Parka Alpha Hombre

I bought this jacket a month ago. I have used it for early back-country ice climbs and back-country skiing in temperatures down to zero with high winds. The jacket appears remarkably wind proof & water resistant. Its durability is yet to be determined. Because of the fabrics used by Arc’teryx to make the jacket, I suspect the durability may be superior to most other high-end expedition down jackets. It is awkward and time consuming for me to stuff away the jacket into the stuff sack attached to the jacket by Arc’teryx- especially when trying to pack it away in cold, windy conditions. I now use a non-Arc’teryx stuff sack. The body (chest and abdomen) seem possibly over-generous in size on me compared to shoulders and arms. I rarely try to climb wearing the jacket but when I lift my arms high to use my ice axes, the body of the jackets lifts as well. Perhaps the sleeve length could be a tad longer and the the construction of the shoulders modified slightly to prevent the jacket from lifting as much with arms raised for climbing. It is somewhat larger in size when fully stuffed compared to several other high-end expedition down jackets that are likely made with less a robust outer shell than the Alpha Alpha parka. Although the down fill power used on the current model is great, I wonder if it would be feasible to use 1000 fill down to give the jacket more loft at the same weight. I am eager to try the jacket on Canadian ice climbs this winter and on Denali in the spring to truly test its mettle.

After a year of search I finally found a brand new Black Alpha Parka (04/21) in my size in factory sealed bag in in hunting shop in Germany ( possibly last black XL in the whole world) it wasn’t easy, I am so lucky. This parka is so well design; very big hood, huge pocket for gloves, 2 way zipper, great regulation and lots of down, although I thought there will be more it will be enough for EU climbs. what’s missing you might ask? A pair of matching down insulated Alpha bibs like the COLD WX SVX bibs, and maybe matching mittens over Alpha SV/Fission SV gloves.

Location: Åre Björnen, Sweden Starting altitude: 730 meters Finish altitude: 725 meters Weather: Snowing Temperature: -1,5 celcius Wind: 3 meter/second The expedition started already at the apartment we are renting while visiting Åre. To get both a one and a three year old clothes on has it challenges. After that successfully had been accomplished we drove to the real starting point, the parking lot outside Björnen skidcenter. From the parking spot we could see our goal. The activity center a few meters down. Weather reports had told us to expect snow fall so therefor I was wearing a 260 merino base layer. Additional I was wearing Arcteryx Axino knickers and Tierra Ace pants. On my top half a lamb wool sweater, Atom LT and Alpha SV would protect me. A Arcteryx Chuncky Knit hat was trusted to protected my bald head. After getting the stroller out of the car the one year old had wandered of the trail and needed to be rescued. After that incident we could start out decent. The activity center was approximately 5 meter below the parking lot and 50 meters away. I was confident the Alpha SV would protect me. The terrain was a bit slippery as expected since this was the season second day of snowfall. After around 5 minutes we had arrived to our destination and everyone was still alive. The kids started to play around and explore the surroundings. After approximately 20 minutes low activity from my side I was feeling a bit cold. Thankfully in the stroller the Alpha Parka was waiting for me. Putting it on I could feel the warmth returning and I no longer was afraid for my life. The arms are puffy but I can report that Hestra Hunters Gauntlet fits like a glove both over your hand and the puffy arms. With the new found comfort I could continue rescuing the one year old who kept falling all over the place and could not get back on her feet by herself. The only downside I can see with the Alpha Parka is that it can be a bit warm during medium to high intensity activities. It was near that I overheated while chasing the three year old around the bike track. For size I choose XL. Being 192 cm and weighing in at 95 kg, not 95 athletic kilograms but more dad body kilograms. For Arcteryx hard shells and Atom I use Large and for soft shell like Gamma it’s XL. With all aspects in mind I’m giving the Alpha Parka a 5/5 for expeditions as harsh as this one.

Everything you need in a belay parka that you can take into alpine environments without worry.

If you are heading somewhere super cold. Maybe Alaska, or maybe cheering on an outdoor hockey game, this jacket will keep you warm. Like super warm.

