the soft midsole, relatively narrow heel and flexible heel counter are a fact too. And I got several near-miss on ankle rolls until I actually sprained my ankle last weekend during a race, while speeding on a downhill (bad reception on a stone).
So although I blame mostly myself (probably didn’t pay enough attention where to land my foot), I still feel the shoe could have limited the damage better.
For less technical terrain, it’s a wonderful shoe, super comfortable and with an outstanding traction and I didn’t experience any breathability problem so far (I agree with the lacing and laces pocket being an afterthought).
That’s just my experience / opinion, but food for thought.
Oh and one more thing: the upper has one small issue: the harder plastic that continues along the lacing gap above the toes is too long. As it’s more rigid than the Matryx fabric, it bends less and presses a little too much on the toes below. It’s subtle, but nobody likes a rubbing part during an ultra…