Overview
I own dozens of Arc'teryx items, mainly jackets.
All jackets under Proton, Atom, Nuclei, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma lines. Additionally a Cerium, a Thorium, and a Therme. I also own various other items like Gamma AR pants, Rho LT, Rho Hybrid and gothic gloves and stuff.
Find best picks for different use cases in here.
Best Arc'teryx Insulated Jackets
Best items under each category
Just make sure best use of the jacket fairly overlaps with your use case. As long as you do this no Arc'teryx jacket will disappoint.
I'll just leave this here: https://arcteryx.com/shop/jacket-finder.
- Synthetic insulated jackets: Mostly preferred to down jackets. Wide variety of items with different best use cases. No insulation capability loss under wet conditions. Hoods are generally recommended unless you'll be using them as mid layers almost all the time.
- Down jackets: Niche items. Extraordinary warmth-to-weight ratio. But they won't insulate in damp areas. None of them are breathable either. Casual use in dry weather is its only use. That's why I generally get them hoodless, but according to the survey I ran in here about 70% of people prefer them hooded. Shucks.
- Parkas: In city use.
- Shell jackets: Not insulated. Used only for weather and abrasion protection.
The Nuclei SV is a terrific jacket. This thing is an oven, with lots of pockets, a two-way zipper and a stunning, high-quality design.
- Nuclei (aka FL) and Nuclei SV: Stunning warmth at an instant and incredible wind resistance. Horrible breathability and abrasion resistance. Belay jackets like these two are primarily meant to maintain your core temp when you stop moving. But I use it casually around town all the time - as long as my output is none to very, very low (not even power walks longer than 5 mins). Otherwise I sweat like a pig in them.
- Proton Heavyweight and Atom Heavyweight (aka AR): Perfect picks for cold weather. I'd get the new Proton Heavyweight (breathes more, offers much more pockets, and more abrasion resistant). If you'd like to maximize warmth & wind resistance and can ditch everything else in return, then get an Atom Heavyweight.
- Proton (aka LT) and Atom (aka LT): Absolutely the most versatile and popular picks. Both are perfect for high output activities and casual use at the same time. Proton offers a bit more abrasion resistance. Atom offers a bit more breathability.
- Proton Lightweight (aka FL) and Atom SL (soon to be called Lightweight): Perfect for high output activities and casual use during chilly spring and summer mornings. Proton Lightweight offers a bit more abrasion resistance and one more pocket. Atom SL is more of an all rounder, offers a bit more breathability and is very slightly insulated only in the body.
Proton Hybrid and Epsilon are synthetics too but I think they're crossover items, so I don't think they're directly comparable to these.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 8:
Read more at:
Canberk likes his hoodless Cerium much more than his hooded Thorium. Neither models are good at repelling water, so he thinks the hoodless design is more comfortable and easier to pull off a more formal look when necessary.
- Alpha line: Highest quality down jacket out there. The warmer model, Alpha Parka, is the warmest Arc'teryx jacket.
- Thorium line: Lofty down jackets. The Thorium SV offers protection against light precipitation as well. Although water resistance should never be one of your primary expectations from down jackets, this is a great advantage just in case. The Thorium worse resists against foul weather. But still does more so than the Cerium line.
- Cerium line: Ultralight down jackets with terrific warmth to weight ratio. Zonal reinforcements are noticeably thinner and the jacket feels noticeably lighter.
Alpha and Cerium lines offer 850 FP, Thorium offers 750 FP down.
Even though the latter offers lower quality, some of its models like the Thorium SV are equipped with lots of down, so it evens out the heating capability.
There's also the Cerium Hybrid, but I feel like it doesn't belong here.
I conducted a survey and 60% said they like their down jackets hooded. Shocking news for me. I thought more people were in the same boat as me.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 7:
Read more at:
Parkas
The Therme is Arc'teryx's men's flagship parka line.
By parka I mean the pieces that are primarily meant for in city use (casually around town or when traveling/commuting) when it's freezing.
- How Arc'teryx compares all of men's parkas:
- How Arc'teryx compares all of women's parkas:
Read more at:
Shells
Name | Activity | Breathability | Weather Res. | Durability | Temp (F/C) | Review | Pit zips? | Two way zipper? | Stuffs into itself? | Hood? | Face Fabric | Fit | Weight | Length | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha FL (Men's - Women's) | Climbing | 7/10 | No data | No data | 10/10 | N/A | No | No | Yes | Hadron 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 209 g / 7.4 oz | 76.5 cm / 30 in | Yes | ||
Alpha SL (Men's - Women's) | Climbing | 5/10 | 7/10 | No data | 9/10 | N/A | No | No | Yes | N40p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 326 g / 11.5 oz | 77.5 cm / 30.5 in | Yes | ||
Alpha (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) | Climbing | 8/10 | 9/10 | 8/10 | 4/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N40d & N80d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 430 g / 15.2 oz | 79.5 cm / 31.25 in | No | |
Alpha SV (Men's - Women's) | Climbing | 8/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N100d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 510 g / 1 lb 2 oz | 78 cm / 30.75 in | No | |
Alpha IS (Men's) | Climbing | 7/10 | 5/10 | No data | 8/10 | 23/-5 | No | Yes | Yes | N40p-X 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 610 g / 1 lb 5.5 oz | 78 cm / 30.75 in | Yes | ||
Beta (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 6/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | N30p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 300 g / 10.6 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Beta Lightweight (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N40p 3L Gore-Tex | Fitted | 380 g / 13.4 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No | |
Beta LT (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 7/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N40d 3L Gore-Tex | Fitted | 395 g / 13.9 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Beta AR (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 4/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N40d & N80d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 460 g / 1 lb | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Beta AR StormHood (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 4/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N40d & N80d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 460 g / 1 lb | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Beta Coat (Women's) | All Round | 6/10 | 5/10 | No data | 5/10 | N/A | No | Yes | No | 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 320 g / 11.3 oz | 88 cm / 34.5 in | No | ||
Beta Insulated (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 9/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | No data | 21/-6 | Review | Yes | Yes | No | N40d 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz | 78.5 cm / 31 in | No | |
Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) | All Round | 7/10 | No data | No data | No data | 16/-9 | No | Yes | No | N40d 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 86 cm / 34 in | No | ||
Beta Down Insulated (Men's) | All Round | 9/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | No data | 0/-18 | Yes | Yes | No | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | Regular | 760 g / 1 lb 10.8 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | ||
Beta Long | All Round | 4/10 | 9/10 | No data | 3/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 441 g / 15.6 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | Yes | |
Beta LT Hadron | All Round | 7/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | N/A | No | No | No | Hadron 3L Gore-Tex | Fitted | 255 g / 9 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | Yes | ||
Beta SV (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 8/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p-X Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 495 g / 1 lb 1.5 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | Yes | |
Gamma Lw. (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 7/10 | 2/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Fortius 1.0 | Trim | 310 g / 10.9 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No | |
Gamma (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 7/10 | 3/10 | 7/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Wee Burly Double Weave | Regular | 545 g / 1 lb 3.2 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Gamma MX (Men's - Women's) | All Round | 6/10 | 4/10 | 8/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Fortius 2.0 | Regular | 555 g / 1 lb 3.6 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No | |
Sabre SV (Men's) | Skiing | 10/10 | 10/10 | 10/10 | 1/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | Yes | No | N100d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 595 g / 1 lb 5 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
Sabre (Men's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 705 g / 1 lb 8.9 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Sabre Insulated (Men's) | Skiing | 7/10 | No data | 6/10 | No data | No data | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 815 g / 1 lb 12.7 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Rush (Men's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p-X & N100p-X 3L Most Rugged Gore-Tex Pro | Regular | 590 g / 1 lb 4.8 oz | 79.5 cm / 31.25 in | No | |
Rush Insulated (Men's - Women's) | Skiing | 3/10 | 5/10 | 5/10 | 9/10 | 16/-9 | Review | No | No | Yes | Hadron 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Regular | 515 g / 1 lb 2.2 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Macai Shell (Men's) | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 775 g / 1 lb 11.3 oz | ? | No | |
Macai (Men's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | 1/10 | 5/-15 | Review | Yes | No | No | N40p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 990 g / 2 lb 2.9 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No | |
Macai Lightweight (aka LT) (Men's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | 2/10 | 8/-13 | Review | Yes | No | No | N40p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 855 g / 1 lb 14.2 oz | ? | No | |
Theriss Down (Women's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | No data | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 709 g / 1 lb 9 oz | 63 cm / 24.8 in | No | |
Sentinel (Women's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 640 g / 1 lb 6.6 oz | 73.7 cm / 29 in | No | |
Sentinel Insulated (Women's) | Skiing | 8/10 | No data | No data | No data | 21/-6 | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 79.8 cm / 31.5 in | No | |
Sentinel Relaxed (Women's) | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Yes | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 655 g / 1 lb 7.1 oz | ? | No | ||
Sidewinder (Women's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 2/10 | N/A | Yes | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 570 g / 1 lb 4.1 oz | ? | No | ||
Andessa (Women's) | Skiing | 10/10 | No data | No data | 1/10 | 8/-13 | Yes | No | No | N40d 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 869 g / 1 lb 14.7 oz | 67 cm / 26.4 in | Yes | ||
Andessa Shell (Women's) | Skiing | 5/10 | No data | No data | 3/10 | N/A | No | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 560 g / 1 lb 3.8 oz | ? | Yes | ||
Micon Heather | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Yes | No | No | NP100-d 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 685 g / 1 lb 8.2 oz | 83 cm / 32.5 in | Yes | ||
Micon (Men's) | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Yes | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 685 g / 1 lb 8.2 oz | 83 cm / 32.5 in | Yes | ||
Cassiar (Men's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 820 g / 1 lb 12.9 oz | 74.5 cm / 29.3 in | Yes | |
Cassiar LT (Men's) | Skiing | 6/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 605 g / 1 lb 5.3 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | Yes | |
Ravenna (Women's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70s-4 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 725 g / 1 lb 9.6 oz | 69.5 cm / 27.4 in | Yes | |
Ravenna LT (Women's) | Skiing | 6/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 540 g / 1 lb 3 oz | 69 cm / 27.2 in | Yes | |
Procline (Men's) | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Yes | No | No | N70p Gore-Tex Infinium | Trim | 720 g / 1 lb 9.4 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | Yes | ||
Shashka Stretch (Women's) | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Yes | No | No | N70p Gore-Tex Infinium | Trim | 670 g / 1 lb 7.6 oz | 71 cm / 28 in | Yes | ||
Sabre AR (Men's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 700 g / 1 lb 8.7 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | Yes | |
Sentinel AR (Women's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 7/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N70p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 590 g / 1 lb 4.8 oz | 72.5 cm / 28.5 in | Yes | |
Sabre LT (Men's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 660 g / 1 lb 7.3 oz | 83 cm / 32.5 in | Yes | |
Sentinel LT (Women's) | Skiing | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | N80p 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 565 g / 1 lb 3.9 oz | 73.5 cm / 29 in | Yes | |
Incendia (Women's) | Skiing | 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 3/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | No | NP100d 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 610 g / 1 lb 5.5 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | Yes | |
Indencia IS | Skiing | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | Yes | No | No | N80p 2L Gore-Tex | Regular | ? | 78 cm / 30.75 in | Yes | ||
Squamish (Men's - Women's) | Running | 5/10 | 4/10 | 7/10 | 9/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | Yes | 30D Tyono | Trim | 140 g / 4.9 oz | 77.5 cm / 30.5 in | No | |
Norvan Windshell (Men's - Women's) | Running | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | No | No | Yes | Permeair 20 | Trim | 90 g / 3.2 oz | 73 cm / 28.75 in | No | ||
Norvan Shell (Men's - Women's) | Running | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | No | No | No | 13D 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 190 g / 6.7 oz | 73 cm / 28.75 in | No | ||
