Arc'teryx released the Beta Insulated Jacket and Beta Insulated Coat in FW23:
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-insulated-jacket
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/womens/beta-insulated-jacket
- https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/womens/beta-insulated-coat
In this post, the Beta Insulated Jacket will be reviewed.
If you want some thoughts on Beta Insulated Coat, check out the bottom of this post as well as the jacket tables.
After releasing Proton Hybrid Hoody (Men's - Women's - read my review) a few days prior to the Beta Insulated, this makes it their second true crossover between a shell and an insulated jacket.
I wasn't even sure which category this article should be belong to (shell or insulated jackets?). In the end, I decided to include it under both categories.
Summary
Arc'teryx Beta Insulated Jacket is the true jack of all trades, master of none kinda jacket. You can use it pretty much for anything from casual use around town to high output activities.
The only area you would not be able to use it would be when it's not that cold. Coreloft 80 gsm is a lot and enough to overheat most of us.
If you're looking for a do-it-all Arc'teryx jacket in average cold and/or inclement weather, look no further. Beta Insulated would definitely be one of my primary recommendations.
You can absolutely achieve higher versatility with an alternative combo like a Proton (aka LT) or an Atom (aka LT) + a Beta LT or a Beta AR over either one of them.
So I'd consider that option as well. But the simplicity advantages you get with wearing just one jacket are certainly not negligible for the ease of use.
If this will be your first ever Arc'teryx jacket... then you might have found the one.
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.
Warmth
Beta Insulated is equipped with 80 gsm Coreloft Continuous synthetic insulation. The main advantage you get with synthetic insulation is that unlike down, it doesn't lose its insulating power under wet weather conditions.
That said, pound by pound, it provides less warmth than down.
Coreloft Continuous will also provide more warmth than the Coreloft Compact. Read more about synthetic insulators like Coreloft in my CLO Values Explained and Compared article.
So how much is 80 gsm in reality and what would be the degree of warmth it would provide?
Name Activity Breathability Weather Res. Durability Temp (F/C) Bottom line 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 Go-to climbing harshell. 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 Strongest climbing hardshell. 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 Streamlined all-doer shell. 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 Go-to all-round harshell. 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 Go-to hybrid jacket. 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 Strongest all-round harshell. 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 Go-to softshell. 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 Strongest softshell. 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 Strongest ski jacket. 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 Go-to ski jacket. 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 Go-to ski jacket. 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 Go-to running jacket. 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
Performance data axis of synthetic jackets (table above) and shell jackets (this table) are different. Don't compare them.
Breathability
The breathability of this jacket is outstanding.
Not that it's equipped with a state of the art face fabric, but because it's the only hardshell in the entire Arc'teryx's line up that comes with not one but TWO mechanical venting options (pit zips AND two way front zipper!).
As you might already know, two-way zippers have lately been a big deal around Arc'teryx jackets. It seems like customers are also split into two.
The overwhelming majority wants to see two way zippers because of added breathability and comfort (when sitting down - more on this in a second), while the remaining minority disliking them because how much of a headache they cause due to breaking often and easily.
Each to their own. Indeed, most of Arc'teryx warranty claims seem to come from two way zippers, so one should give it to them. But then again, warranty claims are few, and I can definitely understand why some are dying for them.
I personally belong to the minority. I do think the two way zippers break often, but most people aren't like me and they love them. Only you can decide if you want it or not.
Poll results: Best colorways of Beta Series
Upvote your favorites.
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Comfort
The two way zipper doesn't only makes a difference in terms of breathability but it also does in terms of comfort when sitting down.
Keeping the only upper half zipped, you can prevent it from crinkling due its lengthy nature.
Weather & abrasion resistance
The face fabric of this jacket is 2L 40D Gore-Tex main fabric, which is not as stiff as 3L Gore-Tex Pro jackets like Beta AR (Men's - Women's) and Beta SV (Men's - Women's). But it certainly is more comfortable, more stretchy and less noisy.
And it's still pretty stiff if you're not planning to wear the jacket for, say, 15+ years. Beta AR and SV (read my comparison of the two) are mad durable in this regard, so it's not Beta Insulated that is the outlier in here.
It does come with DWR by the way.
DWR is a coating.
It's basically sprayed on to the surface of these jackets as a finish.
It stands for Durable Water Repellent - which means that water will be repelled under wet conditions instead of soaking into the fabric.
DWR also decreases dry time.
It's a good thing these jackets are coated in DWR.
But pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time.
Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one at arcteryx.com for after treatment.
As you see, there's a strong correlation between FP x FW and temperature ratings, but not more than, say, 80%. I explained why this happens here in this post of mine.
Pockets
In addition to three external (two hand warmer and one chest) pockets, Beta Insulated Jacket offers one internal drop in pocket (only on ONE side), and one zippered internal security pocket.
Alternatives
Besides layer combos, this jacket doesn't really have any alternative. At least until now. If we were to include the discontinued pieces, Alpha IS (Men's) could be the closest (as it too is an insulated hardshell), but it was centered around climbing activities instead of being an all round jacket like Beta Insulated, and it does NOT offer pit zips.
For women, there's also the option to get a Beta Insulated Coat. But it doesn't offer pit zips either, though does come with a two way zipper. If you want to increase warmth, and you aren't planning to perform any high output activities with it (because it's stupid long), then consider getting that too.