Disclosure: The following product was donated for the purpose of review.
MSRP: $249
Weight: 11.6 ounces
I’m always cold. I’m that girl that has a 0 degree quilt and still sleeps with all of her clothes on. Although I was born in an ice cave in Southern Michigan, I often struggle to keep myself sufficiently warm. So when I stumbled upon the Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody, imagine my delight. This product does a great job of trapping heat when it counts. For the amount of warmth that it promises, it is a great piece to add to your collection.
Photo Courtesy of Arc’teryx
Cool Features:
There’s a sneaky chest pocket on the interior of the jacket and the cuffs of the jacket cinch tightly around the wrists, ensuring that snow won’t creep into the arms while you’re preparing for battle with your neighbors.The side flaps are also slightly stretchy, allowing a large radius of movement.
Cons:
The pockets are relatively small, which isn’t a problem if you don’t store half of your belongings in them. But I personally prefer a little extra room.
Additional Pros:
Arc’teryx has a wonderful customer service department. This is a factor I often take into consideration when buying products. I would gladly spend a few extra bucks on a product to ensure that I’ll have support if it fails on me when I’m in the middle of the wilderness. In my experience, they do a wonderful job of offering prompt, helpful responses.
Durability:
I put this jacket to the test, inspecting its performance under a wide range of environments. I recently took a road trip from Michigan, to Colorado, to Utah and then down to Georgia. It kept me comfortable (and sometimes even a little too warm) when hiking and bouldering in upper 30 degree temperatures. It shows no sign of wear. I suspect that It’ll take quite a beating, unlike many feather-filled puffies.
Weight:
At 11.6 oz, the Atom is lighter than many mainstream products. However, in comparison to many of it’s rivals, it’s a little on the heavy side. Feathered products range from 6oz to 12oz. The Atom weighs in on the heavy side of that spectrum. But if you’re looking for durability over weightlessness, the Atom is a great choice.
Value:
The pricetag is reflective of an average outdoors jacket but this product will undoubtedly live a long life, which makes it an above-average product in the price-life continuum. You wont have to worry about losing loft, or getting it wet. You often don’t even need a shell, although it’s designed to be an insulation layer.
Comfort:
I’ve never had a jacket that moves so well. It’s clearly designed for an active lifestyle.
Overall:
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this jacket. A 2015 thru-hiker friend of mine wore it from Georgia to Maine and swears by its performance. My findings have been just as positive. Overall it’s quite efficient and effective in a variety of environments.
This article was originally published by TheTrek.co
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