Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket

Been wearing this jacket biking and walking to work in the pouring rain. Perfectly rain/water proof.

I absolutely love this jacket. I'm 170lbs, 5'8" and a medium fits me perfectly. Has room to add layers but still looks and feels great with very little underneath. It performs flawlessly as you expect from any of their products. And it comes with great service and warranty, as this is my second one. I had the first one for 7 or 8 years and did everything in it. After lots of use the seem for draw string around the waist came apart. I sent it to them and they said they could fit but the material was starting to break down. So they replaced the jacket with a brand new one. I just had to pick the colour and size. Very pleased costumer!

I've always wanted an Arcteryx Jacket but put off the purchase for a long time, lets face it, it's realy expensive. Now that I purchased the Beta AR i'm not sure how I might be able to wear anything else. I'm 5'10" 160 and purchased the Large. It fits great both with a down puffy jacket for insulation or a fleece shirt without the down. I used the jacket this past week in Smugglers Notch, VT. My first trip out was a hike on Route 108 into the Notch , the wind was wipping, probably 20-30 MPH and it was snowing hard with Temps in the teens, I had a down jacket in my pack but never needed it. Under the Beta AR I wore an Under Armour base with a long sleeve fleece on top of it and I was really comfortable. I never felt the wind at all and the snow that was falling, while not a blizzard, was no match for the jacket. The hood fit great over my hat, just tighten down on the cords slightly and it it doesn't move and keeps the wind off of your neck . I purposely tried to wear something not to heavy under the jacket to gauge its warmth and protection. I was warm the entire time. If you do stop for the a long period you will need the insulating jacket. I then wore the jacket 2 other days to ski at Smugglers Notch, The first day Temps were in the teens and it was windy again on the Mountain and on the lifts. Under Armour base with a thin fleece shirt and 800 fill down down jacket under the AR and I was comfortable the entire day. The helmet compatible hood worked great, never used one before , it really keeps the wind out and warmth from escaping from front and back of neck. Just sinch the cords a little to keep the hood on your helmet. Second day was a little warmer, 20, and not as windy. Wore the AR with only base layer and medium weight fleece long sleeve shirt, with the collar up around your neck. The jacket is bomb proof, amazing, it was everything that you would expect and more. Even while bombing down the mountain at high speeds you never feel the wind penetrating through the jacket. The jacket fully zipped covers your neck and chin area and eliminated the need for a gator. The jacket, by itself, is obviously not a warm insulating jacket and sitting around on a cold chair, you could eventually get cold but for anyone into the outdoors, skiing , AT, climbing , Hiking, etc if you can afford one it will be your go to piece of gear and I think will be well worth the investment.

I have bought the Sentinel, Zeta AR, Tempest and Beta AR from online retailer. I've returned all kept the Beta AR. Sadly no one locally carries these styles for me to try on. The Sentinel and Tempest do not have as much wiggle room at the armpit and hip. The Zeta that I tried on didn't have pit zips if memory serves. The Beta AR feels more relaxed. I can wear a fleece layer under and the armpits do not feel tight. I can move my arms to the front of my chest without feeling restricted. I used velcro to adjust the arm length because it is slightly long. My hip is around 39" and there is some room left if I choose to cinch the toggle tight (but I don't use it). The hood has multiple adjustments (around the face, at the nape of the neck to adjust the height of the hood, and the middle of the head to cinch the two sides) that you can tailor to your head size. I wore this in pouring rain in Atlanta for hours while sightseeing and it kept me dry. The pit zips come in really handy. Love, love this jacket. I have Pink Guava (Winter 2015) and Malachite (2013) which is a beautiful green. I also like Genziana Blue and Vultee Blue from past seasons. I am normally size 6-8 and bought medium.

This is a great shell and I love the vibrant colours it comes in. I personally found this shell quite short in the body. If I raise my arms, it will show my torso, and only just covers my bum. I went to size up but it was just too large. I think if Arc'teryx added a bit more length to the jacket, this would be the ultimate shell for women. The only other thing I found is that there seems to be a lot of room around the top of the sleeve that is really baggy on me even when I've layered. A little more trim there would be ideal but then again, that's just me! All-in-all a great shell, I love mine, I just wish it was a little bit longer.

I owned a beta AR for 4 years and through all the trips, it finally began breaking down. This jacket however has been my favorite gift I've ever got, i had a really nice rain jacket from a competitor and needless to say it hasnt seen the light of day in quite sometime. I found myself wearing my beta always. The waterproof seems started falling off and the bottom hem came apart a couple of months ago, and so i shipped it in and they have since replaced it. So if you are hesitant on the price i assure you, you will get your money out of just one these jackets let alone if you get a second one from Arcteryx's amazing repair/replacement policy My only negative is: a couple of my friends with this or the alpha/theta shells have also had a problen with the drawcords hem coming apart, but as previously mentioned they will repair this

Beta AR is My latest Arcteryx jacket . What I like most is the athletic fit of this jacket. I am 1.80 cm - 78 kg. I got M size. I can easly wear 3- 4 layers under it. Pockets are just right , I think this jacket is the most elemantery Arcteryx shell you need to own. I love this jacket.

