The French model Rossignol introduced in August 2024 that it was growing its first-ever path working shoe, the Vezor. After over a century of creating skis, ski boots, and different winter tools, the model pivoted to embrace path working. The transfer marked an effort to grow to be much less depending on winter sports activities.
The Vezor Path Operating Shoe formally launched in March 2025, however the model has extra in retailer. In accordance with Nick Castagnoli, Rossignol’s model advertising and marketing director, the corporate will cost “full gasoline” into the path sector over the subsequent 3 to five years.
“We’ve bought our sights set on being much less depending on winter and breaking into a few of these progress classes the place we’ve license to play,” Castagnoli advised GearJunkie. “We wish to be round for an additional 100 years, however as winters proceed to get shorter, our dependency on the winter enterprise is simply not sustainable.”
That’s additionally why, in 2018, Rossignol began making mountain bikes. After that got here sneakers, packs, and après life-style footwear. Now, not solely did it launch the Vezor, but it surely additionally launched a less-technical coaching day shoe known as the Venosk, together with the Sapa line of working attire.
However Rossignol reassured its winter base that it hasn’t turned its again on snowboarding. It’s simply adapting to grow to be a year-round model with extra to supply shoppers.
GearJunkie related with Castagnoli to speak concerning the model’s new route, why winter has grow to be so unsustainable, and the place Rossignol is headed subsequent.
Rossignol: Turning into a Yr-Spherical Model
GearJunkie: When did Rossignol first contemplate increasing into spring and summer time merchandise?
Nick Castagnoli: To be clear, Rossignol has diversified past winter sports activities tools going again many years. Within the ’80s and ’90s, we made forays into tennis and in-line skates. Within the mid-to-late aughts, we launched Rossignol delicate items below the possession of Quiksilver.
These weren’t choices that had been pushed by the shorter, extra unpredictable winters and fashionable socioeconomic challenges we’re coping with right this moment. It was a diversification technique pushed by the model and client and enterprise tendencies of that point.
The identical is true now. We all know our prospects are enjoying within the mountains and on the paths year-round, whether or not it’s mountain climbing, path working, or driving single-track on mountain bikes and e-mountain bikes.
As a 117-year-old legacy model with mountain efficiency pumping via our veins, we imagine we must be there with them. In fact, there’s additionally an apparent component of “future-proofing” at play right here.
GJ: Has it grow to be tougher to be a devoted ski model?
NC: There’s no denying the winter-sports market is a tougher place than it was 20 or 30 years in the past. Having the ability to generate income past 4 to six months of the yr (relying on climate) is a no brainer from a enterprise perspective.
However in the end, we must be assured that we’ve a “license to play” and a transparent worth proposition to supply our prospects. That comes first.
Particularly, what sorts of uncertainties led to the choice to increase past ski merchandise?
Once more, uncertainty is just not the first driver after we discuss diversification. However we will additionally acknowledge that winters are getting shorter and extra unpredictable every year.
And the ski business is in the end a bunch of snow farmers. When it doesn’t snow or the “crop” comes too late within the season, much less individuals commit to creating purchases associated to those sports activities, particularly in terms of winter-sports tools.
How does Rossignol keep away from ‘diluting’ the model’s core by increasing?
We are able to perceive that sentiment. However for Rossignol, it’s fairly the alternative. We’re investing greater than ever in our winter-sports product improvement — the latest instance being the launch of the Vizion ski boot. It is a product that addresses one of many largest ache factors in ski boots via our Step-In Know-how, bringing award-winning, slipper-like ease of entry/exit with out compromise in efficiency.
Our new Arcade all-mountain vary has been cleansing up on the ski exams, profitable “Better of Take a look at” throughout a number of waist widths for each women and men.
We’ve simply launched a brand new freeride ski, the Sender Free 100, that enhances the Sender Free 110, a ski that’s rapidly gaining icon standing because the winningest ski on the Freeride World Tour because of present FWT champ Marcus Goguen.
New developments throughout snowboard, Nordic, and protecting classes are all firing as nicely.
Will there be much less emphasis on winter and ski manufacturing/product design on account of this diversification?
We’re not slowing down in terms of main and innovating in winter sports activities. When it comes to new classes, we’ve additionally been in a position to channel our experience in alpine and Nordic snowboarding footwear from our manufacturing unit in Montebelluna, Italy, in addition to enter from our athletes, into growing our trail-running program.
That has led to accolades from retailers and media for releasing one thing that’s not only a “me-too” product, however a really notable assortment in what’s a freshman class at Rossignol.
And with income progress coming in from these new classes and seasons, that can result in new funding that we will convey into winter sports activities and classes throughout the board going ahead.
Will Rossignol preserve its identification as a ski model, or is the aim to grow to be acknowledged as an all-around outside model?
In actuality, it’s each. We’ll completely preserve our identification as a model rooted in snowboarding. It’s our model DNA and the engine that has pushed us ahead for over 100 years. However we additionally construct snowboards (since 1987), Nordic tools, protecting gear, mountain bikes, packs and journey luggage, technical delicate items and footwear for path working and mountain climbing, in addition to life-style attire.
So we’re positioning Rossignol as a 365 mountain sport and life-style model to not simply survive however thrive for an additional 100 years. That stated, so long as there’s snowboarding, Rossignol shall be there for each flip.
Is there anything about this new growth that Rossignol desires individuals to know?
In the event you like enjoying outside, within the mountains, or on the paths, Rossignol has one thing that can assist get your blood pumping. Innovation could also be an overused phrase on this business, however Rossignol has confirmed over a century that we stroll the discuss in terms of pioneering new applied sciences and merchandise.
And although a few of our latest collections are newer classes for this model, the identical sense of management is being utilized behind the scenes.
We all know that the product has to talk to align with our model ethos. So we encourage individuals to take a look at what we’re doing in these new areas to see how that’s the case.
The staff at Rossignol took over 2 years to design the Vezor, its new flagship path working shoe. Castagnoli stated the model introduced in some heavy hitters to assist it come out of the path working gate sturdy. It consulted design corporations, employed new in-house expertise with expertise within the area, and rallied its military of world discipline testers to assist them dial the design.
In accordance with Rossignol, the result’s a path shoe that’s equal components comfy, nimble, and grippy.
The higher has breathable air mesh, an anti-mud filter, an inside wrapping textile cage, and TPU protections. A Diazapon+ insert is sandwiched between Rossignol’s two-part, nitrogen-injected “N+ FOAM” and normal EVA foam midsole to assist enhance cushion, stability, and power return.
The Vezor has two Detachable Adaptive Insoles. Castagnoli factors out that eradicating or including these permits individuals to regulate the match of the shoe.
Rossignol additionally used Michelin Method rubber with 4mm lugs within the outsole. It claims each single lug was deliberately positioned to enhance grip on variable terrain.
Guilhem Boussaroque, Rossignol’s product line supervisor, stated in a press launch that this shoe is right for medium distances, whether or not athletes are coaching or racing. Actually, Castagnoli stated the racing neighborhood has been very receptive to the Vezor to date.
“We’ve been displaying up at some path working occasions,” he stated. “And nearly 70% of people who find themselves attempting on the shoe are literally going out and racing in it throughout that occasion.”
The Vezor and the Venosk are each obtainable on the Rossignol web site in two colours for women and men. There, you’ll be able to try the Sapa line of path working attire, and all of Rossignol’s different gear and delicate items for winter, summer time, and every thing in between.