Nodin (Women's) | Running | 8/10 | 5/10 | 5/10 | 10/10 | N/A | No | No | Yes | 20D Tyono | Trim | 130 g / 4.6 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No | ||
Incendo Airshell (Women's) | Running | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | No | No | Yes | ? | Trim | 105 g / 3.7 oz | ? | No | ||
Incendo (Men's) | Running | 7/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 10/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | Yes | Lumin | Trim | 125 g / 4.4 oz | ? | Yes | |
Norvan LT (Men's - Women's) | Running | 5/10 | 5/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | N/A | No | No | No | N13p 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 190 g / 6.7 oz | ? | Yes | ||
Norvan SL Ins. (Women's) | Running | No data | No data | No data | No data | 39/4 | No | No | Yes | Gore-Tex ShakeDry | Trim | 270 g / 9.5 oz | 71.5 cm / 28.1 in | Yes | ||
Cita (Women's) | Running | 7/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 10/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | Yes | Lumin | Trim | 120 g / 4.2 oz | 67.5 cm / 26.5 in | Yes | |
Cita SL (Women's) | Running | 7/10 | 4/10 | 4/10 | 10/10 | N/A | Review | Yes | No | Yes | Permeair 20 | Trim | 65 g / 2.3 oz | 61.5 cm / 24.2 in | Yes | |
Incendo SL (Men's) | Running | 7/10 | 4/10 | 4/10 | 10/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | Yes | Permair 20 & Canim | Trim | 80 g / 2.8 oz | 73 cm / 28.75 in | Yes | |
Norvan SL (Men's - Women's) | Running | 7/10 | 6/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | Yes | Gore-Tex Infinium | Trim | 120 g / 4.2 oz | 77 cm / 30.4 in | Yes | |
Trino SL (Men's) | Running | 8/10 | 5/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Gore-Tex Infinium | Trim | 340 g / 12 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | Yes | |
Trino SL Anorak (Women's) | Running | 8/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Gore-Tex Infinium | Trim | 290 g / 10.2 oz | 65 cm / 25.5 in | Yes | |
Solano (Women's) | Around Town | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | Review | No | No | No | Gore-Tex Infinium | Relaxed | 355 g / 12.5 oz | 72 cm / 28.3 in | No | |
Venda Anorak (Women's) | Around Town | No data | No data | No data | No data | N/A | No | No | No | Gore-Tex | Relaxed | 255 g / 9 oz | 75.5 cm / 29.7 in | Yes | ||
Zeta FL (Men's - Women's) | Hiking | 4/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 6/10 | N/A | No | No | No | N20r 2L Gore-Tex | Trim | 221 g / 7.8 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | Yes | ||
Zeta SL (Men's - Women's) | Hiking | 3/10 | 5/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | N/A | Review | No | No | No | 2L Gore-Tex | Trim | 310 g / 10.9 oz | 77.8 cm / 30.6 in | Yes | |
Zeta LT (Men's - Women's) | Hiking | 5/10 | 7/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | N/A | No | No | No | N40P-X 3L Gore-Tex | Trim | 335 g / 11.8 oz | 78 cm / 30.75 in | Yes | ||
Zeta AR (Men's) | Hiking | 7/10 | 8/10 | 7/10 | 4/10 | N/A | Yes | No | No | 3L Gore-Tex | Regular | 425 g / 15 oz | 80 cm / 31.5 in | Yes |
Gore-Tex Pro
Beta AR's collar is very comfy, as far as collars go.
If you're planning to use your jacket for, say, 15+ years, then a Gore-Tex Pro item can be a better choice than standard Gore-Tex. The Pro version won't experience any loss in breathability or wind and water resistance, even after decades if properly cared for. Jackets with Gore-Tex Pro are kind of like buy-it-for-life items.
The Alpha SV, Alpha (aka AR) and Beta AR (DropHood or StormHood) are your options with Gore-Tex Pro.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 3:
Read more at:
Gore-Tex
If you'll use your Gore-Tex shell around town more than half the time, then you really don't need Gore-Tex Pro. These will fill the bill.
Beta, Beta Lightweight and Beta LT are your options. I own all of them.
The Beta jacket and the Rho LT Zip Neck, both in the Edziza colorway. The streamlined Beta is the perfect streetwear.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 3:
Read more at:
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-alpha-vs-beta/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-insulated-jacket-review/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-lt-vs-beta-ar/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-ar-vs-beta-sv/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-zeta-vs-beta/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-sl-hybrid-review/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/beta-fl-review/
Softshells
Key upsides to softshells are stretch, flexibility and comfort; followed by being less noisy (no rustling noises, unlike Gore-Tex jackets).
If these is sounds like what you're looking for, check out Gammas. I own all 3 of them.
The Gamma Lightweight (aka SL) is incredibly comfortable and fun to wear. But don't expect it to shed more than the lightest rain. As you can see, it soaks through after any sustained exposure to moisture.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 3:
Read more at:
Ski specific
Read this post: https://outdoorcrunch.com/best-arcteryx-jacket-for-skiing/.
- How Arc'teryx compares all of its men's ski jackets:
- How Arc'teryx compares all of its women's ski jackets:
Running specific
There are three jackets available for men and five for women.
- Squamish (Men's - Women's) is the most balanced Arc'teryx running jacket and the closest to fitting a standard running jacket anatomy. It's hooded, comes with average weight, stuffs into itself and offers pretty good wind and water resistance, But, no Gore-Tex.
- For women, there is an alternative to the Squamish - the Nodin (Women's) jacket. No such model exists for men.
- Norvan Windshell (Men's - Women's) is the more minimalistic version of the Squamish. It's much lighter (90 grams vs 140 grams), is hoodless, and stuffs into itself extremely small. It's also more breathable than the Squamish. If where you live is warm and you occasionally experience precipitation, this is the Arc'teryx running jacket for you.
- For women's, there is an alternative to the Norvan Windshell. It's called the Incendo Airshell (Women's). Once again, no version exists for men.
- Norvan Shell (Men's - Women's) is the strongest and heaviest of all. It doesn't stuff into itself. But it offers Gore-Tex, so it's far superior than the others in terms of weather resistance. If where you live is cold and you often experience precipitation, this is your jacket.
All of these running jackets are considered ultralight.
- How Arc'teryx compares these 3:
Hybrid
A "hidden" way to pack the Proton Hybrid into itself.
By hybrid I mean crossover products that combine elements of shells and insulated jackets. I exclude the insulated ski jackets and some parkas from here because I don't think they belong.
In that case, the Proton Hybrid and Cerium Hybrid are your options.
Read more at:
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-insulated-jacket-review/
- https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-proton-hybrid-hoody-review/
Poll results
View full poll results here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/poll/
For polls about favorite colors, visit https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-colors/
Arc'teryx Manufacturing Facility Locations
Find the manufacturing facilities and locations of all Arc'teryx jackets below. Data extracted from arcteryx.com.
Read more: https://outdoorcrunch.com/where-is-arcteryx-made/
FAQ
- Which are the most popular Arc'teryx jackets?
The most popular Arc'teryx jackets are the Beta AR, Alpha SV, Gamma MX, Therme, Rush, Atom (aka LT) and Thorium (aka AR). However, it might make more sense to consider the popularity of lines instead of products. For example, the most popular flagship series would be the Atom, Proton, Nuclei, Cerium, Thorium, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
Arc'teryx likes toying with their catalogue - discontinuing some products, then bringing them back, and then discontinuing them once again in a year's time isn't out of the ordinary. These flagship series, however, are protected. I don't remember a single time where all products under one of these series were discontinued at the same time.
- Do Arc'teryx jackets run big?
No. I always wear size Medium regardless of the brand, including Arc'teryx. And Arc'teryx mediums fit me perfectly.
- Where can I see all temp ratings in one table?
We're glad you asked. Right here:
Name | Est. Temp (F/C) | Review | Pit venting? | Two way zipper? | Stuffs into itself? | Type | Fill Power (in3/oz) | Fill Weight (g) | Fill Volume (in3) | Synthetic Fill | Synth. Fill Weight | Face Fabric | Activity | Fit | Weight | Length (CB) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arc'teryx Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's) | -18/-28 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 850 | 296 | 8,875 | Coreloft | 90 g/m² | N30r 2L GoreTex Infinium | Climbing | Regular | 805 g / 1 lb 12.4 oz | 86 cm / 34 in | No |
Arc'teryx Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 850 | 117 | 3,508 | Coreloft Compact | 40 g/m² | Hadron 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Climbing | Regular | 540 g / 1 lb 3 oz | 79.5 cm / 31.25 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Atom (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 43/6 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 60 g/m² | 20D Tyono | All Round | Trim | 375 g / 13.2 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 120 g/m2 + 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 30D Tyono | All Round | Regular | 475 g / 1 lb | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Atom Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's) | 52/11 | Review | Yes, mesh | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Compact | 40 g/m² | 20D Tyono | All Round | Trim | 270 g / 9.5 oz | 72 cm / 28.3 in | No |
Arc'teryx Beta Down Insulated (Men's) | 0/-18 | Yes | Yes | No | Parka | 850 | 126 | 3,778 | Coreloft | 80 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | All Round | Regular | 760 g / 1 lb 10.8 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated (Men's - Women's) | 21/-6 | Review | Yes, zips | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 80 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | All Round | Regular | 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz | 78.5 cm / 31 in | No |
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Coat (Women's) | 16/-9 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 80 g/m² + 120 g/m² | 2L 40D Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 86 cm / 34 in | No |
Arc'teryx Cerium (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | Review | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 113 | 3,388 | Coreloft | 80 + 100 g/m² | Arato 15 | All Round | Trim | 335 g / 11.8 oz | 72 cm / 28.3 in | No |
Arc'teryx Cerium Hybrid (Men's) | 44/7 | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 44 | 1,319 | Coreloft | 40 + 100 g/m² | Arato 15 + Fortius Air 50 | All Round | Trim | 260 g / 9.2 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Cerium Lightweight (aka SL) (Women's) | 43/6 | Review | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 58 | 1,739 | Coreloft | 40 + 100 g/m² | Arato 7 | All Round | Trim | 215 g / 7.6 oz | 69 cm / 27.2 in | No |
Arc'teryx Coelle (Women's) | 14/-10 | No | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | 40D 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | ? | 95 cm / 37.4 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Epsilon (Men's) | 26/-3 | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Compact | 80 g/m² | Fortius 1.0 | Around Town | Regular | 644 g / 1 lb 6.7 oz | ? | No | |
Arc'teryx Liatris (Women's) | 5/-15 | No | No | No | Parka | 850 | 93 | 2,788 | Climashield | 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 70D 3L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 890 g / 1 lb 15.4 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Liatris Parka (Women's) | 2/-17 | No | No | No | Parka | 850 | 136 | 4,078 | Climashield | 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | 70D 3L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.093 kg / 2 lb 6.6 oz | 109 cm / 43 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Macai (Men's) | 5/-15 | Review | Yes, zips | No | No | Shell | 750 | 69 | 1,825 | Coreloft Compact | 60 + 100 g/m² | N40p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Ski/Snowboard | Regular | 1 kg / 2 lb 4 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No |
Arc'teryx Macai Lightweight (aka LT) (Men's) | 8/-13 | Yes, zips | No | No | Shell | 750 | 49 | 1,296 | Coreloft Compact | 60 g/m² | N40p-X 3L Gore-Tex | Ski/Snowboard | Regular | 855 g / 1 lb 14.2 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Nuclei (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) | 32/0 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 65 g/m² | Arato 10r | All Round | Regular | 325 g / 11.5 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Nuclei SV (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Continuous | 190 g/m2 + 90 g/m2 | Arato 15 | All Round | Regular | 600 g / 1 lb 5.2 oz | 81 cm / 31.8 in | No |
Arc'teryx Patera (Women's) | 21/-6 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 67 | 1,773 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Trim | 867 g / 1 lb 14.6 oz | 99 cm / 39 in | No |
Arc'teryx Patera Long (Women's) | 0/-18 | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 204 | 5,397 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.1 kg / 2 lb 6.8 oz | 117.5 cm / 46.25 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Proton (aka LT) (Men's - Women's) | 37/3 | Review | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Compact | 80 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | Fortius Air 20 | Climbing | Trim | 375 g / 13.2 oz | 75 cm / 29.4 in | No |
Arc'teryx Proton Heavyweight (Men's - Women's) | 21/-6 | Review | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 100 g/m2 + 60 g/m2 | Fortius Air 50 | All Round | Regular | 540 g / 1 lb 3 oz | 77 cm / 30.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Proton Hybrid (Men's - Women's) | 46/8 | Review | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft Compact | 40 g/m² | Fortius Air 50 | All Round | Trim | 365 g / 12.9 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No |
Arc'teryx Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's) | 48/9 | Review | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | Octa Loft | 94 g/m² | Fortius Air 20 | Climbing | Trim | 343 g / 12.1 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Ralle (Men's) | 14/-10 | No | Yes | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | Coreloft | 120 g/m² | N80p-X 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 735 g / 1 lb 9.9 oz | 83 cm / 32.5 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Therme Parka (Men's) | 5/-15 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 120 | 3,175 | Coreloft | 60 + 80 g/m² | P75d Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 991 g / 2 lb 3 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No |
