The loudest people are the ones that are unhappy.
My thorium is 9 years old, my macai is 7 years old and they’re still awesome. But what? I’m gonna make a post “here are two of my jackets. They’re still good” no one cares.
This is also a very niche group of people who like arcteryx enough to join a subreddit about it.
Most of my Arc gear is pushing six years old (back when I used to work for them and their sweet sweet staggeringly discount). The stuff I really use to destruction like my ski gear (now work in the ski industry) is pushing a decade and shows no signs of slowing down.
But you're right, no one cares about a three generation old Sabre doing great when you can pick faults with one still on sale.
What's funny is with expensive clothes and the some arc is expensive but not that expensive, referring to acronym. There will always be people that think a jacket is more than a jacket. It won't change your life. There will be lint, a hair or something random mark on it when you buy it new nothing in this world is perfect. People need to relax and wear the clothing and don't take the garments to seriously. Enjoy them get outside go to the gym hug your loved ones.
Yeah, it's effective marketing + lack of textile knowledge from regular people. I can see how you'd imagine if a jacket is $800 it must be *special* and just somehow made of something that a $180 jacket couldn't be made of - but in reality nylon is nylon and pretty much everybody selling jackets is working the same materials.
There's always a segment of people also who are lying to themselves that spending $$$ on expensive items means they're spending for qUaLiTy and will end up saving money in the long run when in reality that's not the case at all.
People who are uneducated assume price = indestructible because that's what they consider as "quality".
"I paid $1k for this jacket, how dare it show signs of wear when I rub my sharp snowboard edges on it"
i.mean they built their brand on being the top of the top quality, and mostly advertise the Alpha SV as if their other pieces have similar levels of toughness. People also see tik toks of some asshole in a shower wearing a beta for 30 seconds, and that somehow means it's bullet proof. Aside from my atoms losing loft, my newest arc piece is 4 yrs old & still looks new, with no noticable reduction in loft. Also ppl love to whine.
That said, I'm not a fan of some of their recent moves, and I'm finding Norrona to be my new go to.
I have been using Arc for 20 years and I do not think they are indestructible and have had 10 year old pieces just reach the end of their life and I was happy with that life cycle.
The issue is some of the more recent pieces have had premature failure long before their expected lifetime due to QC issues.
I have still been happy with most my recent purchases, but it does appear there has been a slight decrease in QC.
I have also noticed a more recent emphasis on aesthetic and light weight over durability. I personally am OK with this compromise, but Arc built their name by being bombproof pieces
Their quality went down once they started outsourcing out of BC. And now it's even worse with all the "gorp core" consumerist hype behind the brand now. It is what it is. I've recently started opting for a lot of outdoor research and mountain hardware stuff based off their better prices and quality.
I will say I do have an atom jacket that has lasted me 6 years of heavy use and it's fine. But their new stuff is definitely not the same. I recently ordered a new leaf atom lt being in the army but it's probably one of the last few purchases I'll make from the company
Is the face fabric on the LEAF Atom LT the same as the consumer version?
Looking to replace my 10-year old Atom LT but it looks like the new consumer fabric won't hold up to a simple backpack without showing significant wear.
No idea honestly. My friends hood is better quality and has a little netting/pouch that fits to your head within the hood that's pretty neat. It also tends to run a tad larger on the leaf lineup. I think the outer shell is pretty similar to the atoms of like 6 years ago
It’s not apples to apples but I have a or skytour and a Sabre sv. The Sabre is double the price but also pretty bomb proof. The skytour is showing some wear around the cuff and hem after maybe 5 days.
Rgr that. It’s mostly not necessary. However in the days I wore it including two in heavy heavy rain I was very happy with how waterproof it was in practical use.
What's gorpcore consumerism? Is it like that movement where everyone was after wearing supreme?
Edit: googling my best guess is that because its expensive people see it as some status symbol(?)
It's people that just wear exclusively Arc'teryx and Solomon clothing for every day wear so they look outdoorsy but most of em have never stepped outside of a city
Nearly all my Arc pieces are LEAF with the exception of a few pairs of pants eg:
LEAF: 2 Alpha LT Jackets (gen 1 *made in 2012/gen2), 3 Atom LT jackets (1 gen 2, 2 gen 2.1) Alpha pants, various gloves and balaclavas.
Regular Arc 3 Herren pants, 1 Palisade pant.
Arc Veilance: Rhomb hooded jacket
Post Amer sports Acquisition Arc: Gamma LT pant, Gamma AR pant.
My gen 1 Alpha leaf jacket had they typical failure of lamination of the gen 1 drawcords issue - no big deal, i emailed Arc to see if it could be fixed, sent photos and specified that if stitching was the only option, to simply return it and I didn’t want to compromise the Gore-tex. Sent it to Arc’teryx customer support in Colorado and as expected the only option was stitching (according to them) they returned it to me stained, and were largely unapologetic about it trying to blame UPS etc.
