Alpha SV Jacket Men's

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 :)