Veste Alpha SV Femme

This is the ideal jacket for any winter activity. Skiing, ice climbing, alpine. It protects from the elements, provides freedom of movement, has the perfect. number of pockets, in the perfect locations for wearing a harness. Minimalist, but all you need.

This is my third jacket and it too has started to separate the gore-tex. Along with every piece of gore-tex that I have ever bought of Arcteryx.

This is my favorite layer for ice and mixed climbing. It does not matter whether the route is so wet that you need a snorkel. You will be dry. It does not matter if you are grinding it up a mixed chimney. It will hold up to the abuse. There are lighter and more breathable layers in the lineup, but if you want to wear a fortress, this is the ticket.

I ordered the one that looked more orange than the yellow jacket, and was surprised at how bright it was when it arrived in the mail - it is mostly yellow. I'm not convinced that it's worth the high price tag, but it is a good quality rain jacket that kept me dry in some pretty intense wet and cold spring mountain weather. Fit is roomy so you can layer all kinds of things underneath.

I’ve had a few of these jackets. They do not stay waterproof for very long and delaminate quickly. Not a big fan.

There’s a hesitation just for a moment. I sit on this plane, pondering what I’m about you get into. My plane is delayed at the gate and all I have is time and a sandwich to eat . My brain however is going wild with thoughts. Four years ago, I was chosen by the mountains to be one with it. I was chosen to be a fearless warrior and protector of the forest, a title that I hold dear to me. What started with the Appalachian and Continental Divide Trails and blossomed into a bigger dream. Here, lies my gateway to the Himalayans, a place that I had watched on various documentaries and on YouTube. Never in my life would I have thought “Dragonsky, you’re going to the Himalayans” It’s not like I doubted myself but there was a part of me that asked myself if I’m worthy? Mountaineering has always been my passion since starting my hiking journey as soon and I have a romantic relationship. I constantly ask myself Who am I? And how will this experience change me? I have a deep feeling in the pit of my stomach that I’m going to be captivated in such a way that I’m going to be persuaded to climb these giants. Many of these beauties stand at 8000m and I’ve been pondering them from time to time. It was documentaries like the American Ascent - The first African American team sent to Denail, it was learning about the first Black woman to summit Denali and Full circle Everest that sparked my interest. I remember seeing a mountaineer talk in Colorado about how they tried to balance the sexes on the team but there was a lack of qualified Black women in mountaineering. A spark ignited within me, eventually becoming a fire that I couldn’t quench. What would it take to me a mountaineer? How could I get quality training in a place that values and respects me as a person? I’m a high-level ambassador for Arc’teryx New York and I feel like that’s a huge step to becoming the woman I’m striving so hard to become. My team has equipped me with the gear to succeed in Nepal- my purple down puffy, hiking pants and such but the Alpha SV beta whose durability has proven resilience which is enough to push me through the toughest conditions. The White Mountains couldn’t even penetrate that beast of a coat! Layering it underneath effectively is key to staying warm in treacherous conditions and one that somehow I’ve mastered over the years. This was the best severe weather coat a warrior could ask for! Through every tantrum and fierce altercation I’ve had with the mountains, my Alpha SV Jacket has clapped back without any signs of battle. Complete with pit zips, pockets inside and out for safekeeping and cuffs and a hood that can be adjusted via Velcro or a pull of a string, yeah I’m sold. The only thing that I disliked was that the color is black and anyone who knows me, knows I’m a colorful human in every way. I know that I will be able to depend on the Alpha SV in the Himalayans. I’m excited to give her more of a test at higher elevations. I aspire to be a mountaineer. It is my destiny. The Himalayans are my first chapter to the change I wish to become but I wonder if I’ll ever be the same ever. What scares me the most, is never being able to look back at thru-hiking and feeling inspired to know these giant serrated mountains of the Himalayans, no matter what the cost. I have always been a go-getter and I have realized happiness isn’t something that I can sit back and wait for. I’m going to keep striving until I can stand on the top of Kilimanjaro, Denali and one day Manaslu or another peak in the Himalayans that calls to me. I am only limited when I tell myself that I can’t. The risks are big, even deadly but the rewards as I can imagine are something that cannot be explained with words. All I know is that I’m ready for this next chapter in my life and the Alpha SV is coming with me.