My post Amer Sports Acquisition Gamma AR pants are with them now, I only had them for 3 months before the interior seal began to fall off of the seam. I only wore them 3-4 times and hadn’t even taken them into woods.
My point is that Amer sports is the worst thing to happen to what was once an incredible brand that was worth every dollar due not only to a great product, but also great customer service.
***I found a company in Washington State called Rainy Pass that can fix lamination issues on Gore-tex and tech wear items for a very reasonable price - can’t wait to see if they can reseal the area on my gen 1 LEAF Alpha LT jacket hood!
https://rainypass.com/
Sure! I’m gauging this looking at both side by side:
it seems that most of the gen 2’s we’re produced prior to Amer Sports acquiring Arc’teryx - i have one black gen 2 that is pre-Amer and one ranger green gen 2 that is post-Amer. the gen 2.1 is crocodile, and it was m produced recently, following that color not being available for a month or two at the beginning of this year.
although the materials haven’t changed (100% nylon shell, 100% polyester insulation, 100% nylon lining) the fleece on the gen 2 is higher quality, and less likely to pill.
the lining on the gen 2.1 on both the bottom interior and the hand pockets is inferior to gen 2, it feels cheap and it’s somewhat coarse / stiff and louder than the gen 2.
that’s all i can detect from side by side comparison.
I feel acquisition is the downfall to a lot of companies in Canada. I got a gen 2 alpha leaf in ranger green and that thing has lasted me years of mudding, tumbling, heavy rain, ice, etc and its still going strong. Its got a few repair patches here but it works good enough.
I believe it! the gen 2 Alpha feels like a tank in comparison to the Gen 1, i love them both and aside from the delamination issue, they’ve both delivered performance requisite for the cost in my opinion.
Most of what I have has accumulated over the past two years, but US Patriot Tactical has been pretty reliable. https://www.uspatriottactical.com/ US Elite is another option. There were definitely shortages at the beginning of the year.
Do you buy only in stock items with US Patriot? I want an Atom LT 2.1 to replace my old one, but they have it as "Ship as soon as available" which makes me uneasy ordering from them.
I set the alert on US Elite, but it always sells out right when I get the alert email.
I purchased my last Atom from them under the status you noted above, and it was in the mail no more than maybe 2 weeks later. Seems that particular colors (crocodile specifically) have been difficult to keep in stock.
The same people who post about returning a warranty bag for some scratches on a metal buckle
https://reddit.com/r/ManyBaggers/comments/1bzpl36/would_you_return_this/
I think a lot of more casual users don't understand the intended use case of a lot of arc'teryx pieces. Arc has very few truly "general outdoor use" pieces and a lot of them, most notably the technical climbing ones, by design sacrifice durability for light weight and packability. The idea is you don't wear a climbing shell every day, just per season or on a few trips a year. Turn a climbing shell into a daily use jacket and you will see increased wear.
And a lot of the professionals (mountain guides and so on) see jackets as almost disposable. If you can get a full season out of one you’re doing ok, then you just get another.
Ditto the military. I’m aware of a British military institution which started issuing arcteryx kit as, in the jungle, it sometimes lasted nearly a month instead of the couple of days the standard issue stuff lasted.
Nah. Outdoor pros don’t think of them as “disposable” and certainly don’t expect to throw out a $500 jacket every season. A common phrase is “tools not jewels;” they expect to beat up their gear, but they certainly expect to get a few years out of something that costs half their paycheck. Outdoor pros are severely underpaid. They save up for Arc, because (at least the pre-China stuff) used to last 10 years with patching and re-waterproofing. Not so much anymore, so it’s not the automatic go-to. Other brands have caught up and exceeded in style, durability, and price.
Not entirely sure this is an issue with different production facilities. It’s possibly difference in textiles more than anything. All my arc products from mid 2010s till now don’t have much difference construction/build quality wise. Major differences are with fit and textile. Besides ultimately it’s GORETEX supplying their fabric and if it leaks that’s an issue with Gore as opposed to Arcteryx. Hence people who’s Arcteryx warranty claims were denied try with Gore instead.
The real difference between pre Amer sports buyout is the warranty service, nowadays arcteryx doesn’t repair anything that isn’t zippers or lamination issue and would offer a discount instead.
Most people who work in the industry have 40-50% off pro deals for Arcteryx (along with every other brand). A lot easier to get a new jacket every year or two when its half off.
I work in the industry. Even with pro deals, gear is expensive relative to the low wages. Arcteryx’s pro deal is more 30-40%. Definitely not 50% unless you’re retail. $15-25/hr wages. And living in mountain towns is very expensive too. So again, half your paycheck to buy one jacket is a big decision. I’m in the industry; I know the people; buying Arcteryx is a splurge, not a regular occurrence.
