Arc’teryx Fission SV Jacket review | Waterproof, insulated and near perfect

The Arc'teryx Fission SV Jacket was long a favorite of many skiers and snowboarders - even despite its notable absence of any snowsport-specific features. But as if often the case with Arc'teryx products, the Fission SV Jacket was discontinued a couple years ago and has since been replaced with a growing number of synthetic insulated jackets. 

If you're set on purchasing an insulated, weatherproof jacket for skiing or snowboarding, your Winter 2024-2025 choices are the brand new Fissile SV Down Jacket (yes, Fissile sounds a lot like Fission, but they're not the same), the Rush Insulated Jacket, the Sabre Insulated Jacket, or the Macai Jacket.  

If you want a waterproof and windproof insulated jacket but don't care about skiing or riding, you have some other great Arc'teryx options, including the Beta Insulated Jacket (read our review), the Beta Down Insulated Jacket, the Ralle Insulated Jacket, and the Therme SV Parka (read our review). Here's how Arc'teryx compares these four jackets: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007371/X000008885/X000007315/X000006581

Check out our Best Arc'teryx Jackets for Skiing overview for a breakdown on each of these jackets. Or, for nostalgia sake, our old Arc'teryx Fission SV Jacket review remains below. 

• 2024 Arc'teryx men's ski and snowboard line: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/ski-and-snowboard/mens/
• 2024 Arc'teryx women's ski and snowboard line: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/ski-and-snowboard/womens/
• One of our favorite tools - the Arc'teryx jacket finder: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/jacket-finder/

Summary

Despite its minor flaws (loose collar configuration and rough zipper flow), the Arc'teryx Fission SV Jacket is still worth getting. Why? Because no other Arc'teryx ski and snowboard jacket is nearly as warm, windproof and waterproof. In other words, it's without equal within the Arc'teryx product line. 

Yes, these flaws can be annoying. But I don't think they're a deal-breaker (at least not for me). 

Warmth

In Arc'teryx's lineup, the Fission SV Jacket is the warmest synthetic insulated jacket: 

In most cases, the Fission SV can be a great option for stationary (low- or no-output) use in quite cold (think below 10 degrees Fahrenheit), wet and windy conditions.

Now...

This degree of warmth is really great, but it's not a total outlier. There are equally warm and even warmer jackets out there. Hell, this bad boy *slaps jacket* from the LEAF neighborhood keeps you warm in temperatures as low as -40 degrees F!

So, its warmth capability isn't really what makes the Fission SV Jacket special and irreplaceable. 

Weather protection

As you might have realized, the Fission SV is advertised as "fully waterproof" by Arc'teryx.

Now this isn't wrong.

The combination of N80p-X GORE-TEX 2L face fabric and a DWR coating repels water perfectly well. It also prevents water from soaking into the fabric. 

The job it does in this department is actually even better than the Fission SV's warmer synthetic insulated alternative, the Dually Belay (hence the higher price tag). 

Hell, I can even say that it'd be very, very, difficult (or maybe impossible?) to find a more waterproof outerwear than the Fission SV. 

Having said that ... 

Waterproofing is NOT black and white. There is no fully "waterproof" textile out there, and there won't be in the near future.

Some clothing materials are more waterproof than others. Given the right amount of time and intensity, all clothing material will eventually permit water to enter. 

The advantages and superiority put forward in the waterproofing department for the Fission SV goes the same for windproofing as well.

It offers incredible windproofing capabilities.

Poor breathability is actually a result of this very intention. 

When you intend to make a jacket fully windproof, you inevitably end up having to sacrifice breathability in return. 

Now, having mentioned all these facts around waterproofing and windproofing, we still didn't find an answer to our question as to why the Fission SV Jacket has no alternatives (because although the Fission SV is top notch in these areas, there are jackets with comparable capabilities out there). 

Offering warmth & weather protection at the same time

This is the answer we're looking for. Offering warmth and weather protection at the same time is what makes the Fission SV Jacket so special. 

This, actually, can only be achieved with synthetic insulated jackets (because down loses its insulating capability under damp conditions). 

I've yet to find a jacket that offers the same (or nearly as much) amount of warmth, waterproofing and windproofing as the Fission SV. 

Features

Like I said, the zippers might feel fiddly for some of you. They don't slide as easy as some smooth, non-technical jackets.

Additionally, it's a little bit difficult to insert the main zipper into the bottom slider. It can be annoying, but I don't think it's a deal-breaker - at least not for me. 

Lastly, here's the product video: