Alpha SV Jacket Men's

Very breathable, does not add warmth The jacket just defends you against the wind, rain and snow. The new face material is strong enough for backcountry use. 50° raining medium exertion level, when the rain stopped I removed the jacket and I did not become any cooler. 40° wind driven rain performed excellently for over an hour, one base layer. 20° dry but very windy base layer and lorum hoodie, seals out wind well. Typical hardshell paper crackly sound when the material is cold. Five pockets, plenty of storage for a day hike.

Had this jacket a couple of years already,but felt I had to mention this,first of all great jacket,totally bombproof.The only issue i now have is that the drawstring seams on the bottom middle and cuffs have separated from the jacket. I have carefully followed arcteryx washing instructions to the letter as this as happened previously with another jacket.(Alpha comp hoody)Which arcteryx repaired F.O.C. The seams around the drawstrings and cuffs are different to the ones on the rest of the jacket by the look of it. I have other arcteryx gear which up to now has been fine,maybe I've just been unlucky.

I had my alpha for almost 10 years before the gore tex at the cuff began to delaminate. This was nearly a decade of hard use skiing, alpine climbs, ice climbing, trekking and generally being abused. There were NO other flaws. The jacket was returned through the retailer and Arcteryx Replaced it FREE of charge. It's rare to find a company that backs its products after so long. Great product, great customer service, great company. If you're on th fence, buy arcteryx. It's worth the investment.

Simple it's the best jacket out there ok it's pricey but the years of garenteed satisfaction you will get !!! It's worth it

I live in UK and travel 15k miles a year on various motor bikes. I needed a waterproof jacket that accommodated my body armour during Spring summer and early Autumn. Read various reviews and bit the bullet on the Orange version. One year in and it is holding its own. waterproof, wind proof, versatile and packs small. The expedition fit allows armour and my rotund body to fit comfortably. I had a competitor jacket that gave up the ghost after 11 months. With my arc'teryx a machine wash and dry every month or so, WTD spray ..... and although it is showing wear it is a nice kind of wear with a patina that says it is holding up to a hard life well.

The really best in the market now; durable, useful, strong, comfortable in a few words perfect. I will put the powder skirt to just to use easily to snowboard or ski in the day without a bag pack

I had previously bought the Atom AR in size small and the jacket fits perfectly. According to Arc'Teryx's advice (not blaming anyone), I should buy the Alpha SV in size small too. After trying the Alpha SV over all layers (base, mid, and Atom AR), the general fit seemed correct but the sleeves are much longer, reaching the last phalanx of my ring finger. Now, it's possible to pull back the sleeve and attach it around my wrist and when I put gloves on, and it seems OK. There is still a little space between my insulation layer and the shell. So, I'm going to try the X-small but I hope it won't be too tight. I'll post follow-up pictures of the fit. For you info : I'm 172 cm tall (5 feet 8), Chest: 87 cm (34"), waist : 74cm (29"), back to wrist : 81 cm (32"). Thus, according to Arc'Teryx sizing charts, I should buy XS. I hope this helps y'all.

I love doing winter 14ers in Colorado. This jacket replaced my old North Face Mountain Light which was good, but no comparison to my Alpha SV. It's light, tough, and has kept me dry and warm in horrible winter conditions. I can't imagine being in the mountains in winter without it. It's their most expensive jacket and seems like a lot for a shell. But once you've used it in severe conditions, you'll understand the expense is worth it. I plan on it being a lifetime purchase, so the expense is definitely worth it.

This jacket is bullet proof. I am the envy of all my friends. They refuse to buck up for what is clearly a superior product. I am going to buy another one just in case they decide (it would be foolish) to discontinue it. I couldn't live without it.

I've used my Alpha SV for several years now. I've been in the worst conditions possible in Utah, Mammoth, and Tahoe...below freezing with wind, sleet, blizzard, rain...you name it, I've been in it. 12 years of ski patrol experience as well. I bought the SV specifically for the conditions I find/put myself in, and I must say that it's performed flawlessly. It seals down tight when needed, the fit is great. I feel like I'm in a bank vault. When the world around me is chaos, it's like my private oasis. So good, I got the Theta SV bib. Short of catching on fire, I'm not too sure what these two can't handle. I owned North Face, Patagonia, Marmot, and Mammut. All are great brands and great products, but Arcteryx is simply the best I've ever used on every level. It's pricey, but it's worth every penny IMHO.

So, I wanted to write this review after owning the SV for a while. I have now, for more than a year, and have bought a second one I love it so much. I had a rather bad fall this year, about 6' down off a ledge onto rock. I landed on my elbow, and hip and the jacket came through unscathed. Not a scratch on it. This jacket is my, no matter how ugly it gets I need something I can rely on life saver. It's not too pack-able, I will admit. It's hot when the temps warm up, across the shoulders and the back, but when performance counts, this jacket can be relied upon. Period. If you need something for a wide variety of conditions, and maybe not the ultimate durability, go AR. If you need something as solid and dependable as possible for your money, SV.