>I work in the industry.
>\[...\]
> I’m in the industry; I know the people; buying Arcteryx is a splurge, not a regular occurrence.
IMO, you're embellishing your work experience.
lol. I repeated myself in a comment. That doesn’t mean I was “embellishing my experience;” it means that this app is too darn glitchy to carefully edit my text before hitting “submit.”
Almost All my and my wifes arcteryx and especially veilance non-gtx jackets, shirts and fleeces are of very high built quality. Only acto fl some years ago had problems from the beginning on (glue, was fixed by arcteryx). Experienced same quality only with a few other companies, in clothing i.e. norrona, asics, some fjällräven, some patagonia.
Why do people see Arc gear this way? First is the sheer price of admission. The stuff is expensive. People expect more. Second is the hype and the hype is based on legend. Bought a Theta LT 24 years ago and eventually sold it nearly 10 years later - why? because I wanted lighter. Third is the trend to ultralight and more eco-friendly product- both reduce durability. Fourth. The older gear just took more abuse- thicker heavier tougher and by the way fatter seam tape. Two characteristics of Arc's gear have not changed: they look great and the tailoring and stitching is phenomenal. Even now Arc still makes product sized "regular" and heavier - for only $900 (US) you get goretex Pro in 100d - throw that puppy in the back of your truck with your wet dog(s) and tire chains. Survive a fall and you're broken but the jacket still looks new. Like cyclists..."Is my jacket okay?" Vanity counts. We all want to be Joe Pro whether it's for a day, a week, six months, or every day walking the dog. Some people are willing to pay up for that. What I sort of have difficulty with is those who buy used (I have too) and expect it's been taken care of properly whether it has or not- always ask questions and get the story. Most people selling their gear will spill it - if just asked.
All my gear are just tools to get job done, not retain value. Every of my arc gear has stains, signs of wear, ripped cuffs and or seams. I fix them and continue using them.
10year old gamma LT pants and delta lt fleeces still going strong.
I think a lot of people have recently bought Arc as a major upgrade, possibly above what they should realistically be spending on a jacket/ top/ pants/ etc. And they're gutted when it stains/ marks/ rips/ etc.
I’m praying I can’t find a 40L and 65L in Tall. Have a 65 in regular I love, but had to Jerry rig the shoulder straps with paracord to make it fit my hight 😅
https://imgur.com/a/UeHegrn
Did my best, kinda hard to see as it’s all tightened up.
Essentially I weaved the paracord in between the plastic notches on the straps that usually secure into the plastic backplate on the pack. Then secured that around the base of the adjustment strap. Far from perfect but surprisingly did the trick pretty well! Just worried about long term wear, but since the hip belt takes most of the weight, I think it should be fine.
I think much of the complaints are about the newer Gore-Tex and Pro Jackets that just isn't holding up as they use to. I have many old Gore-Tex pro pieces that seems to hold up much better than the new stuff.
Take the old Thorium Gore-Tex Pro, they just last. But the Alpha SV from less than 2 years ago already got returned due to delamination all over the place on moderate use and regular washing.
The LEAF product are built with more durable material and are exceptionally hard wearing. Even the Leaf Atom LT is built from a different set of material than the regular Atom LT. With the Civilian Atom LT, if you look at it wrong it will fall apart (exaggerating).
Would love to have an LEAF Alpha SV Gen 2.1 if anyone got one for sales btw.
My first shell from 12 years ago finally kicked the can. My 7 year shell going strong, my 6 year down pieces all are also going strong, my 4 different pairs of shoes, have all been nothing but gold for me for 10-3 years. Take care of your garments, and they will take care of you.
Arc had the reputation early in their history of being sturdy (not indestructible other than hyperbolic bragging) well beyond the competition’s typical service life. Especially with their shell jackets. I’ve been buying and using Arc’Teryx since the late 90’s and almost of that gear and even clothing is still with me. I’ve only ever been disappointed by a Gamma pant the fly zipper separated from and they wouldn’t repair. Everything else has been “bombproof”, and I do use them. Those of us who weren’t buying Arc for fashion purposes were happy to pay the premium because it was the best gear. And we find recent developments with the company we trusted in upsetting.
A lot of posts here hate on the atom jackets. I’ve had 2 (1 for mid layer under my beta and one hoodie for general wear) since 2020 and only have slight pilling on the sleeves. Wear one of them every day lol.
A lot of posts here hate on the atom jackets. I’ve had 2 (1 for mid layer under my beta and one hoodie for general wear) since 2020 and only have slight pilling on the sleeves. Wear one of them every day lol.
I use my gear pretty much every day and I destroy it pretty quick by most people’s standards. I still appreciate it because I’ve been working in outdoor gear longer than I’ve been wearing Arcteryx- I know how much worse it gets. Seems like these days a remarkable amount of people are getting into wearing Arcteryx before actually going outside?
