Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket

The Alpha SV jacket will protect you from just about anything that mother nature can throw at you. I am convinced that you could walk into a tornado and this jacket will come out looking like it was just taken off of the rack. I own this one in Cardinal and wear it everyday on my walk to work. I have yet to get too hot or wet on that trek and love how comfortable it is. The price might scare a few buyers away but know if you make the dive, this jacket will look fresh for years and the company will stand behind it.

I had previously bought the Atom AR in size small and the jacket fits perfectly. According to Arc'Teryx's advice (not blaming anyone), I should buy the Alpha SV in size small too. After trying the Alpha SV over all layers (base, mid, and Atom AR), the general fit seemed correct but the sleeves are much longer, reaching the last phalanx of my ring finger. Now, it's possible to pull back the sleeve and attach it around my wrist and when I put gloves on, and it seems OK. There is still a little space between my insulation layer and the shell. So, I'm going to try the X-small but I hope it won't be too tight. I'll post follow-up pictures of the fit. For you info : I'm 172 cm tall (5 feet 8), Chest: 87 cm (34"), waist : 74cm (29"), back to wrist : 81 cm (32"). Thus, according to Arc'Teryx sizing charts, I should buy XS. I hope this helps y'all.

I love doing winter 14ers in Colorado. This jacket replaced my old North Face Mountain Light which was good, but no comparison to my Alpha SV. It's light, tough, and has kept me dry and warm in horrible winter conditions. I can't imagine being in the mountains in winter without it. It's their most expensive jacket and seems like a lot for a shell. But once you've used it in severe conditions, you'll understand the expense is worth it. I plan on it being a lifetime purchase, so the expense is definitely worth it.

This jacket is bullet proof. I am the envy of all my friends. They refuse to buck up for what is clearly a superior product. I am going to buy another one just in case they decide (it would be foolish) to discontinue it. I couldn't live without it.

I've used my Alpha SV for several years now. I've been in the worst conditions possible in Utah, Mammoth, and Tahoe...below freezing with wind, sleet, blizzard, rain...you name it, I've been in it. 12 years of ski patrol experience as well. I bought the SV specifically for the conditions I find/put myself in, and I must say that it's performed flawlessly. It seals down tight when needed, the fit is great. I feel like I'm in a bank vault. When the world around me is chaos, it's like my private oasis. So good, I got the Theta SV bib. Short of catching on fire, I'm not too sure what these two can't handle. I owned North Face, Patagonia, Marmot, and Mammut. All are great brands and great products, but Arcteryx is simply the best I've ever used on every level. It's pricey, but it's worth every penny IMHO.

So, I wanted to write this review after owning the SV for a while. I have now, for more than a year, and have bought a second one I love it so much. I had a rather bad fall this year, about 6' down off a ledge onto rock. I landed on my elbow, and hip and the jacket came through unscathed. Not a scratch on it. This jacket is my, no matter how ugly it gets I need something I can rely on life saver. It's not too pack-able, I will admit. It's hot when the temps warm up, across the shoulders and the back, but when performance counts, this jacket can be relied upon. Period. If you need something for a wide variety of conditions, and maybe not the ultimate durability, go AR. If you need something as solid and dependable as possible for your money, SV.

This is my first high end jacket, well, at least if you consider the price. Im one of those who cares a whole lot, probably too much, about the design and cut, but not to the extent that I would lower my expectations when it comes to usability, durability and anything else that really matters when you're out there in the wild. Even though I have a specific jacket for all my needs, I wanted a jacket that would cover 90% of them. With the Alpha SV I believe I've found that jacket. Its comfortable enough to wear on a low intensity hike, breathes extremely well, both in "hot" and in humid weather. The fit is roomy, without losing shape. I'm usually a size M, but this fit me perfectly in a Small. There is plenty of room for a thick mid layer, especially where it counts, over the chest and shoulders. The fabrics are soft enough to maneuver freely and comfortably, more like that of a single/two layer jacket. But then the wind starts bashing up against you the jacket is stiff and strong enough to make the wind go around you instead of moving the fabrics like a flag hanging freely. Tighten the hood well, and it moves with you instead of your head moving around inside it. Loosen it up if thats what you prefer... Easy, one-hand-adjustable cuffs. So far its proven to be a jacket that would rule them all. I guess the only thing I wouldn't use this jacket for is running and as a fine dining jacket in a country club...