I’ve used this jacket as my cold weather outside layer here in Northern Norway above the Arctic circle. We get really low temperatures during the winter. The Alpha parka is a very warm down jacket for either trail snowmobiling, as a warming layer in between your turn in the ice climbing wall or as the warming jacket when sitting outside in the cold weather enjoying the northern light. I definitely recommend this jacket. It packs pretty small thanks to the compression bag, and the length of the jacket provides warmth for your seat.

Having purchased many, various Arc'teryx products over the years as a ski patroller and ski instructor, my Alpha Parka is simply the best.

It was hard for me to swap out my old trusty expedition parka for this new parka on Logan this year - it's hard to trust new things! Well I was rewarded for taking the plunge. At 3/4 the weight of my old expedition parka, the Alpha Parka is easily warmer, more comfortable, and more protective around the face. The outer finish fully repels water which is critical at high altitudes when cooking etc can expose to moisture. It is unbelievably warm and well-fitted, with particular excellent attention to the neck and hood. I'm a convert!

As a wheelchair user I exclusively use my arms to get around. When I'm done with the cardiovascular portion of my adventure and throw a big lofty layer like this on its important that I can still move efficiently. I am 6'4" The fit is long and slender and the body of the jacket stays put when you raise your arms up, Im able to set up camp and manurer inside a tent without it feeling cumbersome or having the jacket ride up on my waist. To that point it's the length of the Alpha parka that I like most. In the seated position its long enough to sort of sit on the back of it allowing it to overlap your pants and keeping your lower back protected and warm.

I used this jacket for ice climbing throughout this past winter and it honestly doesn't even feel like you are outside when you put it on. It has amazing loft, lightweight, durable exterior, stuffer pockets, two way main zipper, and waterproof zippers. Great for belaying. The only point of improvement would be the packability. For me, it doesn't pack quite small enough to be used for multipitches, so I used it primarily for ice cragging. Packability is a small price to pay for a portable furnace. True to size for outerwear and you will still have room for other layers underneath.

I received this today (8/4/22) so haven’t had the opportunity to test it in the field but wanted to give quick first impressions and an idea on sizing. I managed to find this on sale through a trusted UK outdoor company and jumped at the chance to get so much off. When unpackaged I realised how big and puffed up the jacket was. You can tell before even before wearing it that this thing is going to be warm. I gave it a good inspection all around and you can tell the quality of its construction: excellent stitching, zip tags for ease of use when wearing gloves and plenty of other features without being over the top. The harder wearing areas around the shoulders, hood, upper back, sleeves and lower hem use the Durable Hadron fabric and it defintley looks and feels burlier in those sections which is a massive bonus so any potential rucksack and rope wear. On to size. I’ve seen a couple of people asking about this so thought I would try and give as detailed a write up as I could. Wearing Large in my ‘Nuclei FL’ and ‘Atom LT’ I was swaying as to whether I should stick with my usual size or go one up to an XL. In the end I opted for the Large. Once I tried it on I was glad I did. For reference I’m 6’3 with a pretty athletic/skinny build and reasonably long arms as well. Knowing it was going to be worn over multiple layers I put this to the test. Layers are as follows: basic T-shirt, long sleeve merino Helly Hansen top (L) , Nuclei FL (L), Rab Muztag GTX shell (L) then the Parka on top of all this. The fit was spot on. Not tight in the slightest and with plenty of room to move about and do rope work when needed. The extended drop hem went well over my shell and past my bum which was a welcomed addition. The arms were plenty long enough with some space to spare and the hood was big enough to go over everything as well as a helmet. Granted, I didn’t try it on with my harness or gear, but given the left over room it certainly wouldn’t be a problem. Overall I would say it runs slightly on the bigger size, but that’s what you want with this type of jacket. If you’re a Large stick with a Large, if XL then stick with that. The only exception would be if you really want to size it up considerably then go one size more but in my opinion that might be overkill and leave a crazy amount of loose material. Thrilled with the purchase and can’t wait to put it in to action!!