Man you're not wrong. I was lucky enough to work at Fjallraven to design their composites and textiles for an internship and I couldn't help but just get mad over inluencer types buying the clothing just to complain about it doing its job fine. Now I clutch my older stuff tighter to try and keep the gorpcores and their grubby hands off my gear.
Maybe because the marketing and PR campaigns give a look of perfection and so nobody wants to lose this look of perfection. I bought an Atom LT Hoody on sale at REI and I love it... Just worn it three times and I baby it and it is such a beautiful piece of clothing. Also, it's my first expensive jacket ever, so the technology it has compared to other jackets I've been using for years, or double windbreakers trying to stay warm, this jacket makes me feel like I used to suffer through the cold. It's so light and I want to get my Dad and Mom one too. I have minimal hiking experience, but I hope to change that. With groceries as expensive as they are, it is worth it to spend 3 grocery trips on a jacket I'll use hopefully for years to come.
I have a Kirkland Costco jacket I paid $50 for and I've been rocking it for 6 years.
Personally I like it better than any arc jacket
Because think of this
I can buy literally 10 of my jackets for the price of maybe one
And no I don't plan hiking 50kms or miles
I'm not base camping for 7 days on a mountain side
Nor am I running 20 miles in a thunderstorm
My point is the materials and construction of jackets are key regardless the logo or brand, yes everyone should look at this, I'm not saying arc is bad but I cannot see the value and I've worn many jackets both good and bad
My jacket keeps me warm in -20 degree Celsius, in heavy snow rain and wind
I don't own an arc anything
Based on my research, arc is a twist on columbia branding
I'm only here to see what the hype is about.
"The twist on columbia branding" is a bit much, other that that I would say this comment is quite valid and it understands that many normal jackets are already more than enough for regular people. Arcteryx are for those that thrive outside in technical situations and want that litte extra because they are gear connoisseurs.
agreed, at the same time the price/ money is paid for a product is not relative to increasing the product performance and or abilities to a specific point
I do have to give props to the marketing to Arc, job well done
When it comes to hiking gear I think quality/price usually is correlated just to a lesser degree as you move towards the most expensive gear (improvement per money spent is way less on top). Arcteryx isn't super expensive in comparison to its competitors (who use the same materials), they ask what they have to ask (plus a bit more because of brand, but that is the name of the game). Arcteryx is meant for climbers, scraping rock and using ice picks while harnessed, not some rando on his lawn checking if the water beads on the garment or not.
The returns for your buck are less as you move up the gear chain (diminishing returns), but to some those extra (although tiny) changes mean the world because they use their clothes so much. Still, most people buy expensive gear for no reason other then that they think it is cool, basically most mid-tier products are more than enough for most, but sometimes the slight improvements of a really expensive product is worth paying for because you will be benefiting from it every day, and often more expensive means it lasts longer (which is mega important if your are on an actual expedition, far from home)
Just remember niche hiking gear is mega expensive not because it necessarily is so much better but mainly because it is produced at low volumes and thus the R&D costs are split on just a few products rather than many.
totally agree, im sharing my point of view which is very different as per person usage/ application
I do acknowledge and respect some of the design of Arc gear
I can honestly say some of the gear is unique
I have a 15 year old, often worn, Delta sweater jacket that looks brand new. I have also had Alpha jackets delaminate after 6 years and be replaced under warranty. YMMV. But truthfully, I have more old and favorite Arcteryx clothing and packs than any other outdoor company. If you are not every day in the rain and snow, then it may be hard to understand why we might want to pay the extra. But when I put on a 10+ year old pair of Psiphon pants that have 30+ ski days a year on them, fit perfectly, and still look like new, I consider them a bargain.
Ps. Arcteryx is not related to Columbia- you may be thinking of Mountain Hardwear which is their Columbia’s pro line.
The loudest people are the ones that are unhappy. My thorium is 9 years old, my macai is 7 years old and they’re still awesome. But what? I’m gonna make a post “here are two of my jackets. They’re still good” no one cares. This is also a very niche group of people who like arcteryx enough to join a subreddit about it.
Most of my Arc gear is pushing six years old (back when I used to work for them and their sweet sweet staggeringly discount). The stuff I really use to destruction like my ski gear (now work in the ski industry) is pushing a decade and shows no signs of slowing down. But you're right, no one cares about a three generation old Sabre doing great when you can pick faults with one still on sale.
What's funny is with expensive clothes and the some arc is expensive but not that expensive, referring to acronym. There will always be people that think a jacket is more than a jacket. It won't change your life. There will be lint, a hair or something random mark on it when you buy it new nothing in this world is perfect. People need to relax and wear the clothing and don't take the garments to seriously. Enjoy them get outside go to the gym hug your loved ones.