Arc'teryx Therme SV (Men's) | -11/-24 | Review | No | Yes | No | Parka | 750 | 211 | 5,582 | Coreloft | 60 g/m² | 2L Gore-Tex | Around Town | Regular | 1.072 kg / 2 lb 5.8 oz | 96 cm / 37.75 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium (Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 750 | 140 | 3,704 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 | All Round | Regular | 517 g / 1 lb 2.2 oz | 71.5 cm / 28.1 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium Parka (Women's) | -2/-19 | Review | No | Yes | No | Down | 750 | 209 | 5,529 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 20 | Around Town | Regular | 610 g / 1 lb 5.5 oz | 115.8 cm / 45.6 in | No |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV (Men's) | 3/-16 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 750 | 169 | 4,471 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Around Town | Regular | 645 g / 1 lb 6.8 oz | 73 cm / 28.75 in | No | |
Arc'teryx Thorium SV Parka (Men's) | 0/-18 | No | Yes | No | Down | 750 | 195 | 5,159 | Coreloft | 80 + 140 g/m² | Arato 30 & 2L Gore-Tex Infinium | Around Town | Regular | 685 g / 1 lb 8.2 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
Black Diamond Access Down (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 700 | 155 | 3,827 | N/A | N/A | 30D ripstop nylon | All Round | Regular | 442 g / 15.6 oz | 76 cm / 29.75 in | No | |
Feathered Friends Eos(Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 105 | 3,333 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 306 g / 10.8 oz | ? | No | |
Feathered Friends Khumbu (Men's) | -17/-27 | No | No | Yes | Down | 900 | 378 | 12,000 | Primaloft Gold | 200 g | Pretex Shield XT | All Round | Regular | 960 g / 2 lb 2 oz | ? | No | |
Mountain Equipment Exo (Men's) | -10/-23 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 265 | 7,478 | N/A | N/A | Nylon | All Round | Regular | 770 g / 1 lb 11.2 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No | |
Mountain Equipment K7 (Men's) | -13/-25 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 300 | 8,466 | N/A | N/A | 30D Drilite | All Round | Regular | 820 g / 1 lb 13 oz | 76 cm / 30 in | No | |
Mountain Hardwear GW/2 (Men's - Women's) | 28/-2 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 85 | 2,399 | N/A | N/A | 10D Ripstop Nylon | All Round | Trim | 250 g / 8.8 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Outdoor Research Sup. Alp. (Men's - Women's) | 3/-16 | No | Yes | No | Down | 800 | 182 | 5,136 | N/A | N/A | 30D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 825 g / 1 lb 13.1 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
Patagonia AlpLight (Men's - Women's) | 36/2 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 100 | 2,822 | N/A | N/A | 0.8 oz 10D polyester | All Round | Slim | 270 g / 9.5 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Patagonia AlpLoft (Men's) | -10/-23 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 295 | 8,325 | N/A | N/A | Pertex Quantom | All Round | Regular | 680 g / 1 lb 8 oz | 81 cm / 31.8 in | No | |
Patagonia DAS (Men's - Women's) | 10/-12 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco | 133 + 40 g | Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 555 g / 1 lb 3.6 oz | 84 cm / 33 in | No |
Patagonia DAS Light(Men's) | 34/1 | Review | No | Yes | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PlumaFill | 65 g | 10D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 320 g / 11.3 oz | 77 cm / 30.5 in | No |
Patagonia Down Sweater (Men's - Women's) | 23/-5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 150 | 4,233 | N/A | N/A | 1.4 oz 20x30D polyester | All Round | Regular | 428 g / 15.1 oz | 67 cm / 26.25 in | No |
Patagonia Downdrift (Men's - Women's) | 18/-8 | No | No | No | Down | 600 | 279 | 5,905 | N/A | N/A | 4.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.014 kg / 2 lb 3.8 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | No | No | Yes | Down | 800 | 128 | 3,612 | N/A | N/A | 20D Nylon | All Round | Regular | 632 g / 1lb 6.3 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Patagonia Isthmus (Men's) | 36/2 | No | No | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | ThermoGreen | 60 g | 4.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 895 g / 1 lb 15.6 oz | 70 cm / 27.5 in | No | |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier (Men's - Women's) | 12/-11 | Review | No | Yes | No | Down | 700 | 141 | 3,482 | N/A | N/A | 3.6 oz 50D polyester | Around Town | Regular | 880 g / 1 lb 15 oz | 79 cm / 31 in | No |
Patagonia Jackson Glacier Parks ( Women's) | 7/-14 | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 218 | 5,383 | N/A | N/A | 50D Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.142 kg / 2 lb 8.3 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Micro Puff (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PlumaFill | 65 g | Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 298 g / 10.5 oz | 75 cm / 29.5 in | No |
Patagonia Nano Air (Men's - Women's) | 41/5 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | FullRange | 60 g | 33D nylon ripstop | All Round | Trim | 401 g / 14.14 oz | ? | No |
Patagonia Nano Air Light Hybrid (Men's - Women's) | 50/10 | No | No | No | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | FullRange | 40 g | 20D nylon ripstop | All Round | Trim | 335 g / 11.8 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Nano Puff (Men's - Women's) | 37/3 | Review | No | No | Yes | Synthetic | N/A | N/A | N/A | PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco | 60 g | 22D Polyester | All Round | Regular | 363 g / 12.8 oz | 71.5 cm / 28 in | No |
Patagonia Silent Down (Men's - Women's) | 26/-3 | Review | No | No | No | Down | 700 | 109 | 2,691 | N/A | N/A | 2.2 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 585 g / 1 lb 4.7 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No |
Patagonia Stormshadow (Men's) | 0/-18 | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 259 | 6,395 | N/A | N/A | 75D Polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.182 kg / 2 lb 9.7 oz | ? | No | |
Patagonia Tres 3-in-1Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 (Men's - Women's) | 8/-13 | Review | No | No | No | Parka | 700 | 118 | 2,914 | N/A | N/A | 5.5 oz polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.307 kg / 2 lb 14.1 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No |
Patagonia Vosque 3-in-1 (Women's) | 10/-12 | Review | No | No | No | Parka | N/A | N/A | N/A | ThermoLite | 100 g | 65% nylon, 35% polyester | Around Town | Regular | 1.360 kg / 3 lb | 90 cm / 35.5 in | No |
Rab Electron Pro (Men's - Women's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 180 | 5,079 | N/A | N/A | 20D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 525 g / 1 lb 2.5 oz | 74 cm / 29 in | No | |
Rab Infinity Alpine (Men's) | 5/-15 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 175 | 4,938 | N/A | N/A | 30D & 13D Gore-Tex Infinium | All Round | Regular | 551 g / 1 lb 3.4 oz | 76.5 cm / 30.1 in | No | |
Rab Infinity Microlight (Men's - Women's) | 19/-7 | No | No | Yes | Down | 700 | 146 | 3,605 | N/A | N/A | 13D Gore-Tex Infinium | All Round | Regular | 452 g / 15.9 oz | 74 cm / 29.1 in | No | |
Rab Microlight Alpine (Men's - Women's) | 7/-14 | No | No | Yes | Down | 700 | 153 | 3,778 | N/A | N/A | 30D Pertex Quantum | All Round | Regular | 466 g / 1 lb 0.5 oz | 72 cm / 28.5 in | No | |
Rab Neutrino Pro (Men's - Women's) | -2/-19 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 212 | 5,982 | N/A | N/A | 20D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 585 g / 1 lb 8.6 oz | 77 cm / 30.3 in | No | |
Rab Positron Pro (Men's) | -13/-25 | No | Yes | Yes | Down | 800 | 300 | 8,466 | N/A | N/A | 40D Pertex Quantum Pro | All Round | Regular | 740 g / 1 lb 10 oz | 85 cm / 33.5 in | No | |
REI Magma 850 Hoodie 2.0 (Men's - Women's) | 14/-10 | No | No | Yes | Down | 850 | 120 | 3,598 | N/A | N/A | Pertex mini ripstop nylon | All Round | Regular | 340 g / 13.75 oz | 74 cm / 29.25 in | No |
- Poll results: Giant Arc'teryx & Patagoina survey (Gore-Tex, pockets, hoods, fit, & more) [1000+ participated]
- Pics from outrageous discounts I ran into at Arc'teryx Parndorf Outlet
- I bought Gamma Lightweight (aka SL), Gamma (aka LT) and Gamma MX
- Patera Parka (one year update): Ain't worth the price...