If you've looked around this is the most robust gortex shell available. Perfect cut perfect hood. It's arcteryx. What do you expect. For the guys at arcteryx, the napoleon pockets' openings are too small for a uk map. It's always been the only weakness of your jackets. It only needs a couple of extra cm/ins.

This is my first high end jacket, well, at least if you consider the price. Im one of those who cares a whole lot, probably too much, about the design and cut, but not to the extent that I would lower my expectations when it comes to usability, durability and anything else that really matters when you're out there in the wild. Even though I have a specific jacket for all my needs, I wanted a jacket that would cover 90% of them. With the Alpha SV I believe I've found that jacket. Its comfortable enough to wear on a low intensity hike, breathes extremely well, both in "hot" and in humid weather. The fit is roomy, without losing shape. I'm usually a size M, but this fit me perfectly in a Small. There is plenty of room for a thick mid layer, especially where it counts, over the chest and shoulders. The fabrics are soft enough to maneuver freely and comfortably, more like that of a single/two layer jacket. But then the wind starts bashing up against you the jacket is stiff and strong enough to make the wind go around you instead of moving the fabrics like a flag hanging freely. Tighten the hood well, and it moves with you instead of your head moving around inside it. Loosen it up if thats what you prefer... Easy, one-hand-adjustable cuffs. So far its proven to be a jacket that would rule them all. I guess the only thing I wouldn't use this jacket for is running and as a fine dining jacket in a country club...

The new Alpha SV is truly solid. Not that the previous generations weren't, they just made some great improvements. The new stronger face fabric is more supple than I thought it would be and as far as any more noisy, we might be splitting hairs a bit. All nylon face fabrics will make a sound. Soft shells can even be a little loud sometimes. I have the super lightweight Norvan Hoody and it just really seems to be a different pitch to me, but not really different in a bothersome way. Of course, if you have something like the Stingray Pant with the soft shell backer, it'll be quieter. But, when you have a mid layer on underneath the Alpha SV, it muffles the sound in a similar way. And, the trade off of feeling so well protected is definitely worth it. You feel a lot of confidence wearing it for sure. I just feel like I can bump into rocks and trees and have my snowboard hit it without any concern of the face fabric ripping. It feels so solid. AND, it's lighter??? Well done Arc'teryx! A side note: I'm 6'0", 180lb.s, 40" chest and 35" arms and I chose the small. I won't be layering more than an Atom LT under it and it has all the room I need. I'm a medium with the Atom, Fission SV, Norman, etc., I just won't be using the Alpha SV so much for alpinism as I will for snowboarding, hiking, scrambling, etc. The medium didn't look bad. I just liked the fit of the small better. P.S. The Odysseus color is an instant classic! ...unless they had it before I became a bird fan :)

J'ai cette veste depuis maintenant 3 ans, elle est vraiment l'outil que j’emmène quand je sais que les conditions peuvent être délicates en hiver dans les écrins ou alors sur les pentes Népalaise elle a vraiment été parfaite. J'ai lu dans d'autres commentaires qu'elle est un peu bruyante, c'est vrai manque un peu de souplesse parfois ce qui fait frotter le tissu et provoque un bruit qui peut être ennuyeux avec le temps. c'est une veste que j'aime particulièrement.

i think behind a great product needs a great team and support. even though i have some durability issues with the lamination, the support is really backing up their products with warranty. First class. all i can say money well spent. Good Job Team Arcteryx.

As you can see by all the awards and accolades, this is a good jacket. Lots of arm articulation. I have hiked in pouring rain all day with this jacket and I am dry as a bone inside. Like not a drop. It seems to very abrasion resistant too. The SV is serious business and is made from thicker material than its lighter-weight siblings and fits large so you can wear a few layers underneath. This is not an around-town or every day coat, it's purpose built so you can battle nature and win. Arcteryx has other, more suitable options if you need a more versatile jacket.

I was reluctant to buy this super expensive jacket when I saw the price tag. The fit wasn’t right at first. I feel it was too loose. In the field, this is a hard shell for heavy duty. I always have medium to thick mid layer. The Alpha SV is perfectly fit well. During trekking in Rinjani, it was raining from 10:00AM to 2:00AM another day. I am so thankful to have this jacket. It keeps me dry and not too warm. Even unnoticeable sweat. I saw other people wearing the rain coat or other hardshell jacket with heavily sweat all over. I have used this jacket for 5-6 trips and it still look great after washing. On the con side, it can be a pricey. But the material is quite good. Another con would be the weight. It’s quite heavy and bulky. I bought another Alpha FL for short trip trekking though.