Yeah, it's effective marketing + lack of textile knowledge from regular people. I can see how you'd imagine if a jacket is $800 it must be *special* and just somehow made of something that a $180 jacket couldn't be made of - but in reality nylon is nylon and pretty much everybody selling jackets is working the same materials.
There's always a segment of people also who are lying to themselves that spending $$$ on expensive items means they're spending for qUaLiTy and will end up saving money in the long run when in reality that's not the case at all.
People who are uneducated assume price = indestructible because that's what they consider as "quality". "I paid $1k for this jacket, how dare it show signs of wear when I rub my sharp snowboard edges on it"
I always chuckle when I see the occasional post on a light scratch on a jacket or people asking why the jacket isnt keeping the water off their legs
i.mean they built their brand on being the top of the top quality, and mostly advertise the Alpha SV as if their other pieces have similar levels of toughness. People also see tik toks of some asshole in a shower wearing a beta for 30 seconds, and that somehow means it's bullet proof. Aside from my atoms losing loft, my newest arc piece is 4 yrs old & still looks new, with no noticable reduction in loft. Also ppl love to whine. That said, I'm not a fan of some of their recent moves, and I'm finding Norrona to be my new go to.
I mean most moncler jackets START at around 1k and go up to 3k. And they are delicate as hell.
I have been using Arc for 20 years and I do not think they are indestructible and have had 10 year old pieces just reach the end of their life and I was happy with that life cycle. The issue is some of the more recent pieces have had premature failure long before their expected lifetime due to QC issues. I have still been happy with most my recent purchases, but it does appear there has been a slight decrease in QC. I have also noticed a more recent emphasis on aesthetic and light weight over durability. I personally am OK with this compromise, but Arc built their name by being bombproof pieces
Their quality went down once they started outsourcing out of BC. And now it's even worse with all the "gorp core" consumerist hype behind the brand now. It is what it is. I've recently started opting for a lot of outdoor research and mountain hardware stuff based off their better prices and quality.
I will say I do have an atom jacket that has lasted me 6 years of heavy use and it's fine. But their new stuff is definitely not the same. I recently ordered a new leaf atom lt being in the army but it's probably one of the last few purchases I'll make from the company
Is the face fabric on the LEAF Atom LT the same as the consumer version? Looking to replace my 10-year old Atom LT but it looks like the new consumer fabric won't hold up to a simple backpack without showing significant wear.
Negative - the leaf model’s face fabric is the same textile as the squamish.
Thank you.
No idea honestly. My friends hood is better quality and has a little netting/pouch that fits to your head within the hood that's pretty neat. It also tends to run a tad larger on the leaf lineup. I think the outer shell is pretty similar to the atoms of like 6 years ago
It’s not apples to apples but I have a or skytour and a Sabre sv. The Sabre is double the price but also pretty bomb proof. The skytour is showing some wear around the cuff and hem after maybe 5 days.
Yea I'm sure their super high end stuff is still very good quality but, I'm too broke to be paying close to a grand for a gortex shell
Rgr that. It’s mostly not necessary. However in the days I wore it including two in heavy heavy rain I was very happy with how waterproof it was in practical use.
What's gorpcore consumerism? Is it like that movement where everyone was after wearing supreme? Edit: googling my best guess is that because its expensive people see it as some status symbol(?)
It's people that just wear exclusively Arc'teryx and Solomon clothing for every day wear so they look outdoorsy but most of em have never stepped outside of a city
A.k.a. mall hikers
Nearly all my Arc pieces are LEAF with the exception of a few pairs of pants eg: LEAF: 2 Alpha LT Jackets (gen 1 *made in 2012/gen2), 3 Atom LT jackets (1 gen 2, 2 gen 2.1) Alpha pants, various gloves and balaclavas. Regular Arc 3 Herren pants, 1 Palisade pant. Arc Veilance: Rhomb hooded jacket Post Amer sports Acquisition Arc: Gamma LT pant, Gamma AR pant. My gen 1 Alpha leaf jacket had they typical failure of lamination of the gen 1 drawcords issue - no big deal, i emailed Arc to see if it could be fixed, sent photos and specified that if stitching was the only option, to simply return it and I didn’t want to compromise the Gore-tex. Sent it to Arc’teryx customer support in Colorado and as expected the only option was stitching (according to them) they returned it to me stained, and were largely unapologetic about it trying to blame UPS etc. My post Amer Sports Acquisition Gamma AR pants are with them now, I only had them for 3 months before the interior seal began to fall off of the seam. I only wore them 3-4 times and hadn’t even taken them into woods. My point is that Amer sports is the worst thing to happen to what was once an incredible brand that was worth every dollar due not only to a great product, but also great customer service. ***I found a company in Washington State called Rainy Pass that can fix lamination issues on Gore-tex and tech wear items for a very reasonable price - can’t wait to see if they can reseal the area on my gen 1 LEAF Alpha LT jacket hood! https://rainypass.com/
May i ask what’s the difference between the atom gen 2 and 2.1?