- Alpha vs Beta: I bought all 4 Beta's and both Alpha's. Settling this for good
- I visited Iceland again, this time with a Nuclei (aka FL)
- Proton Hybrid: A "hidden" way to stuff it in itself!?
- Best Insulated Jackets: A hands-on Arc'teryx & Patagonia face-off
- 2024 Nano Air is in! Bought it immediately...
- I bought all 7 of Winter '24 Atom and Proton jackets
- Best Arc'teryx Ski Jackets: Rush is ideal, Sabre SV is overkill
- Arc’teryx colors: Most and least liked (poll results)
- Took my Nuclei SV to the Alps near Pfander, Austria
- Arc'teryx Alpha Parka Review: The most impressive jacket of all time
- Arc'teryx ReGEAR: OutdoorCrunch exclusive promo code!
- Beta Insulated Jacket is in: Pit zips AND two way zipper
- DropHood vs StormHood: Pros/cons and best uses
- 7 things all Arc'teryx newbies should know
Like hauntingly dark yet brilliantly brilliant electronic music? Check out my Hidden Electronic Gems playlist at Spotify.
- Macai Shell: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/macai-shell-jacket
- Nita: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/womens/nita-down-jacket
- Epsilon: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/epsilon-insulated-hoody
- Cerium Pants (yes, seriously): https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/cerium-pant
- Liatris: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/womens/liatris-down-jacket
- Thorium SV: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/thorium-sv-hoody
- Proton Heavyweight: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/proton-heavyweight-hoody
- Atom Shacket: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/womens/atom-shacket
- New Nano Air: https://patagonia.com/product/mens-nano-air-insulated-hoody/84367.html
Archive
Below belongs to Arc'teryx recommendations before 2022. Some products that take place in there are discontinued. But that write-up helped many people in the past few years so I'll just leave it here.
Press on the icon to unfold.
I'd like to start by disclosing that giving these recommendations is difficult.
Because, not only the terms such as "extreme cold", "comfortable" or "weather resistant" are highly fluid and subjective, but also almost everyone has different intended uses.
This is not to say that there aren't some facts apply to the vast, vast majority of us. And this is what I'll try to provide you with in this post.
IMPORTANT: Typical settings correspond to the following.
- Severe Weather: Where maximizing waterproofing and wind resistance performances are needed.
- Variable Weather: Where a wide range of weather conditions are expected - but nothing extreme.
- Mild Weather: Only light precipitation and/or wind.
- Extreme Cold: The name says it all.
- Variable Temperature: Used through multiple seasons.
- Mild Temperature: Cool conditions such as breezy summer nights.
I'd like to remind you one more time the importance of reading individual reviews of some selected pieces.
Now let's get to the typical buyer profiles for each purpose & setting.
Some of the recommended products are discontinued (mostly temporarily), so you can't get them from arcteryx.com. Check out REI's Arc'teryx clothing section in that case.
Multi-Use
Extreme Cold
There's almost nothing you can't do with the extremely versatile Proton (aka LT) (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Insulated: Absolutely the Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's). It's the warmest Arc'teryx jacket. Stuffs into itself and comes with a two way zipper. Alternatively you can get the Thorium SV (Men's) or Thorium (Men's - Women's - read my review). Ceres SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) and Firebee AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) would be perfect alternatives but they are discontinued.
- If you're looking for a multi-use synthetic insulated jacket in extreme colds, then check out Nuclei SV (Men's - Women's - read review). It's the warmest Arc'teryx synthetic. Fission SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) once was the warmest Arc'teryx synthetic. But it got discontinued.
Variable Temperature (& Variable Weather)
- Insulated: For literally any high output activity, I'd recommend the Proton (aka LT) (Men's - Women's - read my review) my eyes closed. This and Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) are at the top two of my all time Arc'teryx favorites.
- Atom (aka LT) (Men's - Women's - read my review) is the most obvious alternative in here. It's slightly less warm and weather/abrasion resistant than the Proton. But owing to its side fleece panels, it's more breathable. Read more about Atom vs Proton in this article.
- For stationary use in wet weather, I'd recommend the synthetic insulated Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's - read my review). It's a fantastic jacket that will almost never disappoint.
Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's - read my review).
Mild Temperature
- Insulated: For high output activities, Proton Hybrid Hoody (Men's - Women's - read my review) is probably what you're looking for. Think of it as a crossover between a softshell and an insulated jacket.
- Both the Proton Lightweight (aka FL) (Men's - Women's - read my review) and the Atom SL (soon to be called Atom Lightweight) (Men's - Women's - read my review) would be the top alternatives to this. Cerium Hybrid is the closest down jacket alternative to these (Men's - read my review).
