Alpha SV Jacket Men's

Just completed my 2nd winter in my Alpha SV, can't fault it in any way really. I do mountaineering in Wales and England and the shell has took everything the Isles can throw at it, wind, snow, rain (lots of rain!) and always performs, highlights for me are the ultra adjustable hood and the articulate fit and exceptional weather protection, highly recommended. Look out for deals from Snow and Rock too, I picked mine up at a substantial discount.

There are already hundreds of reviews on this jacket praising almost every aspect of this jacket. And I agree completely with them. The ONLY flaw with this jacket are the size of the pull tabs. For a severe weather jacket, which will mostly be used with gloves, the pull tabs on this jacket for hood adjustment, pit zips etc are just way too small. When it gets serious on the mountain and you have to make a quick descent, you don't want to fiddle around with your hood adjustments for 5 minutes and stop to cinch down your hood; you want to do that on the MOVE and not have to take your gloves off and risk frostbite. All in all, this is a superb jacket, but for the extreme conditions it is designed for, the pull tabs are just not up to the task. The safety gained from larger pull tabs far far outweighs the minimal weight they will add.

This is an all-around great jacket. I usually don't wear it in temperatures warmer than about 60°F because my arms get hot. It keeps me very dry in the rain and is very well made. I like that the cuff velcro hasn't ripped out and I don't expect it ever will. Great quality and durability. Repels water very well.

SIZE AND FIT --- At 183 cm and 105 kg, I also have a stocky build, with heavy bones, and little in terms of a waist, though no large bumper -- just your regular polar bear of a man. And yet the XXL version of Alpha SV not only fits me, but I have plenty of space underneath. Until recently, I wore a very baggy fleece jacket (classic series 300), plus an Arctic special of merino wool baselayer with an extra mesh, altogether over 400 g/m2, and I still had room enough for the jacket to allow me for round movements, squeezes and turns. Nothing that I can buy in Norway from local manufacturers will ever come close. Due to my build, everything is either too short, too long, and always beyond cramped. Not so with this one, which after many years of usage sets the standard as to what a dynamic piece in size XXL should be. What I really love is the fact that when I have everything on, and I'm in for a bit of action, the jacket is tightish where it should be, at around my hips, while I get plenty of room upstairs, and can comfortably reach where I should. That applies even when I wear a transport backpack. Finally, the cut is really flattering, though I tend to get admired by arctic foxes only, as there is no company. DURABILITY AND STRENGTH --- This jacket has outlasted everything that Greenland has thrown at me, both in winter and in summer. I had two other hardshells before, but I had never felt as protected as in this one. My Alpha SV has been through hail blasted horizontally at very high speeds, through very strong winds way above beaufort 12, and through regular snow and rain. I never felt anything, not even on my head, which is totally protected by the incredible hood on the Alpha. I can cinch it just so due to the double system, and I appreciate the long front extension. Although I don't ever wear a helmet, I can fit two bulky hoods of my midlayer/base under it. In my opinion expensive gear is such that falls apart after regular use. You don't want to be at 77 degrees north and have your hardshell pants tear apart across the entire bum. Been there, done that. After over four years and many expeditions, the Alpha really took a lot of abuse, and doesn't show any kind of wear; it still looks like new. In fact, it is my oldest piece of gear, and I foresee many more years. POCKETS / LENGTH --- At first I found it hard to get used to the Napoleon-style front pockets, instinctively reaching down, but it didn't take me long to understand the reason for it: this is a dynamic piece, and the waist pockets are not particularly useful then. I think the longer cut of Theta SVX might have been better still for me, but at the time I didn't know about it. Then again, the other jacket has only one front pocket, and I tend to use both of mine all the time, so it's a tradeoff. Fission SV on the other hand would cover most of my usecases, more than the Alpha SV, but I would still need to carry the latter for dynamic action. I really have no choice but to marry this jacket forever ;) I know that the "tank top" phrase has a different meaning, but this is what I tend to think of my Alpha SV: it's a tank shell. Really cannot imagine not having it with me during winter Greenland outings, however long or short.

light weight, storable, rugged .....superb hood and collar from rain forests in New Zealand to Alaska met my requirements

I feel like I'm just going to repeat what others have said, but I'll go ahead anyway. I have had many top-tier jackets from the top-tier brands, but none come even close to this jacket. Yes, this jacket is more expensive than any other jacket that I have ever even looked at, but I would gladly buy this jacket again, again and again, however, I don't feel I'll have to for a very long time. Looks I don't think the images do it justice. Its just beautiful. Just by looking at it, you know that you're good to go into the unknown. Size I have a 42/43 inch chest and the medium fits absolutely fine. Its like a freakin' tardis, it doesn't look baggy, yet I can fit even my biggest down jacket under it, comfortably. Cut Perfect. If I had asked my tailor to design a jacket, I'd be lucky to get such a wonderful, athletic fit. Function Its like your body is in a totally different place to the rest of you: There is no chance that the outside world is getting to you. I've worn this jacket in freezing, biting winds of up 100Mph+ with no problem (other than wanting more weight to weigh me down), I've spent hours and hours in heavy, relentless rain, with not a spot of rain getting through. Durability I've slid down rocks without any sign of damage. The only thing that has succeeded in damaging it was a poorly placed crampon. Yikes. Goretex repair patch fixed that little slit. Weight I don't notice it. So, Pros - Light - Durable - Weatherproof - Looks great - Packs well - Great athletic fit - Couldn't ask for anything more from it Cons - None Many would say price, but I'm more than happy with the price, as it performs so well. If the image comes up: A pit stop at the top of Snowdonia, during 60mph winds with 90mph gusts, bringing with them plenty of airborne ice during a blizzard - I wasn't a bit phased thanks to the Alpha SV. Its the one bit of kit that I would never consider changing for any other. At all. Ever.