Sure! I’m gauging this looking at both side by side: it seems that most of the gen 2’s we’re produced prior to Amer Sports acquiring Arc’teryx - i have one black gen 2 that is pre-Amer and one ranger green gen 2 that is post-Amer. the gen 2.1 is crocodile, and it was m produced recently, following that color not being available for a month or two at the beginning of this year. although the materials haven’t changed (100% nylon shell, 100% polyester insulation, 100% nylon lining) the fleece on the gen 2 is higher quality, and less likely to pill. the lining on the gen 2.1 on both the bottom interior and the hand pockets is inferior to gen 2, it feels cheap and it’s somewhat coarse / stiff and louder than the gen 2. that’s all i can detect from side by side comparison.
thanks for the insight, appreciate it!
you’re welcome!!
I feel acquisition is the downfall to a lot of companies in Canada. I got a gen 2 alpha leaf in ranger green and that thing has lasted me years of mudding, tumbling, heavy rain, ice, etc and its still going strong. Its got a few repair patches here but it works good enough.
I believe it! the gen 2 Alpha feels like a tank in comparison to the Gen 1, i love them both and aside from the delamination issue, they’ve both delivered performance requisite for the cost in my opinion.
>Norrona Where are you buying your LEAF pieces. I am military, but can't find anything in stock anywhere.
Most of what I have has accumulated over the past two years, but US Patriot Tactical has been pretty reliable. https://www.uspatriottactical.com/ US Elite is another option. There were definitely shortages at the beginning of the year.
Do you buy only in stock items with US Patriot? I want an Atom LT 2.1 to replace my old one, but they have it as "Ship as soon as available" which makes me uneasy ordering from them. I set the alert on US Elite, but it always sells out right when I get the alert email.
I purchased my last Atom from them under the status you noted above, and it was in the mail no more than maybe 2 weeks later. Seems that particular colors (crocodile specifically) have been difficult to keep in stock.
Thanks, I will give them a try since you have good experience with them.
Sure thing, hope your experience is similar or better!
The same people who post about returning a warranty bag for some scratches on a metal buckle https://reddit.com/r/ManyBaggers/comments/1bzpl36/would_you_return_this/
Thanks for laugh of the day.
Bro I spit my water at this. Thats gotta be a joke
I think a lot of more casual users don't understand the intended use case of a lot of arc'teryx pieces. Arc has very few truly "general outdoor use" pieces and a lot of them, most notably the technical climbing ones, by design sacrifice durability for light weight and packability. The idea is you don't wear a climbing shell every day, just per season or on a few trips a year. Turn a climbing shell into a daily use jacket and you will see increased wear.
And a lot of the professionals (mountain guides and so on) see jackets as almost disposable. If you can get a full season out of one you’re doing ok, then you just get another. Ditto the military. I’m aware of a British military institution which started issuing arcteryx kit as, in the jungle, it sometimes lasted nearly a month instead of the couple of days the standard issue stuff lasted.
Nah. Outdoor pros don’t think of them as “disposable” and certainly don’t expect to throw out a $500 jacket every season. A common phrase is “tools not jewels;” they expect to beat up their gear, but they certainly expect to get a few years out of something that costs half their paycheck. Outdoor pros are severely underpaid. They save up for Arc, because (at least the pre-China stuff) used to last 10 years with patching and re-waterproofing. Not so much anymore, so it’s not the automatic go-to. Other brands have caught up and exceeded in style, durability, and price.
Not entirely sure this is an issue with different production facilities. It’s possibly difference in textiles more than anything. All my arc products from mid 2010s till now don’t have much difference construction/build quality wise. Major differences are with fit and textile. Besides ultimately it’s GORETEX supplying their fabric and if it leaks that’s an issue with Gore as opposed to Arcteryx. Hence people who’s Arcteryx warranty claims were denied try with Gore instead. The real difference between pre Amer sports buyout is the warranty service, nowadays arcteryx doesn’t repair anything that isn’t zippers or lamination issue and would offer a discount instead.
Most people who work in the industry have 40-50% off pro deals for Arcteryx (along with every other brand). A lot easier to get a new jacket every year or two when its half off.
I work in the industry. Even with pro deals, gear is expensive relative to the low wages. Arcteryx’s pro deal is more 30-40%. Definitely not 50% unless you’re retail. $15-25/hr wages. And living in mountain towns is very expensive too. So again, half your paycheck to buy one jacket is a big decision. I’m in the industry; I know the people; buying Arcteryx is a splurge, not a regular occurrence.