Love this jacket in every way except the length isn't long enough. But that was my own fault, I went against reviews and advice. If you are over 6 feet tall strongly consider buying the theta, otherwise this is a great jacket. I've had it for 3 years and it functions and looks brand new.

Have had this jacket more than two years now and haven't had a single issue yet. Seams and zippers have held up amazingly after wearing on several hiking and backpacking trips. Along with everyday use around town. Holds up to the high expectations I have for all Arcteryx and goretex products.

Yeah, the above might not be the most important thing to consider when buying a shell jacket, but the Beta AR does look darned good! Compared to most Northern European manufacturers, this one is not made for 6'7 130lbs apes, with arms long enough to be able to scratch the underside of their feet whilst standing straight... This is my first foray into the world of Arc'teryx shell jackets, and I am definitely staying. I have only had it for a few months (winter time), but I have come to the conclusion that this is an awesome jacket! The fit is true to size, albeit on the large side (as most Arc'teryx gear is). I'm 5'8 and 165lbs (with a not-so-athletically-shaped upper body), and could probably get away with using a size S, but the M is great for those -40 days when I need to cram lots of layers underneath. All in all, I am really happy with it, and I am hoping it will last!

I use this jacket for on-resort and backcountry skiing. It is surprisingly warm, traps in heat, and highly breathable. Have skied in the rain, and been completely dry. It is the perfect length, and does not ride up. Best helmet-compatible hood I have had, total coverage and wind protection. Awesome jacket, great investment.

I bought my first Beta AR ~5 years ago. Since then the jacket has been dragged across the mountains of BC hunting sheep, exposed to the African sun hunting kudu, and scrapped through the Northern QC forests for Moose. It has survived it all and insured I did as well. It has been worn all year round to protect from sun, rain, snow, and wind. I can't recommended this jacket enough- It can take some serious abuse and not only keep going, but be comfortable along the way. I've now just bought my second as I wouldn't consider another. The Beta AR has become a second skin. My only complaint about the jacket: My first one was made in Canada. My newest is made in China. I wish Arc'Teryx would hire and pay Canadians to make such great gear.

This is my third season with the Beta AR jacket and it has never let me down yet. I'm a geologist and I used to work in the Northern BC coastal mountains year round. I bought this jacket originally for field work. I've worn it in conditions ranging from a blizzard in -20C to pouring rain in the high alpine. Paired with a good base layer and an Atom LT jacket or Corvert Fleece, I've been comfortable in -20C as long as I kept moving. I've used this jacket on a 4 day trek over the Inca Trail in Peru and it kept me dry in the rain and cold. The jacket stands up well to abuse. Doing field work, I wear a heavy vest over top of the jacket and it shows no signs of wear on those contact points. I've carried small rock samples in the pockets without damaging anything. I've also got the jacket very dirty and put it through several wash cycles and it has held up very well through the washes and always comes out looking new.

I purchased my first Beta AR over ten years ago, maybe as much as 13 years ago but I don't recall exactly. In that time it has been worn hard year round. While it's by no means the lightest jacket around, it's tough. I've snowboarded in mine, done chores in it and miles and miles of canoe trips and backpacking. I even fell while skateboarding in it. A wrench put three holes in it, but a Gore certified repair shop got it almost as good as new. I bought a 2014 version because in that time I've lost a fair bit of weight and found the XL to be too big for my 6'1", 175 lb frame. I passed the old one to a friend and I expect it will be used for many more years. Comparing the old and new versions, it appears the new Gore Tex is lighter than the XCR that was in my last piece, and it shows in the way the fabric crinkles a bit more in the cold. The sleeve stash pocket has been moved to inside the chest which seems to be a nod to more electronic devices being used. The Beta AR is still minimalist in design, with no powder skirt, but the new cuff design supports gauntlet style gloves and under the cuff style equally well. The hood is ample for a helmet, and the length is reasonable. I find in sizing down the jacket is best supported by lighter weight base layers and mid layers than some of my older items. A heavy fleece plus an insulating layer makes this a bit constrictive. I will stick to lighter layers and active use for this jacket and keep something more ample for the deep deep cold.

Was in search for a rain coat that could handle both Portland, OR fall/winter every day wear and also serve as a shell for back country skiing. The Beta is like a suit of armor against rain and has the best breathability I have ever experience with Goretex. In my experience so far, the new material is lighter and breathes better while keeping its bombproof water proofing. Great stuff Arc'teryx! I am delighted with this purchase.

