How to Identify Fake Arc’teryx

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but that old idiom will be of little solace if you find yourself on the wrong end of a counterfeit Arc’teryx product. Arc’teryx knock-offs are increasingly common, which is why a little vigilance will go a long way toward ensuring your hard-earned money is spent on authentic, high-quality Arc’teryx gear. Here are the best ways to identify fake or counterfeit Arc’teryx jackets, vests, pants, packs and other items. 

How do you detect a fake Arc’teryx? Start with these 6 key elements to spotting a counterfeit 

1. Inconsistent or poorly executed logos; incorrect spelling or punctuation of Arc’teryx (check the apostrophe!)

2. Cheap or inferior materials

3. Poor-quality or miscolored zippers and zipper pulls

4. Velcro tabs of incorrect shape and/or material

5. Sloppy stitching, lamination and/or seam tape

6. Hangtags that are missing information and aren’t stitched in place

Let’s dive a bit deeper (with photos) into each of these so you know exactly what to look for.

Still deciding which Arc'teryx jacket is right for you?

• Use Arc'teryx's helpful Jacket Finder tool: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/jacket-finder
• Read our overview of the Best Arc'teryx Jackets: https://outdoorcrunch.com/best-arcteryx-jacket/
• Compare the four top-selling Beta jacket models: https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-beta-lt-vs-beta-ar/
• Shop Arc'teryx's newest arrivals: https://arcteryx.com

Logos

The Arc’teryx logo and brand name are a great place to start. For example, the Archaeopteryx on the logo should have an almost straight tail and a sharp nose. Ensure the embroidery of the Arc’teryx and Gore-Tex logos is clean and with high stitch density. As Arc’teryx states on its Counterfeit Information webpage, the logo should be “tidy, precise, tightly stitched, and visually match the brand standard.”

Some Zeta, Alpha, Beta, and Theta jackets have an emblem on their internal security pocket. This emblem should be cleanly printed and neatly placed. If you're buying one of these jackets, don't forget to check out this emblem.

Also keep in mind that Arc'teryx uses its branded logos and name all over its products. Carefully inspect your jacket’s hardware, such as snap fasteners, hooks, and the zip and cord lock pulls, to see whether the Arc’teryx name and/or logo are present.

Materials

Counterfeiters generally use poor-quality materials to reduce their production costs. For example, when you touch the fabric of a fake Arc'teryx, you'll feel that it's generally rough and less durable.

Arc’teryx zippers are weather-resistant YKK or Vislon. Look closely at your product’s zips to ensure they are one of these two brands. 

Keep in mind that the zipper and zipper pull colors should be compatible with the jacket's design. If the colors don’t match, that’s a red flag.

Authentic Arc'teryx products also feature tapered, well-integrated Velcro tabs (on your jacket’s arm cuffs, for example) that are flexible, plain, and non-rubberized. If the product you’re considering offers something different, it’s a clear sign of a fake.

Seams

If your jacket has bad stitch lines, loose threads, and low stitch density, they're red flags! Arc'teryx jackets and other products are made by highly skilled workers using special sewing machines and other equipment. Waterproof products typically have 16 stitches per inch, and other Arc’teryx products have 12 stitches per inch. In other words, imitating Arc'teryx's high-quality seams is a challenge, even for good counterfeiters.

As you know, seam tape prevents moisture from seeping into a jacket or other product via its stitching holes. Authentic Arc’teryx gear will feature seam tape that’s neatly and cleanly installed. So, the lamination and seam tape on your gear should be narrow, pliable and near-perfect. Not the case? Unfortunately, you’re looking at a fake item.

Tags

Arc'teryx products have consistent tags. Namely, it's extremely rare to find any spelling mistakes or misprinted logos on their labels.

Woven labels in an authentic Arc’teryx product will have proper stitches and be color-matched with other elements. Also, these labels show your jacket’s size. A counterfeit item is likely to feature the wrong size information. That means another (slightly more cumbersome) way to determine the authenticity of your item is to measure its weight and dimensions, and then compare your findings to the detailed product specifications on the official Arc’teryx website.

A genuine care label should display the model code and production date. That said, a waterproof Arc'teryx jacket has a laminated care tag. So, you can also check this material of the label to detect a potential counterfeit.

Arc'teryx jackets are produced in Canada and Asia. It is impossible to tell if your jacket is original based solely on the production site. Nevertheless, this information might help you recognize a fake Arc'teryx. Check out our post where we list Arc’teryx’s manufacturing facilities.

Finally, examine the packaging your product came in. Is your garment carefully packed? Is the info on the package consistent in name, branding and details with what the product is supposed to be?

How to detect fraudulent sites

Now you know what to do to identify a counterfeit Arc'teryx product that you have in hand. But what about online shopping? Here are some ways to recognize fake Arc’teryx items before hitting the “buy” button.

Website domain

The only legit site belonging to Arc'teryx that contains the word "outlet" in the domain name is outlet.arcteryx.com. Also, only official Arc'teryx websites use "arcteryx" anywhere within their domain name. If it has Arc’teryx in its domain and isn’t one of these sites, it’s probably fraudulent:

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/
• https://leaf.arcteryx.com/us/en/
  
• https://outlet.arcteryx.com/us/en/

Price

Arc'teryx is a high-end outdoor company that makes innovative, thoughtfully designed products. Such quality doesn’t come cheap. Beware of offers and discounts that seem too good to be true. Such steep discounts are clear red flags that the website is selling counterfeit Arc'teryx products.

Seller

Make sure the seller is an Arc'teryx authorized dealer or retailer.

Look at the company’s detailed contact information on the website. If you can't find it, it's likely a counterfeiter.

Other obvious signs of scammers: Poor grammar and spelling, typos and low-quality images. Also, check user reviews, particularly those 1-star ratings, which can often be a good indicator of counterfeiters.

Finally, use all the tools and tips here when you’re making a second-hand purchase of supposed Arc’teryx products. Ask the seller for details about the jacket they’re selling, and don’t hesitate to request close-up detail photos to help spot some of the six key elements we detailed above. 

I was duped! What to do if you come across a counterfeit Arc’teryx product

If you think you’ve purchased or discovered a fake Arc’teryx product, the company wants you to report it to them. Send an email to [email protected]. With an attestation form from Arc’teryx, you can often get your money back through Visa or MasterCard for the fake product you purchased. If you have more questions or concerns, reach out to Arc’teryx’s Customer Service team at 866-458-2473 or via https://arcteryx.com/help/contact.