Norvan SL vs Trino SL vs Incendo? How to decide?

#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.

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Now, as of Dec 2024, Arc'teryx currently employs 6 different running / training jacket lines:

Non-insulated:

Very comfortable, rock solid Trino SL would be my top recommendation. PS: Some women do find wearing the Men's Trino SL comfortable.

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.

And finally my least favorite...

Norvan SL in action. Not gonna lie, looks bomb.

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.