Arc'teryx Women's Beta LT Jacket

The Arc'teryx Beta LT Jacket is an excellent all-around, waterproof, reasonably lightweight jacket for the majority of one's outdoor activities. I've owned mine for five years and have hiked, skied, and traveled with it, and it's still in great shape with minimal wear. The Gore-tex Pro has kept me dry and comfortable even in heavy rain and snow. The jacket is pricey at $549 retail (2020 MSRP), but there are sales and close-out colors. It's a versatile jacket and even after years of use mine remains well constructed and durable, despite being lighter weight. If I lost mine I would start my new rain jacket search with another Beta LT.

I've had my Arc'teryx Beta LT Jacket for five years and have used it extensively year-round, primarily for hiking, travel, and everyday use, and occasionally while skiing. 

Like all companies, Arc'teryx has its own product naming methods. In this case "Beta" products are "all round mountain apparel" and "LT" means lightweight.

Sometimes all-around or all-purpose means a product doesn't do anything all that well. Not true for the Beta LT! It's an excellent all-around, lightweight rain jacket and accommodates most of my outdoor rain and wind protection needs.

Fit & Comfort

The Beta LT Jacket is available in men's and women's sizes and has a Trim fit. Arc'teryx says its Trim fit is designed so the jacket fits close to the body, maximizing breathability, which is true in my experience. The fit is comfortable without any restrictions while moving. However, if you anticipate regularly needing larger insulated layers underneath, consider sizing up.

The half-star I removed was because the slim fit across the bust doesn't allow for much extra layering, such as when I've used my jacket for skiing and needed to add a larger down jacket underneath. However, I don't expect one jacket to work perfectly for every possible scenario. This one comes fairly close.

Side Note: If you want a Regular Fit hard shell, Arc'terxy offers numerous other options, such as the Beta AR, Alpha AR, and Alpha SV ("AR" meaning "all around," "SV" meaning "Severe," and "Alpha" products being for alpine climbing). If you want a ski-specific jacket it has those with Regular Fits as well, such as the Shaska, Sentinel AR, and Sentinel LT ("Sentinel" products being for skiing/snowboarding)—Crack Arc'teryx's naming code to find apparel for your use and preference and then select a jacket with the fit you want.

Overall, the Beta LT Jacket stands out as being a comfortable, versatile, lightweight, all-around option that allows for layering for most three- and some four-season use, depending on your build and preferences.

Features

The Beta LT Jacket's design is deceptively minimal, but refined.

• It is hip length with the back slightly longer for extended coverage.
• The full-coverage hood is compatible with climbing or skiing helmets and doesn't impede my vision; It can be adjusted with Cohaesive cordlocks (my old version has standard locks) and tightened down when not wearing a helmet, which is most of the time in this case (I have ski shells I wear for that activity).
• The articulated cut/pattern is designed for a full range of movement; Arc'teryx calls this e3D patterning as of 2020. It also has articulated elbows and gusseted underarms.
• There are two larger outer zipped hand pockets and one inner zipped chest pocket, which can hold a phone or other valuables.
• Each cuff can be tightened with a simple hook-and-loop strap.
• It's reasonably lightweight for its durability. Arc'teryx lists weights of 345 g for men's and 315 g for women's; My women's medium weighs 311 g. [Note: Oddly the Beta SL/Superlight Hybrid weighs slightly more for men (360 g) and slightly less for women (300 g)...go figure.]

Waterproof and Breathability

The Beta LT Jacket is waterproof and windproof, thanks to Gore-tex Pro. I've worn mine all day hiking and skiing in rain and in snow with no issues. There are no pit zips (if you're looking for those), but the jacket stays reasonably breathable while active in a wide range of temps. I use mine year-round from below freezing in winter to summer hikes and find it performs well in a diverse range of conditions.

About once a year I wash and treat my jacket with Nikwax Tech Wash and TX.Direct Wash-In to maintain its waterproofness.

In the California winter rain with my brother

Summit of Mount Elbert, Colorado, with my son

Construction and Durability

I've had my Beta LT Jacket for five years and see no signs of wear other than a few minor stains and the plastic "wire" in the rim of the hood sliding out, but I only noticed that when I went to take a picture of the jacket today; I pushed it back in, no problem. There are no signs of wear from pack straps or other friction or abrasion.

When I started this review I looked to see how long I'd had this jacket (five years) and how much I paid—$439.95. I know how much Arc'teryx jackets cost, but I was still surprised that I paid that much, which was probably full or close-to-full retail at the time.

However, five years later I've forgotten the price of the Beta LT and just keep wearing this jacket. It still performs as well as it did new. If I lost mine I'd go and buy another. When I needed waterproof pants I bought the Beta LT version, based on my experience with the jacket.

Iceland with Dave

Best For

The Arc'teryx Beta LT Jacket is a great, all-around waterproof shell. If you want a versatile, high performance, reasonably lightweight shell that you can use year-round for lots of activities, this is a solid choice. You can find ultralight jackets and less expensive jackets, but the Beta LT hits the sweet spot for me for light weight, durability, and a wide range of usability over the years. I've worn mine hiking and skiing in and out of the rain and wind. I take it along whenever I travel, knowing it should cover most of my shell needs. I've also loaned it to my children and relatives when someone else needed a jacket in the rain.

In addition to spending most of its time in New England, it has been to Iceland, France, Colorado, Utah, California, and possibly other places I've forgotten. I don't often think about my Beta LT Jacket, I just use it.

Skiing in Maine

Skiing in Utah

Background

I wear a range of waterproof and windproof shell jackets year-round for hiking, running, and skiing, especially when I go into the mountains and above treeline. The Arc'teryx Beta LT covers the widest range of uses, year-round, and is my go-to waterproof shell.