After being impressed by a Minuteman ski bib that allowed me to stay dry and mobile in chest-high powder, I struggled past the price tag and invested in an Alpha SV jacket. I wore it almost every day for 10 years, through sideways blizzards heli-skiing to torrential jungle downpours, in dozens of countries on five continents, over rash guards and business suits. Rugged and repellent enough to wear while putting snow chains on muddy tires, but supple enough to allow a full golf swing. The jacket became my signature, part of my identity, and because of its "Yam" color, easy to spot in a crowd. With a BMI of 19, this is the only jacket I have ever owned that fit appropriately, better than NorthFace, Marmot, and Peak Performance. After 8 years, some of the hem tape began to delaminate, which Arc'teryx repaired under warranty. Sadly, after 10 years, additional delamination around the pit zips signaled it might be time for replacement, even though the shell remained intact and appeared barely used. I sent the jacket in for repairs so that I could keep it as a backup to a new one. I was willing to pay for repairs since the jacket had been worn >3000 days (~15 cents/day), and who knows what sort of sweaty funkiness degraded the tape adhesive. To my surprise, Arc'teryx ruled that the delamination was not reparable, but covered under warranty, and sent me a brand new jacket! That initial (considerable) investment now seems especially wise.

I would like to know if this jacket is easy to become dirty , and it is not easy to remove the dirt on the jacket, I just wore three times during my travel

writing a review for the older gen alpha sv, the one with three front pockets and the laminated zipper. This was my second jacket from arcteryx before i became a full convert. My go to jacket for long summits and touring. It has probably gone though 12 or so climbs/touring sessions and how many or so wet hikes I have not kept track of. Of all this ownership the face fabric is still like new. The only real issue i have to date is part of the bottom hip drawcord tunnel is becoming undone, something i will address and send in to arcteryx but have not had the time to do so. Dont know how much better the old gore xcr fabric is to the new gore pro in the updated alpha sv but i can imagine it is pretty darn good. I dont think this jacket will fail or rip any time soon and might last till my retirement years. It certainly is a great investment to see it go this long. Glad to see these babies are still made in the good ol canada. The fit is pretty true to size, i upped to a medium on this one compared to the usual small i get in other arc jackets due to the fact that where this jacket travels I will most likely layer. It is well suited to severe weather and still performs well in prolonged rainstorms with proper wash and dwr care.

This was a great piece of gear while it lasted. Superbly comfortable. I wore it on snowy and windy days while trekking the himalaya in -35C with a base and mid layer and it was perfect. Even on days with 80km/hr sustained wind gusts, I was pretty comfortable. Disappointingly, the laminated hems around the wrists and waist have come almost completely undone and are fraying despite having followed care instructions. I own quite a few Arc'teryx pieces and have come to expect a lot more than what I got with this jacket.

I got this jacket on advise from my daughter who lives in Denver. She loves her jacket doesn't leave home without it. She works for Army Corp of Engineers which takes her to military bases around the world. I told her about hating not being able to ride my Harley with the gear I had when temps reached 38 F. On her advice I spent the $$$ got this jacket then the pants to go with it. I ride a Fat Boy Slim Harley it has no fearing or windshield to block the wind. I have now rode in temps down to 26 F with no issues (other than I need to get the matching heavy duty gloves. I am a believer now and sure the $$$ was well worth it. Just don't let the pant leg close to the exhaust pipe. I commute 100 miles round trip to work into Austin Texas. This gear has worked getting caught in cold and thunderstorm rain. It is easy to carry with you and takes up very little room. Forget leather I have one word for you Arc'teryx.

difficult to add anything to the other reviewers. the jacket does what it is supposed to do: superior weather protection, excellent fit and articulation as well as being the last jacket you will ever purchase. the only thing i can suggest when trying on a jacket in the shop is to wear it with multiple layers: fleece, down pullovers etc...find your size and figure out the appropriate layering system and this can be your 4 season shell. there is a bit of sticker shock, but the guarantee/waranty, arcteryx support staff and durability of the piece make it worthwhile.

今年は暖冬の日本（近畿地方）ですが、今年一番の寒波が訪れたのでNUCLEI FL ジャケットの上にこれを着て会社に出勤しました。 その時は朝7時で、およそ0度でしたが寒さに凍えることは全くありませんでした。 最も驚くべきことは、適度な通気性により衣服内が暑すぎず非常に快適であったことと同時に、とても満足していること、そしてシェルの下に選ぶインシュレーティッド ジャケットをアクティビティに応じて選択する大切さを学んだことです。 タウンで利用するのにはスペックオーバーと思われるかもしれませんが、私はこうして軽登山の目的地で使えそうか楽しみながら試しています。