shell jackets

Although Beta AR and SV have their differences in face fabrics, their differences in the hoods (StormHood of Beta SV vs DropHood of Beta AR) will play a much larger role in your satisfaction with these jackets. 

In short, base your decision on the type of the hood you like before anything else. If the hood will mostly be up, then the StormHood of Beta SV is very likely to be more pleasing than the DropHood of Beta AR. If it'll be down most of the time, then a Beta AR will probably be more comfortable and convenient. 

Links: 

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-ar-jacket
• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-sv-jacket
• https://www.rei.com/product/175306/arcteryx-beta-ar-jacket-mens
• https://www.rei.com/product/117229/arcteryx-beta-sv-jacket-mens
• Beta AR vs SV comparison chart: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-daze/X000004766-bordeaux

In the end, this mostly boils down to the intended use.

Since the hood is mostly down during high output activities when it's not that inclement, Beta AR is more likely to be the better option for it. This is why it's treasured by climbers and mountain bikers. 

Beta AR is the only hardshell in Arc'teryx line-up offered with the DropHood, by the way. All the others are offered in StormHood. You can read more about StormHood vs DropHood in https://outdoorcrunch.com/stormhood-vs-drophood/. 

Hoods aside, though, Beta SV is without a doubt the slightly better product when it comes to Beta AR vs SV, unless packability is an issue (which shouldn't be so anyway because otherwise you shouldn't have been looking at these jackets in the first place). 

Lastly, SV is also baggier: Gives you the option to under layer using thicker and/or more garments than the AR (AR is also baggy - but just not as much). 

All in all, both Beta AR and Beta SV are fantastic jackets and they're not going to disappoint. 

N80p-X (Beta SV) vs N40r-X & N80p-X (Beta AR)

The numbers 40 and 80 represent the thread mass - usually referred to as denier and indicated as 40D and 80D. The heavier the thread, the stronger it is.

80D is one of the strongest and most expensive most robust fabrics used in Arc'teryx's high quality technical jackets.

Equipping a jacket solely with a 80D fabric will result in robust structure and very weather resistant & durable nature - but also a heavier weight and less pleasant & somehow "stiff" touch compared to lighter fabrics such as 40D. 

That's exactly the case for Beta SV which uses 80D fabric. 

So why are there two different fabrics (N40r-X & N80p-X) for Beta AR?

Because, like I said before, AR is meant to be the most versatile and well-balanced jacket of all 4 different Beta jackets. 

In order to achieve that, the high wear areas are reinforced using N80p-X: Shoulders, back, forearms and top of the hood. Whereas for all the remaining low wear areas, N40r-X is used. 

By combining two different thread mass where necessary throughout the entire jacket, AR successfully manages to catch a very well balance between weight, packability and price advantages on one side (so called fragile but fast side) and durability and weather-resistance advantages on the other side (so called sturdy but bulky side).

Beta LT, for example, uses 40D throughout the entire jacket. Beta SV uses 80D. These are the jackets with more extreme intended uses compared to the AR.

By combining these two, Beta AR avoids both extremes and offers to be a suitable option for all-rounders like most of us.

Speaking of which, you can check out my Beta LT vs AR comparison here.

What I covered so far makes up almost all the differences between Beta AR and SV, but let's continue. 

Links: 

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-ar-jacket
• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-sv-jacket
• https://www.rei.com/product/175306/arcteryx-beta-ar-jacket-mens
• https://www.rei.com/product/117229/arcteryx-beta-sv-jacket-mens
• Beta AR vs SV comparison chart: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-daze/X000004766-bordeaux

What about r and p?

First of all, both jackets offer the highest quality Gore-Tex: 3L Pro. This makes the weave (r and p) less important. 

• R stands for ripstop, a grid texture where the borders of each square are elevated.
• P stands for plain, where there are no elevated fabrics whatsoever.

So how do they work out in practice?

