Arc'terryx for a soft shell?

[rek001]

Hi guys, it's getting to be spring, and I need to buy a new waterproof shell.
A lot of the webz reviews point to Arc'terryx shells as one of the best.

I dunno, are they worth $400 - $500?

Anyone have experience with Arc'terryx?

[sneed12]

Great gear. The best money can buy. Most of my mountain climbing gear is Arc'terryx.

Having said that--how much performance do you honestly need from a softshell? My everyday softshell for casual wear is a Mountain Hardwear--not quite as high quality or high performance, but 1/4 the price and it keeps me warm and dry walking to and from the train station. I think an Arc'terryx might be overkill for walking the streets of Chicago.

[rek001]

Thanks for reply, sneed.

I do go hiking through the Dunes often, but I think that hardly qualifies as "mountaineering" LOL.
I'll look into Mountain Hardwear, probably go into REI on Halstead and have a look around.

[best replica in USA]

Maybe you can get a good deal now that spring is here.

It's finally nice in Chicago!

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[Ric2k]

Literally the best gear on the planet.. If your into a more tactical/military sort of Shell check out Arc'tryx LEAF

[TatsNGuns]

Great gear. The best money can buy. Most of my mountain climbing gear is Arc'terryx.

Having said that--how much performance do you honestly need from a softshell? My everyday softshell for casual wear is a Mountain Hardwear--not quite as high quality or high performance, but 1/4 the price and it keeps me warm and dry walking to and from the train station. I think an Arc'terryx might be overkill for walking the streets of Chicago.

Great review and wise advise

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[torobravo]

There are very good reps on taobao

[Bicismith]

Fwiw, most soft shells aren't waterproof.

And Arcteryx is quietly slipping from the top but has a quite loyal fan base still...

Their warranty service is embarrassingly slow these days and their emergence in pop Hollywood is surely not a good sign.

Still some of their gear is great and if your are the right build it will fit fantastic. I like the alpha fl shell from their current line.

Current Goretex fabric is long in the tooth and there are smarter and far cheaper options in most cases.

[TatsNGuns]

list off the better options ... this is becoming a good thread to go too. that mountain gear stuff isnt cheap either Im sure some broke mofos would like to hear some better options from our tech clothing savy dudes

[best replica in USA]

The best bang for the buck is the REI gear that's in house brand.

They are selling gear and the material is called eVent.

They are saying it's better than Gore-Tex.

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[TatsNGuns]

The best bang for the buck is the REI gear that's in house brand.

They are selling gear and the material is called eVent.

They are saying it's better than Gore-Tex.

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Last time I was in REI I almost started a riot lol had my kennel t shirt on which on the back says " f×÷k Peta " needless to say the staff must have been pro PETA

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[Bicismith]

I'm a gear junkie...and a watch whore, i admit it.

i also do lightweight mountaineering, was a pro bike racer for a few years, and like to do stupid(wife's thoughts not mine), extreme stuff

so take that's for what it's worth but i'm just trying to say i use the gear for what it's designed for and wear the #$@#$ out of it.

this is highly condensed and in some cases oversimplified but if interested PM me and i can point you in directions of interest...

first off a little about goretex. Gore is a monster of a machine and has monopolized the market and makes it extremely difficult for new tech to emerge. their marketing machine has convinced everyone breathing fabrics are a good thing and they are, if they actually breathe. but if you look at the % of flow compared to, say, a trash bag over you, there's not much difference. in fact, a trash bag will work better especially if you can vent it somehow to keep from overheating. that leads to vapor barrier gear (read about it if interested, it's a game changer for me) which does not breathe but prevents evaporative heat loss and also keeps your insulating layers dry no matter what which could be life saving in some situations.

try wearing some subway sandwich bags underneath your socks on a really cold day and see how much warmer your feet will be...or latex gloves underneath your regular gloves. seriously, it works.

Event is slightly better but nothing radical and if it's way cheaper go for it. mountain hardwear has it's DRY Q elite which is basically event fabric. there are lots of similar like h2no from patagonia or membrane this and that from marmot, north face, etc and all are roughly the same thing. the fabrics and quality vary greatly though and is what separates the men from the boys...not the waterproof tech in most cases. polartec neoshell is another and i've not used it yet but many people think it's a great alternative being much more breathable but still fairly waterproof.