- Insulated: For stationary use, I'd recommend the Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's - read my review).
Severe Weather
- Shell: Absolutely the Beta SV (Men's - Women's - read my review). It's currently discontinued but I'm confident they'll bring it back. Currently its alternative is Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read review).
- If you'll be climbing a lot (say, 50+% of the time), then I'd recommend the Alpha SV (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Both Beta SV and Alpha SV are fantastic jackets and neither of them are going to disappoint. They're extremely stiff, durable, weather protective and abrasion resistant. I'm 99.9% sure they will provide much more than what you need. In fact, in most situations, these two pieces are even more likely to come overkill than not enough.
- To read more about both Arc'teryx's Beta and Alpha Series, check out my Arc'teryx Alpha vs Beta article.
- Insulated: Absolutely the Beta Down Insulated (Men's). Just released for Winter 2024 and it's a stunning jacket.
Variable Weather
Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Shell: Absolutely the Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read my review). The alternative is equally as great, the Beta LT (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Further reading:
- Insulated shell: The new member Beta Insulated (Men's - Women's - read my review). It's one of the very few Arc'teryx hardshells that come with insulation.
- On top of that, Beta Insulated Jacket is the first Arc'teryx jacket to offer pit ventilation (in this case, zips) and a two way front main zipper at the same time. This makes it even more unique, and hence it's being talked about a lot.
- Of course no single jacket can substitute the advantages of a layering combination, especially a stunning combination like the Proton + Beta AR, but Beta Insulated Jacket is as closest as one can get on its own.
- The greatest alternative to Beta Insulated is the Beta Down Insulated (Men's).
Mild Weather
Gamma MX (soon to be called Gamma Heavyweight) (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Shell: Gamma MX (soon to be called Gamma Heavyweight) (Men's - Women's - read my review), Gamma (aka LT) (Men's - Women's - read my review) and Gamma Lightweight (aka SL) (Men's - Women's - read my review) are all great options for this. The difference between these three are smaller than the differences between the jackets that take part under the same line.
- Go for the Lightweight if you want trimmest fit in the body and hood, if you're OK with just two hand warmer zippers, and if you want something super light (11 oz or 310 g). Go for the MX (aka Heavyweight) if you want to maximize durability, want additional chest pockets and want helmet compatibility. If you want something in between, get the base (aka LT).
Severe Weather & Extreme Cold
- Insulated: Absolutely the Nuclei SV (Men's - read my review). It's an amazing jacket. Kappa (Men's - read my review), Fission SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) and Dually Belay Parka (Men's - read my review) are mostly amazing alternatives for this, though they all got discontinued. That's why the links will take you to their pages on REI. Their availability tend to fluctuate throughout the season, so check back regularly.
By the way...
Therme Parka (Men's - read my review).
I can't stop but mention that as long as the weather isn't something extreme, layering the Proton LT and Beta AR together would make a killer combo in almost any situation.
Compared to getting just one piece at the price of Proton LT + Beta AR, getting two of them would also make your wardrobe more versatile... Something to think about if you ask me.
Casual Use
I'll assume...
- Little output,
- That the style is almost just as important as the performance and capability,
- That layering is an option but not a primary preference because I'm assuming warm indoors and it's a pain to put the jackets on and off all the time.
Extreme Cold
Products below provide INCREDIBLE degrees of warmth. So much that it'd be foolish to wear them when it's fairly cold and not extremely cold because you're likely to overheat.
My girlfriend wearing my Thorium AR (pre-2021 Thorium) in Iceland.
- Top Parka: Therme SV (Men's - read my review) or Patera Long (Women's) would be the top picks in here. Therme (Men's - read my review) and Patera (Women's - read my review) are the most obvious alternatives, but I generally don't recommend the Patera because it's a bit of a risky item.
- Alessa (Women's - read my review) was a pretty good alternative but got discontinued as of Winter '24.
- In terms of warmth, the Thorsen (Men's - read my review) was the closest Arc'teryx has ever gotten to Therme SV. It was closer than the Therme Parka. But it's discontinued.
- Top Synthetic Insulated Jacket: Again, the Nuclei SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) can be a pretty good option here. Kappa (Men's - read my review), Fission SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) and Dually Belay Parka (Men's - read my review) are mostly amazing alternatives for this, though again they all got discontinued.
- Top Down Jacket: The warmest option is Alpha Parka (Men's - Women's). The top alternative is the new arrival Thorium SV (Men's). Ceres SV (Men's - read my review), Cerium SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) and Firebee AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) were once stunning absolute units but they got discontinued.
Cold
- Top Parka: My picks are Ralle (Men's) and Coelle (Women's). Magnus (Men's) and Durant (Women's) are discontinued but they're still perfect alternatives to these. Other discontinued parkas in this department can be listed as the Koda (Men's), Radsten, Radsten Insulated and Sensa (Women's). I probably would go after the Magnus or Durant instead of these, though.
- Top Synthetic Insulated Jacket: Atom Heavyweight (aka AR) (Men's - Women's - read my review). There is an alternative for men - the Kappa (Men's - read my review). Unfortunately, there's no true alternative for women.
- Atom AR is kind of unbeatable. It's one of the longest living pieces in the Arc'teryx catalogue, and it doesn't seem like it's stopping any time soon. Its popularity has almost always been increasing and it never gets old. It's a fantastic all-doer jacket.
- Top Down Jacket: Alpha Lightweight (Men's - Women's) is your jacket. Thorium SV (Men's) or Thorium (Men's - Women's - read my review) are alternatives.
Cerium SL.
Variable Temperature & Weather
- Synthetic Insulated Jacket: Absolutely the Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's - read my review). I took it to Iceland and tried it on during late March. Never ceased to fascinate me. An amazing jacket.
Mild Temperature & Weather
- Top Parka: Sawyer (Men's) or Codetta (Women's).
- Top Synthetic Insulated Jacket: Proton Hybrid (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- Top Down Jacket: Cerium SL (Men's - Women's - read my review). Wouldn't be that suitable for wet weather though.
Hiking & Trekking
Arc'teryx used to have a line that is exclusive to hiking and trekking, the Zeta line. In Spring 2021, it has been discontinued and remains that way since then.
Beta and Alpha lines will fill the bill even better than the Zeta line, though. So nothing to worry about in here.
Severe Weather
Alpha SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) in action. Absolute unit.
