Arcteryx Norvan SL vs Trino SL vs Incendo

#Note: Full Arc'teryx review list is at the bottom.

CAUTION: I WOULD NOT recommend you EITHER ONE OF these jackets if you won't be running and/or training with them at least, say, 80% of the time. 

So, if you're now thinking "Oh, I'd better look for a more all rounder, equally breathable piece, then"... 

...then I'd recommend you to check out other alternatives in my Best Arc'teryx Jackets post. Especially take a look at this hoody from Arc'teryx. 

Now, as of Dec 2023, Arc'teryx currently employs 6 different running / training jacket lines:

Non-insulated: 

• Trino SL Hoody (Men's): This is an amazing piece, and would be my top overall pick for most of you.
  • Breathable, wind resistant, water resistant, and fully featured (offers 4 pockets, mechanical venting and other running specific touches). Overall the most well-balanced, and the best piece in my humble opinion. 
  • At 12 oz (340 grams), its two times heavier than its alternatives. Still, if portability is mostly not going to be a major concern for you, I don't think it's a deal breaker. It's still quite a bit light. 
  • My main gripe with this piece is that it doesn't look that pretty (at least to me, and some of my other folks). Still, this isn't a fashion oriented jacket... Functionality it offers is phenomenal. Which, I think, should be the main axis of decision making. 
  • My second gripe with this is that Arc'teryx doesn't offer a women's counterpart of this (only offers an Anorak version of it - which I didn't have the chance to review yet). Hopefully they will start doing so in the near future (AW2022). 
  • Until then, I'd recommend the Incendo Hoody for women. It's my second favorite running jacket from the Arc. 

A good alternative to Trino is... 

• Incendo Hoody (Men's - Women's (Cita) - read my review): If Trino is a bit too expensive for you (although I bet it's worth every extra penny for many (all?) of you), OR if portability will be a concern for you for at least, say, 50% of the time when running... then Incendo is probably the right pick for you. 
  • Although its performance metrics are fairly below the Trino & it doesn't offer that much features (only 1 pocket), it's much more portable (weighs almost one THIRD of the Trino!).
  • As you can guess, this performance vs portability is a trade-off - it's a give or take. Your preference will come down to your own needs and desires - so I'm not the one to tell you which one you should get. Only you can answer that since only you know your own priorities. 
  • Lastly, if you're interested in seeing its other versions, Arc'teryx also offers a hoodless version (Incendo SL - Cita SL) and a vest version (Incendo Vest - Cita Vest) of the Incendo.

And finally my least favorite... 

• Norvan SL Hoody (Men's - Women's): Think of this piece as an a little more weather resistant and a little less breathable version of the Trino. Norvan SL is probably the jacket that I recommend the least in this round up. 
  • My main gripe with this piece surprisingly is not the lack of breathability (it's not all that noticeable, after all - at least for most of us). My main gripe with this is the absence of pockets. 
  • It's understandable that Arc'teryx aimed to create a super minimalist piece with this one - but I think it's a little too minimalist for me (and many others). I mean, when I can get an Incendo Hoody (not to even mention for half the price!), I probably wouldn't get the Norvan SL. 
  • The only exception I can think of where I'd recommend this piece would be running in damp areas for at least, say, 70% of the time. Only THEN the superior weather resistance this jacket has to offer would be able to compensate its drawbacks and extra price. 

These 3 lines make up the non-insulated running jackets. 

• Fit

I'm 5'11", 165 lbs, athletic build. Size M fits me perfectly. 

My size is always the same. Arc'teryx, Patagonia, TNF, Salomon, Columbia, Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Zara... Doesn't matter. 

• Arc'teryx's 2024 men's fit revision

Straight from arcteryx.com on what's changed: 

Source: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/help/sizing/mens/tops/new

Not all jackets come with revised fit. Only the ones with following statement. 

• Poll

Which Arc'teryx fit do you prefer?

Legacy fit

Revised fit

• Poll

Which cuff type do you like more?

Stretch gusset cuffs

Stretch knit cuffs

Insulated: 

• Norvan SL Insulated (Men's - Women's) 
• Argus (Men's - Women's (Gaea)) 

I'll review these soon in another post. 

PS: I always recommend opting for the non-insulated jackets when in doubt between insulated vs non-insulated. 

Because, if you happen to regret your decision, you're always able to revert it back by under layering it with a base layer.