This is the best all around goretex jacket around, in my opinion. The fit is great for just about everything except skiing/snowboarding (you'd want a longer jacket with a powder skirt). The pit zips are very generous so feel free to sweat away. The harder wearing fabric on the high traffic areas are well appreciated too, especially if you're wearing heavy backpacks!

I've owned this jacket for several months now and am very pleased. Despite my life long background in the outdoors (predominantly flat water paddling in Ontario#, I have never owned a waterproof/breathable jacket. It always seemed a bit of an oxymoron, but I finally bit the bullet and acquired one. I'm 5'1", 150lbs. A bit stocky, carrying a lot of my weight in the hips and quads, which became a prominent issue when selecting a 3L, minimalist Arc'teryx jacket. In order to get a comfortable fit around the hips, in most models I had to size up to a Large, which I was swimming in up top. I narrowed it down to the Theta AR and Beta AR, but ultimately went for the Beta AR because it fit slightly better. I did have concerns about the shorter length, but it was perfect for paddling in. Was a fantastic jacket soloing the west side of the Bowron in the first week of September this year. Plenty of rain, but kept me dry and not sweaty! Only issue I had was that the lighter I kept in my pocket the whole 5 days #under my life jacket and all# wore a hole through the pocket lining, which was a bit of a bummer.

I just returned from a deep sea fishing trip in Panama. On the water for three days and it rained almost all the time, heavily much of the time. My new Beta AR jacket did not leak at all. I especially liked the draw string around the head as it made the hood comfortable. It felt like wearing a baseball cap.

I tried Beta LT but I didn't like it, this one is the right one!

After a winter of cycling in rainy London weather, I can attest to the waterproofing of the beta AR. It's kept me dry, even when opening the pit zips to prevent overheating. And it leaves room for layering underneath.

I bought the Beta AR primarily to protect me while Bass Fishing during rain events. I have tried other suits which are very heavy and hot, but not the Arc'teryx Beta AR. It is very light and comfortable and the rain beads right off. Such a nice Jacket. Lots of complements. rm

Thanks to excellent materials, construction and fit, my Beta AR jacket has been virtually impenetrable to rain and snow. I waited several years for an excuse to invest in an Arc'Teryx jacket. That excuse came when I booked 4 weeks of mountaineering in the Peruvian Andes (during the rainy season). I needed something that was light and packable, but that could also withstand a wide range of mountain conditions. This jacket did the trick in a variety of temperatures and precipitation. Really amazing performance. My only issue is that it fits a bit on the short side. My base and midlayers often hang just a centimeter or two below the waistline. Not a big deal, but prospective buyers should bear this in mind given that Arc'Teryx offers jackets with longer cuts.

This jacket fits well, zippers seems strong and will be able to handel years of use.

Disclaimer: Neither Arc'teryx or Gore-Tex will vouch for this jacket's ability to protect against gunfire...but I seems impervious to almost everything else. I've taken the Beta AR on a number of adventures: skiing, climbing, bicycle commuting in the rain...but mostly just as an extra layer/windbreaker around town in the cold season. I bought the shell three years ago, right before a trip to the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma in winter, where it came in handy and proved its mettle almost immediately. I got lost and ended up embarking on a three hour bushwhack/boulder crawl through dense, gnarled post oak in between savagely rough granite boulders in a near-freezing downpour. Despite elbowing my way through unrelenting, rough-hewn oak and squeezing through unpolished rock, the fabric never showed the hint of a scratch. Needless to say it never let any water in, nor did it scratch, tear, or leak over the next three years of abuse it endured. It still looked brand new by the time I lost it. Arc'teryx is the gold standard of professional outdoor gear. It carries the cachet of a luxury brand, but the impeccable styling is merely an afterthought compared to the attention to detail and quality that sets this company above the competition. I own the insulated Fission SV, and I'm buying the Theta AR soon to replace the lost Beta AR, and I suspect I won't have to spend money on any more shells for quite a long time (so sorry, Arc'teryx, but I do plan on buying harnesses and backpacks in the future). Yes, I'm an idiot for losing mine, but after my experience with the product I could never purchase anything from another company.

This is the best shell I've ever worn. It's incredibly light and the seams and zippers are things of beauty. The design is streamlined - nothing frivolous, everything has a purpose. I'm 5'5" and weigh 125lbs. I got the small in order to have room to wear layers. The fit is feminine and there is room for several layers underneath if needed. I've worn this jacket cross country skiing in below zero temperatures and been comfortable with a base and mid layer under the jacket. Nothing binds and the range of motion is excellent. The jacket has become a casual favorite as well - it's the first light weight one I grab for just about every occasion. A truly well made jacket that should last for years.