User Review: Arc'teryx Men's Alpha SL Jacket

What can I say... this superlight rain shell worked for me flawlessly (or as near-perfect as I could ever imagine), in the wettest of places- the coastal mountains of Alaska, BC, and the Yukon for 3 months in summer.

It's cut high to accommadate a climbing harness, it still rides lower than a hip-belt on a big expedition pack. Completely waterproof/sealed everywhere. Hood is well-designed and very effective like all Arc'teryx stuff (not helmet-compatible, though- no prob for backpacking/paddling).

It's Paclite- so it breathes like Lance Armstrong, but it is thinner- so it can puncture (the sacrifice you make for having an 8-10 oz impervious shell). Still, the one rip occurred on my sleeve, and it was likely from sharp rock I fell on in steep, sketchy terrain. And the tear didn't run- sealed up with a patch and seam seal to this day (a year later) no problem. Could return to Arc'teryx for a cheapo repair (or maybe a replacement) but they rock, and it's a battle scar I'm glad to bear with my favorite rain shell of all time.