The new Alpha SV is truly solid. Not that the previous generations weren't, they just made some great improvements. The new stronger face fabric is more supple than I thought it would be and as far as any more noisy, we might be splitting hairs a bit. All nylon face fabrics will make a sound. Soft shells can even be a little loud sometimes. I have the super lightweight Norvan Hoody and it just really seems to be a different pitch to me, but not really different in a bothersome way. Of course, if you have something like the Stingray Pant with the soft shell backer, it'll be quieter. But, when you have a mid layer on underneath the Alpha SV, it muffles the sound in a similar way. And, the trade off of feeling so well protected is definitely worth it. You feel a lot of confidence wearing it for sure. I just feel like I can bump into rocks and trees and have my snowboard hit it without any concern of the face fabric ripping. It feels so solid. AND, it's lighter??? Well done Arc'teryx! A side note: I'm 6'0", 180lb.s, 40" chest and 35" arms and I chose the small. I won't be layering more than an Atom LT under it and it has all the room I need. I'm a medium with the Atom, Fission SV, Norman, etc., I just won't be using the Alpha SV so much for alpinism as I will for snowboarding, hiking, scrambling, etc. The medium didn't look bad. I just liked the fit of the small better. P.S. The Odysseus color is an instant classic! ...unless they had it before I became a bird fan :)

As you can see by all the awards and accolades, this is a good jacket. Lots of arm articulation. I have hiked in pouring rain all day with this jacket and I am dry as a bone inside. Like not a drop. It seems to very abrasion resistant too. The SV is serious business and is made from thicker material than its lighter-weight siblings and fits large so you can wear a few layers underneath. This is not an around-town or every day coat, it's purpose built so you can battle nature and win. Arcteryx has other, more suitable options if you need a more versatile jacket.

I was reluctant to buy this super expensive jacket when I saw the price tag. The fit wasn't right at first. I feel it was too loose. In the field, this is a hard shell for heavy duty. I always have medium to thick mid layer. The Alpha SV is perfectly fit well. During trekking in Rinjani, it was raining from 10:00AM to 2:00AM another day. I am so thankful to have this jacket. It keeps me dry and not too warm. Even unnoticeable sweat. I saw other people wearing the rain coat or other hardshell jacket with heavily sweat all over. I have used this jacket for 5-6 trips and it still look great after washing. On the con side, it can be a pricey. But the material is quite good. Another con would be the weight. It's quite heavy and bulky. I bought another Alpha FL for short trip trekking though.

writing a review for the older gen alpha sv, the one with three front pockets and the laminated zipper. This was my second jacket from arcteryx before i became a full convert. My go to jacket for long summits and touring. It has probably gone though 12 or so climbs/touring sessions and how many or so wet hikes I have not kept track of. Of all this ownership the face fabric is still like new. The only real issue i have to date is part of the bottom hip drawcord tunnel is becoming undone, something i will address and send in to arcteryx but have not had the time to do so. Dont know how much better the old gore xcr fabric is to the new gore pro in the updated alpha sv but i can imagine it is pretty darn good. I dont think this jacket will fail or rip any time soon and might last till my retirement years. It certainly is a great investment to see it go this long. Glad to see these babies are still made in the good ol canada. The fit is pretty true to size, i upped to a medium on this one compared to the usual small i get in other arc jackets due to the fact that where this jacket travels I will most likely layer. It is well suited to severe weather and still performs well in prolonged rainstorms with proper wash and dwr care.

I got this jacket on advise from my daughter who lives in Denver. She loves her jacket doesn't leave home without it. She works for Army Corp of Engineers which takes her to military bases around the world. I told her about hating not being able to ride my Harley with the gear I had when temps reached 38 F. On her advice I spent the $$$ got this jacket then the pants to go with it. I ride a Fat Boy Slim Harley it has no fearing or windshield to block the wind. I have now rode in temps down to 26 F with no issues (other than I need to get the matching heavy duty gloves. I am a believer now and sure the $$$ was well worth it. Just don't let the pant leg close to the exhaust pipe. I commute 100 miles round trip to work into Austin Texas. This gear has worked getting caught in cold and thunderstorm rain. It is easy to carry with you and takes up very little room. Forget leather I have one word for you Arc'teryx.