Arc'teryx is still capable of designing highly technical gear to perfection. Used this jacket alpine climbing in 5 deg F conditions. Slept in it with my bag to weather low temps. Its an incredible belay jacket but also climbs very well with the slimmer fit. I purchased a separate compressible stuff sack to pack it down as small as possible. My favorite feature is the draft collar which locks in the warmth around your neck. I cant think of a better belay jacket on the market. The construction is as good as it gets - will last for many years. This is THE belay jacket to get.

I’ve had my alpha parka for several months now and taken it on a few ice climbing and ski tour adventures. When temps dipped into the -20s, I was still toasty between pitches and while belaying. Absolutely recommend.

First off this thing cost an arm and a leg,bbut dare I say she's worth the loot. It weighs nothing compared to what it is, and the shear volume the thing takes up in the room. The face fabric is super durable and feels like it will last a decade. Produces a very warm Mirco climate around the upper body. Synthetic insulation around key areas works amazing to keep warm even when wet. Two internal stuff pockets are a must for big belay jackets and glad to see Arcteryx put them on this. Could go for two external pockets but to keep the weight down I understand the current design.

Purchased two jackets 2 years ago and have have had to replace the zipper on both.

ALPHA PARKA Dynasty Medium I'm 5'11 177lbs and the Medium was a little bit too tight, OK with a T-shirt but that's it, I'm ordering the Large to see the difference,I will try to rewrite a review. It looks amazing, really warm and so light Customer service is awesome, thx to the team!!! Envoyé de mon iPhone

I've never worn a jacket that is as warm as this one. It is impressively durable for its weight. Durable in terms of shell fabric, and also durable in terms of how the down 'packs-out' over time. It can handle long term use, and short term use on a multi-day trip/route with lots of condensation and moisture. I've used this jacket for a winter season in Canada, and an expedition to Nepal. It has been amazing. Expect durability, expect performance, and expect warmth.

Although this jacket is primarily advertised for alpine climbing, I think it is still a must have for any cold weather rock climber - especially bouldering or single pitch sport climbing during the winter. It's incredible warm and comfy to wear, so it's perfect for long belays or resting between burns on your bouldering project. Fits perfectly over a t-shirt or light mid layer, so when you're ready to climb, you can just shed the Parka and go!

I used the Alpha Parka on cold (-25 C or so) ice climbing days. It's an amazingly warm belay parka. The shell keeps the loft dry event under a dripping ice climb (yes, ice climbs can still drip when it's really cold). The shell is also very nice for cutting the wind and creating a warm microclimate around the upper body. The parka is very lofty, and wraps around you without leaving any droughty spots. It's not for everyday, but for standing around when it's really cold, it's hard to beat. The only downside is that with all that loft and a windproof shell, it can be hard to stuff when it's time to climb.

I've worn this jacket a lot, from alpine and ice climbing to walking the dog mid-winter in Alberta, and it does incredibly well at all of it. When you're belaying the shell sheds those super-irritating water droplets that wet out a normal down jacket. Because it's down it still packs small enough you'll bring it with you. The hood is a classic Bird head, meaning it actually works over a helmet. When it's really cold I've even climbed in in it some, and it has an athletic cut where you can get your hands up if you need, unlike most belay jackets. I think of it as a sort of heated garage I pull myself into, it just makes winter easier. It's not cheap, but it is good value.

This Jacket is the jacket for cold cold weather. It is light for what it is, and engineered to keep earth in while being able to move and breath.

I have only worn this a couple of times but i can tell that it is well designed for its intended uses. For me I will use this as a piece to bring ice climbing. Popping it on at belays will keep me warm, and the outer fabric seems really durable. I know I haven't used it enough for a real detailed review, but I do know that when i put it on I feel really warm and protected from the elements.

I've used this Parka on long Alpine climbs and for long days of winter ice, it's the perfect belay jacket and when the cold really kicks in, it climbs really well too!

Product fits well, size M for a 5'10" 180lbs male. Warm, high-quality fabrication, enjoying this jacket

I used this jacket for my mountaineering trip to the Peruvian Andes and was blown away with how warm and comfortable it was. Kept me warm and dry at 19,000 feet!