If all you truly want is to stay dry and don't really care about what you look like a poncho is your best friend. frogg toggs make ponchos and also have tops and bottoms for really cheap that work perfectly fine and they are extremely light and packable.

if you just want light rain protection and not downpours, check out windshirts instead. they are way cheaper and super light and pack down to nothing. an example would be the patagonia houdini or arc'teryx squamish jackets

arc'teryx and patagonia (patagucci) are perfect if you have deep pockets or can find their stuff for 50% off. It looks decent on the streets compared to most other high end gear. you have to be careful with their stuff because they have A TON of product line and a lot of it is extremely overpriced for what it is and not as functional as you may think.

the FL shell I mentioned before costs $400 is very lightweight ~10oz, packs down to about the size of an orange, and is water and windproof with a huge hood you can wear a helmet under. it fits very trim and is perfect for athletic build skinny people. i'm 6' and medium fits me like a glove.

other brands that are just as good, if not better, are outdoor research, westcomb - they are what arc'teryx used to be, and Rab.

I prefer OR or patagonia if on sale. both have better customer service than arc'teryx does these days. patagonia likes to preach about how eco friendly they are. OR just makes stuff that works.

[rek001]

Wow, nice...this thread blossomed a bit.
Thanks much for all the replies guys, and bicismith your info is very helpful.
I've heard of Westcomb, gonna look into it.

[flex]

great info..im in the market for some waterproof jacket. i also love hiking.. have few pair of boots. was going to Nike warehouse last week as i found arc'teryn and patagonia kind of pricey for hiking...but will be buying patagonia as rain coat for work..

[Bicismith]

backcountry.com has a 20% off coupon you can probably use on patagonia right now. patagonia has a clearance page on their own website that may save you some $. just checked and they have a few rain jacket options.

I've a patagonia coat I use for winter and rain for the city and it's great. It has a zip in synthetic insulated jacket that looks decent enough to wear on it's own when you dont need the shell. both together work in all but the coldest weather. and the shell by itself is a decent rain coat. this is it...

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/...?p=28520-1-338

[rek001]

Alright guys, did some more research - I guess eVent material jackets are the best right now?
I'm on the warm blooded side, get over-heated pretty quick.

Is a Rab or Westcomb jacket truly worth $400?

I would be wearing it on cool spring days - we like to ride our bikes on trails and such in the Dunes, also take a lot of brisk walks up and down hills.

Thans again for the detailed replies.

[Bicismith]

Get the event for water protection. If no water then the wind shirt/jacket is a better choice.

You especially as they allow more heat to escape. I can only ride in a waterproof shell if its below freezing to the low 40s otherwise I overheat. But a lot is how hard you are going.

If you go with the event shell make sure it has vents.

[qwert750]

I'm in Chicago as well, and love my arc'teryx kappa. Head just north of the Wisconsin border to the outlet mall there...there's an arc'teryx outlet that has stuff 50% off list - got my kappa for $200...

[TatsNGuns]

this thread has seriously upgraded to subscribe level for me ,, didnt know anything about goretex besides I always bought my **** with it on it or in it ,, checking out most companies listed here as we speak

[TatsNGuns]

Any flyfishing dudes ? Need watters and thinking ll bean should do the trick. Orvis is over priced chinese made stuff

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[rek001]

Thanks much for all the replies guys.
Arc'teryx outlet in Kenosha? Roadtrip!

[qed]

Arc'teryx had the absolutly best clothes for climbers. Clever solutions, great fabric +++

Therefore, they have a huge fanbase among ppl that are well known for climbing and hiking, securing them alot of free press and kind words.

But honestly, if u are going hiking and not actuall climbing steep walls, there is a LOT of cheaper solutions out there that will do exactly the same job. And, at the same time you will get bether customer support and service for your money. Other companys also have a bether close fit, since Arc'teryx is made by climbers and therefore have a lot of baggy clothes to make it easy to stretch arms/legs.

Also, since I have a chanse to promote something norwegian - the best gear you can get in winter/cold/wet conditions is sold from a norwegian company called bergans:
http://retailer.bergans.com/Clothing...D=982&pageID=1

they have some retailers around USA:
http://locator.bergans.com/#/utenlandske_forhandlere/

[Bicismith]

Other companys also have a bether close fit, since Arc'teryx is made by climbers and therefore have a lot of baggy clothes to make it easy to stretch arms/legs.

This is totally incorrect. Arc'teryx makes some of the most form fitting clothes on the market. It's what they are known for.

Climbers dont wear baggy clothes.

[Bicismith]

Any flyfishing dudes ? Need watters and thinking ll bean should do the trick. Orvis is over priced chinese made stuff

perhaps check out cabelas besides ll bean. They sell a lot of that type of gear.

[qwert750]

Thanks much for all the replies guys.
Arc'teryx outlet in Kenosha? Roadtrip!

Yeah - the newer outlet mall at pleasant prairie. Be prepared to go by the north face outlet completely jammed with people trying to look a part, and finding the arc'teryx outlet completely empty...perfect as far as I'm concerned...