NUCLEI FL 70

A minimalistic build and feel to the jacket, but it still got what you need on a jacket of this type. Although it's light and minimalistic, the Gore-Tex Pro in the N80p-X quality keeps the jacket strong and durable throughout the whole year in all seasons. I've been using this model as my main shell jacket for about a year on Svalbard, and I am very satisfied with it. Although I will be using a down jacket or a cotton jacket during the harshest and coldest winter days. The fit is very right, and for me, 186cm height and 85-ish kgs, the size M is just perfect. And that is with or without an extra down insulation layer. The jacket has been put to the test through my consistive and active use, and as for now I am very happy with this product. To underline that, I have access to many various brands through my field of work and have tried out many different brands and products in various places and climates.

Have only had this jacket for a few weeks but it fits well for my size (6'4" 250) and leaves enough room for layering. It provides excellent protection from the elements. If you have never had a jacket of this quality you should know that water just sheds off even in the heaviest of downpours. The pocket layout is perfect when wearing a pack. It's held up to the abuse from hiking well over 100 miles in the southern Arizona mountains through cacti and rough brush with out showing wear. Looking forward to many more "tests" of durability over the next several years!

I bought this jacket for tournament fishing is heavy rain. It has worked better than I could have ever expected.

This is "The" jacket which keep you warm and dry. Smart engineered hood with helmed or without it is very comfortable. I recommend the Alpha SV jacket for outdoor activities.

got this along with an Atom AR hoody for winter bike commuting in the northeast. I chose this over the new jacket Arcteryx has made for bicycling as the Alpha SV appears to have a much better hood for dealing with rain/snow and the 80 denier fabric will hopefully hold up when I eventually hit the ground (ride long enough in ice and snow and it will happen). So far all is well - great fit, easy adjustments, solid feeling and the hood can go over my bike helmet, though I may end up getting a new helmet as the aerodynamic rear flare on the helmet does make it a little tight. Very happy so far.

Fantastic shell, great quality, good materials. I wear this jacket whenever is rainy and/or windy, whether I'm hiking, skiing, or in the city. I try not to leave home without, it's always in my back pack. I originally bought a SL shell jacket that I really liked because it was light weight and packed small, but then the zipper busted and I didn't like it anymore. Upgraded to an Alpha SV and difference in materials, pack size, weight & quality is noticeable.

This is an all-around great jacket. I usually don't wear it in temperatures warmer than about 60F because my arms get hot. It keeps me very dry in the rain and is very well made. I like that the cuff velcro hasn't ripped out and I don't expect it ever will. Great quality and durability. Repels water very well.

SIZE AND FIT --- At 183 cm and 105 kg, I also have a stocky build, with heavy bones, and little in terms of a waist, though no large bumper -- just your regular polar bear of a man. And yet the XXL version of Alpha SV not only fits me, but I have plenty of space underneath. Until recently, I wore a very baggy fleece jacket (classic series 300), plus an Arctic special of merino wool baselayer with an extra mesh, altogether over 400 g/m2, and I still had room enough for the jacket to allow me for round movements, squeezes and turns. Nothing that I can buy in Norway from local manufacturers will ever come close. Due to my build, everything is either too short, too long, and always beyond cramped. Not so with this one, which after many years of usage sets the standard as to what a dynamic piece in size XXL should be. What I really love is the fact that when I have everything on, and I'm in for a bit of action, the jacket is tightish where it should be, at around my hips, while I get plenty of room upstairs, and can comfortably reach where I should. That applies even when I wear a transport backpack. Finally, the cut is really flattering, though I tend to get admired by arctic foxes only, as there is no company. DURABILITY AND STRENGTH --- This jacket has outlasted everything that Greenland has thrown at me, both in winter and in summer. I had two other hardshells before, but I had never felt as protected as in this one. My Alpha SV has been through hail blasted horizontally at very high speeds, through very strong winds way above beaufort 12, and through regular snow and rain. I never felt anything, not even on my head, which is totally protected by the incredible hood on the Alpha. I can cinch it just so due to the double system, and I appreciate the long front extension. Although I don't ever wear a helmet, I can fit two bulky hoods of my midlayer/base under it. In my opinion expensive gear is such that falls apart after regular use. You don't want to be at 77 degrees north and have your hardshell pants tear apart across the entire bum. Been there, done that. After over four years and many expeditions, the Alpha really took a lot of abuse, and doesn't show any kind of wear; it still looks like new. In fact, it is my oldest piece of gear, and I foresee many more years. POCKETS / LENGTH --- At first I found it hard to get used to the Napoleon-style front pockets, instinctively reaching down, but it didn't take me long to understand the reason for it: this is a dynamic piece, and the waist pockets are not particularly useful then. I think the longer cut of Theta SVX might have been better still for me, but at the time I didn't know about it. Then again, the other jacket has only one front pocket, and I tend to use both of mine all the time, so it's a tradeoff. Fission SV on the other hand would cover most of my usecases, more than the Alpha SV, but I would still need to carry the latter for dynamic action. I really have no choice but to marry this jacket forever ;) I know that the "tank top" phrase has a different meaning, but this is what I tend to think of my Alpha SV: it's a tank shell. Really cannot imagine not having it with me during winter Greenland outings, however long or short.

