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The on and off rain here in SLC as of late hasn’t stopped me from getting out, thanks to my Arc’teryx Beta LT Jacket.
As with all their jackets, the Arc’Teryx Beta LT Jacket comes with all sorts of sweet features. Before going into the little details though, lets talk about the fabric for a bit. The Beta LT is constructed using 320N Gore-Tex Pro Shell 3L material. This material consists of 3 layers (where the 3L comes from)- a internal Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable membrane, 320N face fabric and a GORE Micro Grid Woven backer layer. This last layer, the Micro Grid, is the key difference between Arc’teryx shells and others on the market. It’s highly abrasion resistant and yet extremely breathable. This is the layer that really keeps that water off your back without feeling like you’re wearing a plastic bag.
Now, on to the cool little details that make an Arc’teryx Shell truly top of the line.
- The Beta LT is a hip length jacket, with a drop back hem, meaning your butt gets extra rain coverage from this jacket! The one hand pull cord makes it easy to cinch up the bottom of the jacket when the weather gets fierce.
- Pit Zips! Crucial for venting in fast changing weather.
- Vislon WaterTight zippers- on the front, pockets and in the pit zips, these zippers ensure that your shell is 100% waterproof, 100% of the time.
- Pockets- you’ve got 2 external hand pockets. 1 laminated pocket inside 1 of those external hand pockets, and 1 laminated internal chest pocket. Plenty of space for GUs, other snacks, an iPod, whatever you want to toss in there.
- Moulded zipper garages- when your zippers are all done up, there’s literally a little fabric “garage” for the zipper to pull in to, keeping your jacket as streamlined as possible.
- Hood- stowable (you’ve got a zippered compartment to compress it into) and helmet compatible. I could fit mine over both my Petzl Elios climbing helmet and my Smith Variant Brim ski helmet.
- Weight- a size medium is a measly 12.3 oz.
A few drawbacks to the Beta LT Jacket
- As with all Arc’teryx products, it’s on the expensive side. $500 dollars for a shell is expensive, no matter how you look at it.
- Because you’ve got that burly 3 layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell construction, the Beta LT doesn’t compress down as small as other shells, like a Marmot Pre-Cip might. However, it offers far superior water protection, so it’s worth the extra space in my book.
Buy Now: Search for Arc’teryx Beta LT
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