• Typically, ripstop is expected to cross the pathways of potential tears in the fabric and prevent them from propagating. But in our case Gore-Tex 3L Pro of both jackets is already high quality, so this doesn't cause a noticeable difference to say the least.
• Similarly, plain weave is expected to bead the water more effectively since there aren't any elevated fabrics that block the droplets from sliding. However, in our case, both jackets are DWR coated, so the elevated fabrics doesn't cause a negative impact in water-proofing.

The differences caused by the weave (ripstop vs plain) are really minimal (if not non-existent) especially considering more important stuff like the Gore-Tex type and thread mass (denier).

Breathability

This practically feels the same in both jackets.

Equipped with very robust fabric and strong Gore-Tex, neither of these jackets lean on the breathability side of the equation unlike what some synthetic insulated mid layers such as Arc'teryx Proton LT or Patagonia Nano Air tend to do.

That's why most of what you get for breathability comes from mechanical venting, instead of genuinely breathable membranes. 

This trade-off is actually the case for all the shell jackets, not just Beta SV and AR. A shell is meant to be abrasion and weather resistant first, other things second.

Both jackets come with pit zips (which is a mechanical venting method) so they're the same in breathability - and considering all the other shells out in the market, they're pretty breathable. 

Alpha AR, Alpha SV, Beta AR and Beta SV are the only Arc'teryx hardshells that are offered with pit zips. 

Length

Beta SV is an inch longer than the AR (31 vs 30 inches, or 79 vs 76 cm). 

This can be important if you won't be wearing insulated pants - since the SV is lengthy enough to cover your butt whereas AR reaches down to mid-butt level, but the difference isn't much. 

Bagginess

Beta AR already offers more than enough room for under layering, but SV offers even more of it. 

I'd doubt the ample room you get beneath the AR will come deficient for you when you're using it in non-extreme conditions. 

This is another outcome of Arc'teryx's approach to these jackets. AR is intended to be for all-round users and SV is for extreme weather users. 

Fit

Both are true to size. 

I don't recommend sizing up or down, even if you're thinking of under layering it with thick insulated jackets like Atom AR, for example. 

Conclusion

Now if this is you:

• "I want to stay active during the quite cold winters in my town: A lot of fat biking, outdoor climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding etc. I'm looking for a shell jacket I can easily use during all these." 

I'd recommend you the Beta AR. 

If, on the other hand, you either (1) want something even more durable than the Beta AR, (2) will be hiking in quite severe weather or (3) want something baggier to maximize your under layering options, then Beta SV can be an amazing choice for you. 

Links: 

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-ar-jacket
• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-sv-jacket
• https://www.rei.com/product/175306/arcteryx-beta-ar-jacket-mens
• https://www.rei.com/product/117229/arcteryx-beta-sv-jacket-mens
• Beta AR vs SV comparison chart: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-daze/X000004766-bordeaux

Arc'teryx's Beta line is focused on versatility and all-round use, as you can also see in Arc'teryx's Naming Scheme Page in here (arcteryx.com). 

Beta AR is the one closest to the standard hardshell anatomy, and Beta LT offers 20% less breathability, 20% less weather & abrasion resistance, 10% lighter weight and 25% more packability in comparison. 

What's just as important when comparing Beta LT to Beta AR but isn't talked about nearly enough is that the Beta AR comes with pit zips and DropHood, whereas Beta LT lacks pit zips and is offered in StormHood. 

Now different people want different things. But these should be the things that you should base your decision on. 

Also make sure to see Beta AR vs LT comparison: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-black/X000007061-phenom

One is not better than the other, and only you can decide what to get. Both Beta LT and AR are fantastic pieces and neither are going to disappoint. 

I personally find Beta AR more suitable for high output activities because of its pit zips which obviously helps with breathability and the DropHood, which offers more comfort than a StormHood when the hood is down. 