- Top Shell: Beta Down Insulated (Men's) and Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) are perfect for this situation. Beta SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) is a stunning alternative but it has got discontinued like I said.
- One thing to consider is that if you'll also be climbing a lot on the side (spending, say, 30+% of the time climbing), then you might also want to consider getting the Alpha SV (Men's - Women's - read my review) as well. Lots of people take it to hiking and it works just fine.
Variable Weather
- Top Shell: Beta AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) or Gamma MX (Men's - Women's - read my review). Depending on your preferences when it comes to hardshells vs softshells.
Mild Weather
- Top Emergency Shell: This is the only department where Arc'teryx doesn't offer any jackets currently. That's why you must get one of the discontinued products.
- The Zeta FL (Men's - Women's - read my review) or Zeta SL (Men's - Women's) are both great choices - if you can find them.
- Softshell: Gamma SL (Men's - Women's - read my review) or Gamma LT (Men's - Women's - read my review).
- I had recommended the Squamish (Men's - Women's - read my review) for this before, but I don't like what they did to it with the recent revisions. Its breathability now stands at below average. Read more about this here in my Houdini vs Squamish post.
- Hardshell: Beta (Men's - Women's), Beta Lightweight (Men's - Women's) or Beta LT (Men's - Women's).
To be honest you should be endorsed and sponsored by certain brands, your description on several Arcteryx products supersedes any marketing explanation provided by the brands it self
Glad you found it helpful Disce! Let me know if you disagree with anything and I’m happy to discuss further.
Also, actually, if you click one of my links that goes to Arcteryx.com before you make purchase, I do get compensated with a small commission with no extra cost to you. So I also make a little bit money on the side 😛
Thanks for the extremely thorough guide! I have read through most of it and it seemed to be super helpful information. I am now in the midst of pursuing a Proton LT. Also, do you have any opinion on the discontinued Theta AR? I recall them being much baggier than the Beta AR, even though the technical difference should just be the length (I think the Theta was just as long as the Zeta AR). Also, do you recommend layering something as thick as the Cerium SV underneath a Theta/Beta AR? Or would you rather pair the Cerium SV with the Beta SV?
Thanks again for your help!
Hello,
Thanks for the detailed guide.
When you are mentioning that beta AR and proton LT is a killer combo, do you refer to proton lt hoodie or proton lt jacket ?
Thanks !
Thanks Jean.
Both would work, but I always recommend the hooded option.
Hi, i’m quite a clothes junky,I love nice clothes and spend a fortune on them. I’m always researching all I can and I want to say that your info is outstanding! Thank You Canberk, your ausome…
Hey,
First off, I love you and this site. I have learned so much and found this so helpful it’s insane.
I’ve got my eyes on the Cerium SV as my winter coat. I know I need & should pair it with a shell. When I was at the Arcteryx store I was shown the Beta LT as a great shell to protect it and add a level if it was very wet or windy. I noticed on your ratings that durability is a 4/10. Is there a better shell by Arcteryx that you would pair with the Cerium?
Just saw this Schneur, sorry about that.
Beta LT was once a great item, and I’d recommend it to pretty much anyone – and its ratings were better too. But with the 2021 revision, it kind of sucks now. Arc’teryx decided to make it cheaper, unfortunately.
Did you end up buying it?
Glad to hear you found my site helpful!
I believe is rating of the Beta LT is out of date. It complains about the lack of pit zips when the 2021 Beta LT has them.
Hi thanks for infos. Would you check Rab Nebula pro jacket? what can you say about Temperature ratings of that jacket?
Most complete comparison available! – Thank you
How would you compare the current Arc’teryx jackets vs. the older, made in Canada models? Is it worth the effort to search for a good condition used, Canadian-made jacket?
Well, over the past few days, I have gone cross-eyed searching throughout the wormhole of Arc’teryx jackets. I’m trying to find the perfect “do-all” jacket and I’m probably asking way too much of one setup. My primary activities for any jacket would be cycling and then casual wear. When I say casual wear, though, this means walking great lengths in a downpour to fetch a car, occasional trail work in the rain, and alot of sitting in freezing temps for long periods of time watching sporting events.
That said, my first search was for a shell. I’ve been wanting to increase my abilities to ride my bike in wet winters, so my quest began for a good rain shell. Cycling jackets can be very specific and slightly different from all other jackets due to the cut. However, I’ve settled on chancing it with Arcteryx due to most of their jackets having a drop tail design. I’m thinking since I’m between sizes, i could downsize to keep it from flapping around in the wind, while biking. Plus, if I use it backpacking, it will also be more streamlined under a pack and not excess material bunching up. Then of course, waterproof and breathability are the main requirements. I believe I’ve settled on a Beta SL Hybrid. (I’m thinking the AR is overkill?)
As for an insulating layer, to tough out those freezing cold sporting events, I thought about adding the Proton jacket (either the LT or AR…..unsure).
Based on the above info, is my idea good or do you have a better suggestion?
This website is absolutely brilliant and I hope you can find a way to monetise it, while staying independent, so you can do it full time. I have decided to purchase the Beta SV based on your advice.
Loved all the great information…I’m trying in vain to find a replacement for my beloved Gamma AR (no hoody version)…to no avail. I’ve tried Gamma LT and MX, but they are both lighter. Hope they make the Gamma AR again someday – I’m currently investigating the Arcteryx LEAF site to see if there is anything similar over there….any suggestions for a no-hood soft-shell in a slightly heavier weight than the Gamma LT?
Wha!!
Thank very much for such a detailing report.
Great website. Incredibly informative. I work at REI, plus have a PhD in computational fluid dynamics 😉 and you sir have boiled down Arc’teryx details, options, and more, better than I ever could.
Thank you so much for all of this great information!!! Knowing the Arcteryx fall 2021 additions to their lineup, I’d like to ask if you will be doing a review of the new Alpha Parka. On the Arcteryx website they mention that the down fill is about 3.2 ounces. I’m guessing that the remaining weight is the coreloft (given the total weight of this jacket seems to be more coreloft than down??). You mention that this jacket is warmer than the Ceres SV and Firebee that both have higher down fill ratings. So I’m a bit confused about how it is warmer. Any additional info? Thank you!!
Hello,
thanks for the info!
I saw there is a new Beta jacket shell in the lineup (without any modifier). What do you think about it?
thanks!
Thank you so much for this detailed information. It was very helpful. Really appreciate it! 🙂