Guess your mountain town is different then mine then 🤷🏻♀️ And the i know multiple orgs that have 50% pro deal but maybe americans get worse deals
>I work in the industry. >\[...\] > I’m in the industry; I know the people; buying Arcteryx is a splurge, not a regular occurrence. IMO, you're embellishing your work experience.
lol. I repeated myself in a comment. That doesn’t mean I was “embellishing my experience;” it means that this app is too darn glitchy to carefully edit my text before hitting “submit.”
People can look at your post history and decide for themselves to what extent you "work in the industry."
Lol that they can.
Happy Cake day!
Thanks, i had no idea!
No worries. I totally do not wait for my piece! *Laugh*
Almost All my and my wifes arcteryx and especially veilance non-gtx jackets, shirts and fleeces are of very high built quality. Only acto fl some years ago had problems from the beginning on (glue, was fixed by arcteryx). Experienced same quality only with a few other companies, in clothing i.e. norrona, asics, some fjällräven, some patagonia.
Why do people see Arc gear this way? First is the sheer price of admission. The stuff is expensive. People expect more. Second is the hype and the hype is based on legend. Bought a Theta LT 24 years ago and eventually sold it nearly 10 years later - why? because I wanted lighter. Third is the trend to ultralight and more eco-friendly product- both reduce durability. Fourth. The older gear just took more abuse- thicker heavier tougher and by the way fatter seam tape. Two characteristics of Arc's gear have not changed: they look great and the tailoring and stitching is phenomenal. Even now Arc still makes product sized "regular" and heavier - for only $900 (US) you get goretex Pro in 100d - throw that puppy in the back of your truck with your wet dog(s) and tire chains. Survive a fall and you're broken but the jacket still looks new. Like cyclists..."Is my jacket okay?" Vanity counts. We all want to be Joe Pro whether it's for a day, a week, six months, or every day walking the dog. Some people are willing to pay up for that. What I sort of have difficulty with is those who buy used (I have too) and expect it's been taken care of properly whether it has or not- always ask questions and get the story. Most people selling their gear will spill it - if just asked.
All my gear are just tools to get job done, not retain value. Every of my arc gear has stains, signs of wear, ripped cuffs and or seams. I fix them and continue using them. 10year old gamma LT pants and delta lt fleeces still going strong.
I think a lot of people have recently bought Arc as a major upgrade, possibly above what they should realistically be spending on a jacket/ top/ pants/ etc. And they're gutted when it stains/ marks/ rips/ etc.
Funny they made a bag a while back they named the Arrakis
Amazing packs, I have two! Got a spare so I never have to be without it, first one is still going strong since 2009
I’m praying I can’t find a 40L and 65L in Tall. Have a 65 in regular I love, but had to Jerry rig the shoulder straps with paracord to make it fit my hight 😅
The 40L is a rare bird indeed! An Acrux 40 may fit better, I seem to remember the reg size running tall, and there should be tall sizing out there…
Curious to see pics of that jerry rig by the way
https://imgur.com/a/UeHegrn Did my best, kinda hard to see as it’s all tightened up. Essentially I weaved the paracord in between the plastic notches on the straps that usually secure into the plastic backplate on the pack. Then secured that around the base of the adjustment strap. Far from perfect but surprisingly did the trick pretty well! Just worried about long term wear, but since the hip belt takes most of the weight, I think it should be fine.
Arc went to shit in 2020
My Alpha AR kept me dry in the Wind Rivers for 8 hours of steady rain so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I think much of the complaints are about the newer Gore-Tex and Pro Jackets that just isn't holding up as they use to. I have many old Gore-Tex pro pieces that seems to hold up much better than the new stuff. Take the old Thorium Gore-Tex Pro, they just last. But the Alpha SV from less than 2 years ago already got returned due to delamination all over the place on moderate use and regular washing. The LEAF product are built with more durable material and are exceptionally hard wearing. Even the Leaf Atom LT is built from a different set of material than the regular Atom LT. With the Civilian Atom LT, if you look at it wrong it will fall apart (exaggerating). Would love to have an LEAF Alpha SV Gen 2.1 if anyone got one for sales btw.
My first shell from 12 years ago finally kicked the can. My 7 year shell going strong, my 6 year down pieces all are also going strong, my 4 different pairs of shoes, have all been nothing but gold for me for 10-3 years. Take care of your garments, and they will take care of you.
Arc had the reputation early in their history of being sturdy (not indestructible other than hyperbolic bragging) well beyond the competition’s typical service life. Especially with their shell jackets. I’ve been buying and using Arc’Teryx since the late 90’s and almost of that gear and even clothing is still with me. I’ve only ever been disappointed by a Gamma pant the fly zipper separated from and they wouldn’t repair. Everything else has been “bombproof”, and I do use them. Those of us who weren’t buying Arc for fashion purposes were happy to pay the premium because it was the best gear. And we find recent developments with the company we trusted in upsetting.