Links: 

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-lt-jacket
• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-ar-jacket
• https://www.rei.com/product/185629/arcteryx-beta-lt-jacket-mens
• https://www.rei.com/product/175306/arcteryx-beta-ar-jacket-mens
• Beta AR vs LT comparison chart: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-black/X000007061-phenom

Related posts: 

• StormHood vs DropHood: https://outdoorcrunch.com/stormhood-vs-drophood/
• Beta AR vs SV: https://outdoorcrunch.com/beta-ar-vs-beta-sv/

N40p 3L Gore-Tex (Beta LT) vs N40r & N80r Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex PRO (Beta AR)

Let me clear this first: N40d & N80d Most Rugged 3L Gore-Tex PRO of Beta AR are not used together throughout the entire facet of the jacket. 

Instead, the N80d is used in high wear areas that are better reinforced: Shoulders, back, forearms and top of the hood. 

In order to reduce manufacturing costs (and hence the price tag) of Beta AR N40d is used throughout other areas where less durability is more acceptable. 

This is also why Beta AR is the most well-balanced of all Beta jackets because Beta LT is 40D and Beta SV is 80D everywhere (they aren't balanced but rather intended for more niche uses). 

So what do the numbers 40 and 80 exactly mean?

If you're unaware, the number after the first letter represents the denier (weight) of the fabric. It's usually referred to as 40D and 80D (denier), etc. 

As the denier increases (which is 40 vs 80, in this case) the durability and weather resistance will increase, but the jacket will also end up being heavier, louder, stiffer and bulkier. You get the picture. 

You can now see the main difference between Beta LT and AR - but let's continue, more to come. 

The letter (p or r) that comes right after this number in the notation represents the fabric weave. R of Beta AR stands for ripstop, which, unlike plain weave (P) of Beta LT, is woven following a grid texture. 

As a result: 

• Ripstop weave (Beta AR) is expected to prevent the potential tears from propagating considerably less than the plain weave by blocking their paths with elevated fabrics. 
• Whereas the plain weave (Beta LT) is expected to bead the water droplets better than the ripstop because unlike the ripstop, the pathway of droplets won't be crossed by elevated fabrics. 

I hope that makes sense.

Having said all that...

These differences might not be all that noticeable in practice to most of you. Because:

• Gore-Tex 3L Pro is already very high quality by itself, so ripstop doesn't really add much to Beta AR's durability in practice.
• Both jackets are already DWR coated, so the plain weave of Beta LT doesn't really cause a noticeable difference in water beading.

So, as you can guess now; the vast, vast majority of the extra %10-15 weather resistance & %25 durability of Beta AR and more packable & lighter structure of Beta LT result from the denier difference (40D vs 80D) - NOT the weave difference (ripstop vs plain). 

Lastly, both are covered with a DWR coating. 

But what about the %10-15 breathability difference?

Pit zips

LT offers much less breathability than the AR because it doesn't offer mechanical venting: LT doesn't come with pit zips, whereas the AR does.

If you haven't used them before, you'll quickly realize that the pit zips are a godsend especially during high output activities since they keep you from overheating very well. 

By the way, two way front main zippers are also designed to help with this, but unfortunately, as all the Arc'teryx hardshells except Alpha IS, neither one of Beta LT and Beta AR offer one. 

Fit

...especially if you're planning to under layer these shells with fairly thick and/or multiple garments. 

Beta AR is slightly baggier than the LT, so it'll allow for a wider variety of under layering options which, in the end, ultimately makes it more versatile. 

Lastly, I wouldn't recommend sizing up or down with either one of them. Both run true to size. 

Hoods

Read more about StormHood of Beta LT and DropHood of Beta AR in this post: https://outdoorcrunch.com/stormhood-vs-drophood/

Conclusion 

I personally find Beta AR more suitable for high output activities because of its pit zips which obviously helps with breathability and the DropHood, which offers more comfort than a StormHood when the hood is down. 

Links: 

• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-lt-jacket
• https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/beta-ar-jacket
• https://www.rei.com/product/185629/arcteryx-beta-lt-jacket-mens
• https://www.rei.com/product/175306/arcteryx-beta-ar-jacket-mens
• Beta AR vs LT comparison chart: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/compare/X000007339-black/X000007061-phenom