Synthetic Insulated Jackets

Along with Dually Belay, Fission SV and Nuclei SV; Kappa (Men's) is one of the warmest and most weather resistant synthetic insulated jackets Arc'teryx has ever manufactured. Being designed specifically for stationary use in damp areas, which is a pretty standard and common type of use, it's a shame that Arc'teryx never offered this absolute unit in women's counterpart. 

In summary; if you're looking for a warm, comfortable, casual jacket you can use many years during cold and damp city days, then Kappa can be a great option for you (don't expect any breathability or packability, though). My only complaint is that it's bulky. Wish it was offered in regular fit. 

Now let's take a closer look at it. 

Warmth

Kappa is equipped with 140 g/m² of Coreloft Continuous. Coreloft, and specifically Coreloft Continuous, is Arc'teryx's most common synthetic insulator. You can see a list of Arc'teryx's all insulated jackets, their insulators and the insulation amounts in this guide I've put together. 

• Insulation isn't the only factor that determines warmth (face fabric, fit, length etc also play a role though weaker) - though it's the most important one. So I'll limit the context here to the insulation. 

Considering the fact that insulation density of other jackets in the market and in Arc'teryx line up mostly hover around below 100 g/m², 140 g/m² of insulation puts Kappa quite a bit ahead in warmth department. 

Speaking of the performance of the insulator itself, Coreloft Continuous, it's almost impossible to determine its stance along other synthetic insulators like PrimaLoft and ThermaTek.

Though reverse engineering shows me that they aren't all that different from one another, as I explained in this post. 

Now how do all these play out in practice? 

Considering you only have a t-shirt under the Kappa, assuming little wind and casual use (no output), you'll most likely to wear it comfortably in temperatures over 7 deg F (-14 deg C). 

Weather Resistance

This is the other important selling point of the Kappa. Owing to its synthetic insulation, it doesn't lose its insulating power when it gets wet.

This is the most important advantage the synthetic jackets have over down jackets. 

Lastly, like most other Arc'teryx, Kappa also comes with a DWR coating on top. 

Packability

Like I said, Kappa isn't packable at all. You must have a very good reason to pack it when traveling. I wouldn't recommend doing it at all. 

If you're looking for something packable, then I'd recommend you to check out both Arc'teryx's Jacket Finder tool as well as my post on best Arc'teryx jackets. 

Breathability

Kappa isn't breathable. But I don't complain about this because breathability isn't something that Arc'teryx tried to achieve with this piece.

After all, Kappa isn't designed for high output activities anyway. 

Fit

My only complaint with this hoody is that it fits a little large. It feels somewhat bulky. Wish it came in a truly regular fit. 

Yeah, Arc'teryx does advertise the Kappa as regular fit, but as you can see, I don't find this to be entirely true. I'd place its fit somewhere between relaxed and regular fit. 

Conclusion

Kappa (Men's) can be a great option for you if you're looking to buy a warm jacket you can wear when it's freezing. 

Keep in mind that it's not designed for high output activities, and that it might not be warm enough under 7 deg F (-14 deg C) with only a t-shirt under if you're like most people! 

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

For Spring/Summer 2021, Arc'teryx just released a new piece to their Atom line: Atom SL Anorak. 

It has been available on MEC.ca (Women's) and also on Bergfreunde.eu for a while now (since early-mid January). 

But for the US, the Atom SL Anorak is only available just yet (mid February). 

This delay actually isn't exclusive to 2021, and instead, Arc'teryx always seems to be late to release Spring/Summer updates to the US for some reason. 

Summary

Atom SL Anorak is designed for milder temperatures (chilly spring & summer mornings) where mid to high output activity is expected. It's quite a bit windproof, but offers below average waterproofing. 

Due to the lack of insulation in the arms (mesh lined sleeves) as well as the minimal amount of insulation in the body, Atom SL Anorak will have breathability in mind when high output activity is the goal. 

Warmth

Among the entire Arc'teryx insulated jacket army, Atom SL and Atom SL Anorak are the ones that offer the least amount of warmth. They offer the lightest density of insulation (Coreloft 40 (40 g/m²)). Arms are NOT insulated. 

As you can see, Atom SL is down at the bottom in this table (temperature rating of Atom SL Anorak is identical with that of Atom SL): 

But, since this anorak is designed for high output activities in chilly summer mornings, this isn't (shouldn't be) the main thing to expect from this piece. It isn't, after all, what it's trying to accomplish. 

What Atom SL is trying to accomplish is a top-notch breathability, and it does a perfect job with that. 

Breathability

This is (should be) the main buying point for not only the Atom SL Anorak but also the Atom SL. Tyono 20 outer fabric and fleece side panels of Atom SL Anorak do a pretty good job together to keep you ventilated. 

The only reasonable alternative you would have to Atom SL Anorak would be the Proton FL. Proton FL also provides perfect breathability. It's actually even slightly more breathable. 

Read my Proton FL vs Atom SL comparison for more information about both. 

Weather Resistance

Tyono 20 of Atom SL is quite a bit wind proof. During spring & summer, wind proofing is a higher priority than water proofing when enjoying outdoors. It's especially necessary during any high output activity. 

As I explained earlier into the post, Atom SL Anorak is also equipped with a chest pocket, unlike most other Arc'teryx insulated jackets - which are equipped with typical hand pockets. 

When this pocket configuration is combined with its superior windproofing capability Atom SL Anorak becomes a pretty good option for climbing folks. 