Light weight + great waterproof quality + Good thermal insulation! That material is beyond my expectations.

Spent a long time deliberating between the men’s small Beta SL and the women’s medium Alpha SV. I preferred the higher pockets for wearing a rucksack or harness. The arm length was just a bit too long on the Beta and the Alpha had enough shape to be feminine without assuming I had a big bust and hips… Hoping it keeps me nice and dry in the English drizzle!

This piece is made extremely well and certainly a must have for outdoor activities. When NOT wearing a helmet, the only issue is the collar gets in the way, when jacket is fully zipped. The design has too much material in the neck/collar area, at times covering my mouth.

If you're serious about your craft and want all the technical features, look no further. It's a hefty price tag, but when you're in serious mountain conditions, this is the best choice.

Took me a bit to decide between the Alpha SV and Beta AR but went for the SV as it fitted me better around the shoulders and chest. I’m only 5”2 and had to go for the medium to have enough space around the hips (I don’t have lot of hips but muscular thighs). The sleeves are a bit too long despite having long arms for my height. Otherwise, so far so good! Used it on summer Alpine climbing trips in the alps as well as rainy climbings and wild camping in north of the UK and never been too warm in it as it’s super breathable. Loved the high pocket to accommodate my harness and the storm wood is impeccable with a helmet on. I’m waiting to experience it this winter with a base layer in the mountain or coupled with my atom. Only regret is to have taken in black! Go for some colours if you can!

I'd give the product more stars if it were a reasonable price but for $900 the wire shouldnt be coming out of the hood and teeth shouldnt be missing within a couple years

This jacket came out in 1998, which was also the first year that I became a professional ski guide. I have been working in the heli and catskiing industry for a dozen different operations since then and by far the best guides jacket I ever had the chance to wear was the Alpha SV. It stands up to the daily use and abuse of ski guides for several seasons, it fits well, has all the pockets in the right places and performs well in all conditions. My favourite for sure.

I work on a glacier in the summer, where we encounter harsh wind, sun and rain, everyday of the season. This jacket is on every trip and still holds up after 100+ days of use. The only thing I’ve had to replace is the zipper head. The goretex does wear off over time but is easily fixed.

I bought this a week ago and am so happy that i did

I bought this a month ago and am so happy that I did. I bought the Lampyre color and like it so much.

I was under the assumption that "helmet compatible" meant that it actually fit over a helmet and you could actually zip it up. I was wrong. Guess I expected more form a jacket that costs so much.

Bought this jacket for alpine/high altitude expeditions 2 months ago. Super light and durable. Wore it while ice climbing g with winds over 70 km/h in the Canadian Rockies. Kept me warm and comfortable. Pockets are comfortable and easy to reach. Fits very comfortably! And colour is great!!

went through dry tree branches while approaching icefall without putting a tiny dent into the fabric. really appreciated the 100d nylon when standing under the icefall as there were plenty of small pieces going down. Felt well protected on several occasions.

After 20 years of guiding in this shell, it has handled everything I have thrown at it. When I need a new shell I look no farther than the Alpha.... it's still #1.

I had the previous version of this jacket and I got this one as a warranty replacement. It looks great and seems like the quality is also great, but I haven't had the opportunity to really test it under serious conditions yet. One thing I can say is that the collar does not remain closed tight to my neck as well as it did on my previous version. Customer service provided a great result in the end (the last person I talked to was amazing), but it was a pain to go through as some of the employees I talked to did not seem to know what was going on with inventory and were rude.