The Ultimate Arc’teryx Winter Gear Review

This show-stopping hardshell jacket is the main reason I hiked up a snow-covered mountain with crampons strapped to my feet. The jacket (Arc’teryx fan’s might recognize it as the company’s original apparel item: the 1998 Alpha SV) is the first Arc’teryx product to use the all-new GORE-TEX Pro 2.0 membrane (read: durable) fabric. It looks bold, and it is. The stormhood is comfy, the watertight zippers keep out any moisture, and water simply beads off the body. Waterproof, windproof, weightless. What surprised me the most was easy I could move in a hardshell. I could have done crow pose on the summit. 

Before you side eye the price, please know that each jacket takes five hours to build and was designed to look good and perform well for years (and miles) to come. Oh, and the updated Alpha SV is the first alpine jacket by Arc’teryx to include a RECCO avalanche rescue reflector. This jacket could literally save your life.

Confession: these long underwear-style bottoms aren’t meant to be worn as pants, but I wore them to lunch before the hike. The Phase AR Bottom is made from Arc’teryx’s Phasic™ AR fabric, engineered to provide insulation, dry fast, and stretch through all kinds of movement. I was warm and dry while eating a turkey sandwich, and summiting the mountain in snowy rain. The slim lines fit under jeans for the days I want to layer up off the mountain.  

If you’re skiing, winter hiking, or snowmobiling, you simply can’t mess around with cheap gloves. One wet hand in cold temperatures, and you can find yourself in dangerous conditions—fast. Venta gloves kept my hands dry and warm. The pliable high-loft fleece fabric allowed for hand movement to hold hiking poles and sensors on the thumb and forefinger let me check my phone without taking off the gloves.

I can never have enough winter hats. The Chunky Knit Toque kept my head warm, my hair dry, and looked cute enough to wear back in my real life. I also like that the Arc’teryx logo is subtle. 10 out of 10, a solid winter hat. 

Layers are all-important for winter dressing, especially while performing strenuous exercise—since you’re going to warm up. The Phase SL Crew makes for good layering. Against the skin, it feels more like silk than performance gear, and the gusseted underarms didn’t restrict my arm movements. The moisture-wicking fabric kept me dry when I started to sweat on the more vertical terrain. I’ll wear this on a chilly bike ride day, too. 

As I pulled them on, I though the Gamma MX Pants might be overkill for a snowy hike. I could imagine wearing them while snowboarding or sledding, but did I need soft shell pants for a trek in the woods? Turns out, I did. They’re lightly insulated, and super breathable so I felt cozy but never hot. Even better, the water-repellent treatment kept me dry in the icy rain. 

I don’t love wearing winter coats. The bulk. The awkward length. The too warm feeling when you get out of the cold and in a car or on the subway. Ugh. But the Proton LT Hoody is a different story. I wore this lightweight baby under the Alpha SV jacket, and have been wearing the Proton on its own around New York since December. The breathable insulations means I don’t overheat, and the slightly nipped waist and longer hem are as flattering as it gets. Oh, and the hood doesn’t blow off my head in gusty conditions. I like wearing this winter coat. 

I needed a backpack on the winter hike. It was an easy way to carry a water bottle, snack, and a place to stash my layers that I shed on the ascent but still wanted handy for the windy summit. The zippered top panel provided easy access and the waterproof fabric kept my phone (and Kind bars) dry. Padded shoulder straps stayed comfortable—and in place. 

Even though the Alpha SV jacket was the star of the Arc’teryx review show, these Acrux boots really stole the limelight. I can get a blister just from looking at a new pair of shoes, so I was more than hesitant about hiking up a mountain in a brand-new pair of boots. I needn’t have worried. At 16 ounces each, these lightweight babies still manage to provide ankle and arch support, plus stability for trudging through snow (and through a few streams, thank you very much). The Vibram® Megagrip outsole and waterproof construction for the win. Blisters, begone.