Just perfect. I've bought a BETA LT before I got this one. And, I must say, it is stunning good, compared to the previous one. More importantly, this is MADE IN CANADA (Vancouver Factory).

This jacket is everything you would expect of a pro shell. It fits great and is the pinnacle of technical shells. Like the title says, if the dark knight was to wear GORE-TEX, he would wear this for sure.

I recently planned for a friend and I to go on a three day hike through the White Mountains region in New Hampshire. The first day went well enough until about 2 miles from the spot we had planned to camp at (an old shelter along the route) when we discovered the trail had washed out. Light was running out, my friend had just injured her knee, and it had started to rain. I threw on my Alpha SV as I started searching through the brush to find a spot large enough to pitch the tent. We made a makeshift camp site and the night passed uneventfully enough until the next day when we awoke to nothing short of a monsoon. While the forecast had called for rain, this was one of the worst storms I had weathered. We decided to cut our trip short and head back down the same trail we had arrived. After a few miles, we hit a bit of an issue: the river we crossed to arrive was nearly flowing over the banks, due to the massive amount of rain. A quick check of the maps showed the only way to avoid crossing was to forge 10 miles through thick untraveled forest brush. For the next several hours we slowly moved our way through the dense region, driving rain, and 45F degree temperatures. As I squeezed between trees, ducked under limbs, climb and slid down hills, I had countless stumbles and brushes with razor sharp rocks and branches, most of them sharp enough to draw blood. We finally met back up the trail about a mile before the car, and can say with complete honest, I have never been as happy to see a blaze as I was in that moment. About 10 hours after setting out we returned to the car and I quickly tore off all my layers in an effort to get warm and dry. My friend, dressed in another brand's clothing, was soaked head to toe and near hypothermia. My boots, some of the best GoreTex lined ones made, pants, and virtually all of my gear (some of it even stored in waterproof stuff sacks) was completely soaked through. As I examined my jacket, the face fabric long since saturated, I unzipped it expecting to find the layer bellow wet as well, and was met with sheer amazement as I discovered not a single drop of water had made it though the jacket. After a quick wash and dry a few days later, I threw it back on and headed out to meet up with my friend who asked when I found the time to go out and buy a new jacket. Despite all the brushes and scrapes I encountered, sap and plant debris that covered me that day, there wasn't a single mark or scratch on the jacket anywhere; it truly looked brand new. Often times, you purchase expensive pieces of gear and go years (assuming you ever truly find out), if that extra little bit of performance and engineering you paid for is really worth it. It took me one day to find out the Alpha SV is worth every sent and more. I remember thinking half way through the return trip that even if the jacket was covered in small nicks and pulls that I would still be amazed at how well it held up. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that it would hold up as well as it did, and can only say thank you for designing and building a product that not only lived up to, but far exceeded my expectations.

Bought this for my husband - and can I tell you, he is on cloud nine! Not only did he love this jacket, he insisted that we buy another one so he can have it on the shelf in case anything ever happened to this one - and that in 10 years he can have a brand new crisp one ready for him. Cheers out to Tanja P for helping my discerning shopper find the perfect jacket for him. This marks the 6th jacket have have purchased for ourselves or gifts - We are Arc'teryx fans for life.