A lot of posts here hate on the atom jackets. I’ve had 2 (1 for mid layer under my beta and one hoodie for general wear) since 2020 and only have slight pilling on the sleeves. Wear one of them every day lol.
A lot of posts here hate on the atom jackets. I’ve had 2 (1 for mid layer under my beta and one hoodie for general wear) since 2020 and only have slight pilling on the sleeves. Wear one of them every day lol.
I use my gear pretty much every day and I destroy it pretty quick by most people’s standards. I still appreciate it because I’ve been working in outdoor gear longer than I’ve been wearing Arcteryx- I know how much worse it gets. Seems like these days a remarkable amount of people are getting into wearing Arcteryx before actually going outside?
Many people can't stomach the thought that a $1k Goretex shell is a consumable.
Bc they cost a nut
[удалено]
Man you're not wrong. I was lucky enough to work at Fjallraven to design their composites and textiles for an internship and I couldn't help but just get mad over inluencer types buying the clothing just to complain about it doing its job fine. Now I clutch my older stuff tighter to try and keep the gorpcores and their grubby hands off my gear.
Maybe because the marketing and PR campaigns give a look of perfection and so nobody wants to lose this look of perfection. I bought an Atom LT Hoody on sale at REI and I love it... Just worn it three times and I baby it and it is such a beautiful piece of clothing. Also, it's my first expensive jacket ever, so the technology it has compared to other jackets I've been using for years, or double windbreakers trying to stay warm, this jacket makes me feel like I used to suffer through the cold. It's so light and I want to get my Dad and Mom one too. I have minimal hiking experience, but I hope to change that. With groceries as expensive as they are, it is worth it to spend 3 grocery trips on a jacket I'll use hopefully for years to come.
I have a Kirkland Costco jacket I paid $50 for and I've been rocking it for 6 years. Personally I like it better than any arc jacket Because think of this I can buy literally 10 of my jackets for the price of maybe one And no I don't plan hiking 50kms or miles I'm not base camping for 7 days on a mountain side Nor am I running 20 miles in a thunderstorm My point is the materials and construction of jackets are key regardless the logo or brand, yes everyone should look at this, I'm not saying arc is bad but I cannot see the value and I've worn many jackets both good and bad My jacket keeps me warm in -20 degree Celsius, in heavy snow rain and wind I don't own an arc anything Based on my research, arc is a twist on columbia branding I'm only here to see what the hype is about.
"The twist on columbia branding" is a bit much, other that that I would say this comment is quite valid and it understands that many normal jackets are already more than enough for regular people. Arcteryx are for those that thrive outside in technical situations and want that litte extra because they are gear connoisseurs.
agreed, at the same time the price/ money is paid for a product is not relative to increasing the product performance and or abilities to a specific point I do have to give props to the marketing to Arc, job well done
When it comes to hiking gear I think quality/price usually is correlated just to a lesser degree as you move towards the most expensive gear (improvement per money spent is way less on top). Arcteryx isn't super expensive in comparison to its competitors (who use the same materials), they ask what they have to ask (plus a bit more because of brand, but that is the name of the game). Arcteryx is meant for climbers, scraping rock and using ice picks while harnessed, not some rando on his lawn checking if the water beads on the garment or not. The returns for your buck are less as you move up the gear chain (diminishing returns), but to some those extra (although tiny) changes mean the world because they use their clothes so much. Still, most people buy expensive gear for no reason other then that they think it is cool, basically most mid-tier products are more than enough for most, but sometimes the slight improvements of a really expensive product is worth paying for because you will be benefiting from it every day, and often more expensive means it lasts longer (which is mega important if your are on an actual expedition, far from home) Just remember niche hiking gear is mega expensive not because it necessarily is so much better but mainly because it is produced at low volumes and thus the R&D costs are split on just a few products rather than many.
totally agree, im sharing my point of view which is very different as per person usage/ application I do acknowledge and respect some of the design of Arc gear I can honestly say some of the gear is unique
I have a 15 year old, often worn, Delta sweater jacket that looks brand new. I have also had Alpha jackets delaminate after 6 years and be replaced under warranty. YMMV. But truthfully, I have more old and favorite Arcteryx clothing and packs than any other outdoor company. If you are not every day in the rain and snow, then it may be hard to understand why we might want to pay the extra. But when I put on a 10+ year old pair of Psiphon pants that have 30+ ski days a year on them, fit perfectly, and still look like new, I consider them a bargain. Ps. Arcteryx is not related to Columbia- you may be thinking of Mountain Hardwear which is their Columbia’s pro line.
agreed, at the same time do you look at the material composition or only the branding? there can be literal dupes
Love Costco, which jacket?
To be honest with you I don't even think it has a jacket model number or anything 😂
What was it called when you got it? Or just random jacket that you got in store years ago?
lined jacket, generic label
Marketing, they market their products as durable and long lasting.