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Sportinglife runs 50% off Arcteryx past seasons sometimes
A few men’s Zeta SL jackets up now at 50% right now. Only large and above sizes and only 1 colour but crazy deal for Arcteryx. These will be gone fast.
This jacket is a top pick by outdoor gear lab.
Last edited by ShawnD (10/24/2020 9:35 am)
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I'm surprised that the Arcteryx Zeta SL gets such a good review at Outdoor Labs. Here is another review that I think is more typical of a product made using Paclite. Granted this review is for an Arcteryx Alpha SL not Zeta SL. The Zeta series is better suited to all round use than the Alpha which is geared towards climbing. (God knows how you are supposed to figure that out).
It's misleading when people say their Goretex or Arcteryx jacket is a bomber rain jacket. Goretex and Arcteryx are both the kings of marketing jargon.
You can get:
Goretex Paclite
Goretex Paclite plus
Goretex Shakedry
Goretex Active
Goretex Pro
You can get:
Arcteryx Zeta AR
Arcteryx Zeta FL
Arcteryx Zeta LT
Arcteryx Zeta SL
Arcteryx Zeta SV
An Arcteryx Zeta SL is made with Goretex Paclite. It is good for backpacking where weight takes priority. Or short trips in the summer. Or as layer over a soft shell. It won't keep you dry in an extended rain.
Arcteryx SV jackets are bombproof Proshell jackets that will keep you mostly dry. But they cost a fortune.
Without taking the time to figure out all this nonsense out be careful with your expectations.
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So Martin I will say the professional reviews are confusing.
From the review below of the Zeta SL they say this.
“During a shoulder-season trip earlier this year, the Zeta SL weathered strong winds, torrential downpours, and a very wet night of moving tents around to avoid puddles better than any other shell we had with us.”
“ After hours of hiking in the rain, I didn’t experience any leakage. Only after a full day and night of wet-weather use did the Zeta SL finally succumb to the heavy precipitation, but this was after extended and sustained rain. “
Not the same experience with Paclite that you posted at all. So without using it yourself or seeing it in use, the inconsistency of reviews does make it a bit of gamble at those prices. 50% off or not.
I do tend to rely on the reputation and years of positive feedback about a brand though when I see things like that and roll the dice.
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I think Arcteryx is a great brand despite their marketing Jargon. They make products that focus on different needs and different uses. Not all Arcteryx jackets are the same.
My point is that waterproof breathable that focuses on weight over breathability and durability can only be expected to do so much. Doesn't matter if it is Arcteryx, Mountain Hardwear, Outdoor Research. None of these companies have a miracle product or a magic bullet. They will only work for so long. Then they clog, wet out and you get soaked.
I have a whole other diatribe on how no waterproof breathable jackets will keep you dry when you are paddling in an all day rain. It's just good to understand these limitations.
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I think the thread you linked to is a good example of someone doing just that Martin. Expecting their paclite jacket to be some miracle shell.
To Arcteryx’s credit I think they do a pretty good job of being above board. FL and SL jackets always have the words “emergency shell” in the description.
Common sense should tell someone that a cheaper thinner jacket is going to wet out faster than one costing $800.
At the end of the day it’s up to the user to match their needs with the right product.
Are you the kind of person that will continue to paddle for hours in a torrential downpour during a shoulder season? If so, choose wisely and save your pennies.
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ShawnD wrote:
So Martin I will say the professional reviews are confusing.
From the review below of the Zeta SL they say this.
“During a shoulder-season trip earlier this year, the Zeta SL weathered strong winds, torrential downpours, and a very wet night of moving tents around to avoid puddles better than any other shell we had with us.”
...
I'm not sure what was supposed to make that a "professional" review, but no one who has to spend their night moving their tents (plural!?!?!) to avoid puddles qualifies as "professional" by my standards. (Not that I've never set up a tent in a bad spot, but I have most definitely never had to move a tent in the middle of the night.)
I have a whole other diatribe on how no waterproof breathable jackets will keep you dry when you are paddling in an all day rain. It's just good to understand these limitations.
I have to disagree with this one. A lot of spring trips (and if my daughter is along a lot of our summer trips too) have involved all day rains. We do stay dry with our waterproof breathable coats. Sure after 10 years or more my original MEC goretex parka was retired as a tripping coat, but by then then UV had done its work on the outer shell. Even my Marks Far West brand coat was good for several years. My North Face goretex parka was good for another 10 years of year round use.
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Uh oh Rob, I'm going to have to bring my rant out of the basement again
..I also think that different manufacturer's offerings in each category are so similar to each other that it doesn't matter much. If you want to stay really dry, stop your exertion, get a truly water proof impermeable material (think fishing and sailing jackets) and hang out under a tarp or umbrella.
Goretex, H2no, eVENT, Dry.Q Evap. They are all brand names of waterproof breathable laminates that are trying to do the same thing. Some shells like Outdoor Research Helium products put an emphasis on weight and pack-ability. Others like Arcteryx Theta put an emphasis on durability and coverage. Some have 2.5 layers some have 3 layers. They all claim to keep the rain out while letting your body breathe.
It's late May, you are paddling hard for 4 hours in a true down pour, raising your hand above you shoulder ten thousand times or more, while sitting on a wet seat, and kneeling in bilge water. You are wearing your camping rain shell jacket and pants. They will fail, regardless of whether you spend $50 or $500.
They will fail because of high water pressure at high wear areas like your knees and butt which are in constant contact with water. They will fail because the DWR has worn off from one too many trips into the bush collecting firewood. They will fail because it is a particularly humid rainstorm that has blocked the transfer of moisture vapor. They will fail because water drips down your arm and into your sleeve with each paddle stroke. They will fail because you sat too close to the fire last night and an ember melted a hole in your Nylon jacket. They will fail because the open pit zips are exposed to a bit of rain every time your torso twists with each paddle stroke. They will fail because you are pushing hard into a 30 kmph wind and your sweat has overwhelmed the breath-ability of the laminate.
Yes, they are better today than they have ever been, which is great! For the most part we are not going to be paddling hard for 4 hours in a torrential down pour. We will be in the occasional rain. In which case just about any laminate with good venting will do, with a +1 going to the higher quality (more expensive) ones. If the DWR is in fairly good shape, we are not doing any bushwhacking and we are not doing any crazy gyrations we will stay mostly dry.
My problem with the whole concept of the waterproof breathable industry is they are trying to convince you to spend more money on that wiz-bang new shell so that you will magically stay dry and comfortable. For all the eventualities I mention above you won’t stay dry. Eventually, rain is going to find a way in and eventually you are going to sweat. I think more emphasis should be placed on what you do once you get wet.
Am I just wet, so what! I’m not going to drown. Am I wet and cold? That is a much more important question! What types of clothes are under my shell? How long before this shell wets out? Do I have any high energy snacks to eat? What am I going to do to stay warm once I’m wet? When am I going to throw in the towel and head for shore? These are much more important questions than should I buy eVENT or Goretex. The laminates are just too similar to matter much.
Beyond this, I agree with Marcus and others. Factors like length, fit, comfort, packability, venting, belt loops, pockets, zippers will probably matter more to your enjoyment of the product than the brand name of laminate.
Old thread
Last edited by MartinG (10/26/2020 6:09 pm)