Lastly, although the Atom SL Anorak is less waterproof than its cousins Atom LT and Atom AR (here's my Atom SL vs Atom LT comparison and my Atom LT vs Atom AR comparison); it is, DWR coated. 

Fit

Atom SL Anorak fits very trim. Front hem is also longer than that of Atom LT. 

Atom SL vs Atom SL Anorak

Atom SL Anorak is exactly the same as Atom SL (Men's - Women's - read my review) itself except for the zipper and pocket configurations. 

• Atom SL Anorak comes with a 3/4 zip, and offers only one chest pocket; instead of two side pockets of Atom SL.

And which one would be better for you? Depends. 

Unless Atom SL Anorak fits your body type (skinny build) and/or you'll be climbing with this piece 95% of the time... 

...then I think I'd get the Atom SL over Atom SL Anorak any day. 

Here's a good video review of Atom SL Anorak: 

#Note: Find full Arc'teryx review list at the bottom. 

Summary

Dually Belay Parka is the warmest synthetic insulated piece in the Arc'teryx line-up. It's also the 3rd warmest in Arc'teryx's entire insulated jacket family (excluding this monster from Arc'teryx LEAF, as its "too technical"). 

Dually Belay is also my top Arc'teryx pick for extreme colds, as you can see here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/best-arcteryx-jacket/

Warmth

First thing you should know about Dually Belay is that it's stupid warm. 

It's equipped with ThermaTek (exclusive to Arc'teryx), which provides a superior insulation capability than other insulation filaments such as the Coreloft. 

Not only the insulation filament used in Dually Belay is premium, but also the amount of this insulation is generous (92 g/m²). 

And even this is not the end point for this parka in terms warmth. 

If you're familiar with my post about the working principles of insulated jackets, then you already know that this is a huge advantage for warmth. Because the air trapped in between the layers is also leveraged to work as an extra layer of insulation. 

If you paid enough attention to your Thermodynamics class in school, then you already know what I'm talking about. Air makes up a perfect insulation material. 

To summarize... 

Dually Belay is... WARM. Mind you, though, if you're like most people, for temperatures over 20 deg F (-7 deg C), it can even be TOO WARM for most of you! 

Weather Resistance

Dually Belay is equipped with 30 denier nylon face fabric. This is quite a bit wind and water proof, although not as waterproof as another similar Arc'teryx jacket Fission SV (more on this later). 

Dually Belay is also DWR coated. 

In summary, I'd highly doubt you'll experience any problems in terms of water and wind resistance inside this jacket. Synthetic insulated jackets are known for being very resistant to wet weather conditions. 

Alternatives

There's only one TRUE alternative to Dually Belay Parka, and it's the Fission SV (Men's - Women's - read my review). 

I evaluated Fission SV's temperature rating as well, and found it to be 3 deg F (-16 deg C). Whereas that of Dually Belay is lower at 0 deg F (-18 deg C), as mentioned earlier in this post. 

As you see, Fission SV still very warm, though it isn't as warm as Dually Belay. 

Now although the Fission SV isn't as warm as the Dually Belay (as you see), it does get ahead of Dually Belay in one department: Waterproofing. Fission SV is noticeably more waterproof than the Dually Belay. 

In fact, it's the warmest fully waterproof Arc'teryx jacket. 

Another advantage of Fission SV is that it's also offered in women's specific counterpart, unlike Dually Belay which is only offered for men. 

Here's the product video for Dually Belay Parka: 

As most of you already know, I've been sharing helpful guides to all kinds of Arc'teryx jackets for the last couple of years now (find full post list at the bottom). 

CAUTION: Fission SV is NOT designed for high output use (lacks breathability). If you're not OK with this, then STOP READING THIS POST RIGHT HERE and go see my guide to Arc'teryx Jackets to find out the right jacket for your own needs. 

Summary

Despite its minor flaws (loose collar configuration & rough zipper flow), Fission SV would still worth getting. Because no other jacket can be even nearly as warm, windproof and waterproof at the same time. In other words, it mostly has no alternatives to it out there. 

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 line-up, the Fission SV is the warmest synthetic insulated jacket: 

In most cases, Fission SV can be a great option for stationary use in quite cold (think below 10 deg F's (-12 deg C's)) AND wet AND windy conditions.

Now...

This degree of warmth is really great, but isn't something we aren't used to. There are equally warm and even warmer jackets out there. Hell, this bad boy *slaps jacket* from the LEAF neighborhood keeps you warm out at degrees as low as -40 deg F / -40 deg C! 

You don't need me to tell you that this is crazy. 

So, as you see, the warmth capability isn't really what makes the Fission SV special and irreplaceable. 

So let's move on to take a look at other things. 

Weather protection

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

Now this isn't wrong.

Combination of N80p-X GORE-TEX 2L face fabric and a DWR coating repels the water perfectly well. It prevents the water from getting soaked into the fabric, too. 

The job it does in this department is actually even better than the Fission SV's warmer synthetic insulated alternative 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 waterproofing outerwear than the Fission SV. 

Having said that... Just a heads up:

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

Some clothing materials are more waterproof than the others, and vice versa. Given the right amount of time and intensity, all clothing materials will soak water in. 

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 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 here. 

This, actually, can only be achieved with synthetic insulated jackets (since down mostly tend to lose its insulating capability under damp conditions). 

Offering warmth & weather protection at the same time is what makes the Fission SV so special. 

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. 

Actually, please do reach out to me and let me know if you do come across one. 

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. Can be annoying, but I don't think it's a deal-breaker - at least not for me. 

Lastly, here's the product video: