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Description

The right stuff in the right places.

The Arc'teryx Alpha SL Hybrid Jacket uses super-tough Gore Tex Pro Shell in areas of high stress, like the shoulders and underarms, to add durability. The body, sleeves, and hood of the Alpha SL Hybrid are Gore Tex Paclite, which reduces weight and increases packability.
  • Gore Tex Pro Shell on the shoulders and in the underarms for added durability
  • Helmet-compatible Storm Hood with volume adjustability
  • Laminated watertight zippers for complete waterproofness
  • Gusseted underarms for added durability and unlimited range of motion
  • Athletic fit is ideal for layering under or over

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Arc'teryx Alpha SL Hybrid Jacket - Men's

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Here's what others have to say...

Anyone 6'4" ish wearing this and happy...

the outdoors are fun and stuff

Member since 
Posted on

Anyone 6'4" ish wearing this and happy with torso and sleeve length?

the outdoors are fun and stuff

Member since 
Responded on

Never mind, just tried on in a store (XL). Sleeve length just barely OK, torso a bit short, overall the thing is waaaaay too baggy, and I'm 220. Fits sloppy. Sticking with the EB BC-200 Large Tall.

PAUL UDOVIC

Member since 
Responded on

For your height (with a longer torso) the Theta SL is a much better choice. THey are over an inch longer in the front and rear plus a tad trimmer in the chest. You could also look at the FL series of jackets. trimmer in the chest, longer cut arms (but about the same length as the alpha SL in front and rear drop).

5 5

Andrew Swindle

Member since 
Groups:

If you are looking for a lightweight waterproof shell for use int eh backcountry, this is your go too. I like this much more than the standard Alpha SL do to the reinforced shoulders and underarms. These reinforcements are a much for anyone that will be wearing a pack over their shell. It also makes the pit zips more durable and easier to use. I am a fan and would recommend this to anyone looking for a bomber lightweight shell.

5 5

Tom Dempsey

Member since 

I'm not a hard-core trekker or even a monthly over-nighter but I do like good equipment. I've tried not less than four hardshells in the past two years, including some of the top-rated items from Backpacker and other magazines. I have found the perfect combination of features, construction quality, durability, function and fit in the Alpha SL Hybrid. It breathes, it vents, it closes down tight as a drum, it stays put when reaching and climbing, it is quiet when moving and it is reasonably priced when on sale. I'm 6', 220 lbs, 46" chest and the XL fits perfectly. Layers over merino top and Patagonia fleece or RAB down jacket perfectly. Hood is wonderfully adjustable over either beanie or ski helmet.

Looking into the Alpha, I'm 5'10" about...

p wigg

Member since 
Posted on

Looking into the Alpha, I'm 5'10" about 150lbs should i go for the small or medium? i don't plan on doing much layering except for a thin fleece or base layer

ohe3820935

Member since 
Responded on

i'd go with the small. the arms will fit, although the body may be a tad short. I'm 5'9.5", 160 lbs, and the small fits me well

4 5

Chuck Mabry

Member since 
  • Gender: Male
  • Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

The jacket has worked well over the last 9.5 months I've used it. My only minor gripe is that the zipper pulls on the exterior pockets are all but useless. If you are wearing any type of substantial glove, they are useless. Other than that, the jacket functions quite well.

I am trying to determine whether this shell...

fmap140252

Member since 
Posted on

I am trying to determine whether this shell is sufficiently durable, windproof and waterproff for skiing in the Lake Tahoe area. We get lots of high 30's, low 40s type of wheater and I tend to run hot so i dont care for insulation. The temps can get in the high 20s, low 30s but rarely much colder than that in daytime.

Chuck Mabry

Member since 
Best Answer Responded on

I think this jacket would be fine unless you need a powder skirt (which the Alpha SL doesn't have). Other than that, I have used the jacket for about 9.5 months now as a raincoat and a winter jacket for snow and it has survived quite well. I frequently wear a backpack with it and it has shown no signs of wear in these locations at all. The only minor gripe is that the zipper pulls on the exterior pockets need to be bigger. You can't grab them with any glove thicker that a thin liner.

Austin Saari

Member since 
Responded on

I've had it in 50 mph winds and 75 mph gusts on top of mount Cameron, it did just fine for me. I was wearing a mid weight baselayer and thermal underneath it too.

So Many Arc'teryx Models:

Hello, I am...

trrbill922284

Member since 
Posted on

So Many Arc'teryx Models:

Hello, I am looking for a primarily a ski shell that will be used 70% inbounds and 30% out of bounds . . . . there are some many Arc'teryx models with so many different labels - LV, SV, etc. Any suggestions on what might be the best one to consider.

Also, PacLite seems to be an interesting option, but unsure if it holds up in the winter conditions.

Thanks.

Benjamin Vincent

Member since 
Best Answer Responded on

For starters here is what the two letter designations mean:
SV = Severe weather
AR = all around
MX = Mixed weather
LT = light weight
SL - super light
SK = ski touring specific
FL = fast & light
see http://www.arcteryx.com/naming-scheme.aspx?EN for more information

Next you will want to determine what features you must have: pockets and where they are placed, increased breathability of the softshell vs. absolute waterproof of a hardshell, more durable materials vs. lighter weight materials, etc. As far as pacLite goes it's water/wind proof so will hold the elements at bay as good as any material, but less burly and durable than the pro shell. It won't fair as well against encounters with branches, rocks, ice, etc. If you are only headed downhill in the jacket, the ounces you save with paclight aren't really worth it in my opinion.

Any of their hard shells are going to be fine for your stated purpose, and the Venta SV would be a solid choice as a softshell. Arcteryx jackets that seem to have skiing as their primary design (read: includes powder skirt) are the Sabre, stingray, vertical, and rush jackets. Good luck and happy gear hunting!

4 5

Sid Nitzerglobin

Member since 

I got mine last week and have gotten to get it out in the weather a bit since.

I was really just shooting for lightweight raingear for the late spring, summer, and early fall as I've already got a GoreTex Pro Stretch shell, a Sabre SV, and another 20k/15k ski jacket for cool/cold weather use. I was pretty set on the OR Revel to fill this role until I tried on the Alpha Hybrid (the beginning of the end). This jacket is just very well designed and constructed, as most would expect from an Arc'teryx piece. Weight wound up only a few tenths of an ounce more than the Revel and the fit and expected durability advantage of the Paclite/Pro Shell were enough of an enticement to start seriously considering dropping twice as much on this jacket over the Revel. Once I saw the Blue Galaxy colorway it was pretty much a done deal.

Fit is great in an XL, a little more volume than I need in the body and sleeves but it is in no way baggy and there's plenty of sleeve length, the front torso is long enough, and it has a slight drop tail that provides a little extra butt coverage. I can layer just about anything I own under it and would expect to be able to remain comfortable wearing this as a shell down to low single digits F provided I'm not relying on it for chin/cheek/nose coverage. My XL Atom SV actually fits under it very nicely aside from the front of the waist hanging out by ~1/2". The Atom LT pieces in XL fit under it w/ zero overhang. Between this jacket, my Atom SV, and my Sabre, I'm am now entirely convinced that art and science of ergonomic hood design has been completely perfected by Arc'teryx.

Haven't been in any monsoons in this of yet, but spending ~45 minutes in steady heavy to medium rain w/ stiff winds, it's performed exactly as I expect a GoreTex shell should as far as rain and wind resistance goes. It is much lighter weight than any of my other waterproof jackets and way more packable.

The only negatives on this one for me so far are the mediocre breathability when battened down and plastic feel against bare skin (but ~70% of it is Paclite so what do you want...), the somewhat fiddly/catchy/wimpy feeling pit zips (I'm thinking it would probably be pretty difficult to produce a jacket this waterproof and packable w/o this issue w/o it costing a lot more money however), and the price (but more often than not you do wind up getting what you pay for).

Another great piece of gear IMO, regardless of what factory it came out of.

5 5

Dave Marcus

Member since 

Wow.

I received this jacket from Arc'teryx as a warranty replacement for an old jacket. It's phenomenal. Chinese-made or no (I'm looking at you, bow2852095) Arc'teryx is still the best in the biz. Hell, SkiLogik makes all their skis in China, too. No one complains about that.

Seam tolerance and attention to detail are spot on, as usual. I'm 5'10", 200lb with a 41" chest and I'm wearing a medium with room for a midweight fleece underneath. Actually, I'm wearing it right now over a medium Stoic Hadron anorak (despite the fact that it's still 78° in my living room - I suffer for you, Backcountry!) and it's completely copacetic. And, don't get the idea that the dead bird has started vanity sizing for the American market. The fit is still tailored in the torso and designed to fit the athlete. My weight is all in my legs and ass.

My medium weighs 12.77 oz (362g) instead of the 12.9 claimed. It's only a 3g difference, but it's nice to see a piece of gear weigh less than claimed, no matter how small the discrepancy. I really did weigh it, which reminds me that I need to update my spreadsheet. Don't judge.

New features include the plastic tooth zipper instead of the coil. Arc'teryx says its just as water resistant as the old zippers, but if you break a tooth, the rest of the zipper remains functional. Once you break a coil zipper, it's done.

The hood has the usual drawstrings to tighten around the face and behind the ears, but Arc'teryx added a third string at the base of the neck to pull the hood back. This fixes the problem I've always had with helmet compatible hoods: if you're not wearing a helmet and your head is not helmet-sized, even when you tighten the drawstrings, it still falls over your eyes. Bravo!

Tomorrow night will be the first night out. We're expecting rain to roll in overnight, so it should be a good test. I'll report back.

Dave Marcus

Member since 
Responded on

Two month update -

The SL Hybrid has now done duty as everything from urban rain gear to backcountry shell. It's seen Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. Beirstadt, and a couple of other local areas.

The DWR is solid and water rolls right off. The new zipper style started off a bit stiff (and still complains if it isn't lined up perfectly) but has broken in nicely. Everything works as it should, from the hood and all of its drawstrings to the pit zips.

Any questions about the durability of Paclite have been pushed way into the back of my mind. The SL Hybrid is in it for the long haul.

And, it's a hybrid, which is so hot these days.

Tester

Member since 
Responded on

I owned the Alpha LT and it was as thin as a piece of paper folded in half. The only thing is that pro shell breathes better due to the backer. Now as far as durability, I cant see a jacket weighing 12.9oz using paclite vs pro shell to have much of a abrasion resistance. My question though, does your own sweat get you wet from inside out in this shell?

Dave Marcus

Member since 
Responded on

Tester -
I haven't sweated in it yet, so I can't say for sure. There's a school of thought that says that any WPB is not going to breath when external humidity is high.
As for durability, I sacrifice a small bit of it for weight savings. I have some 10-denier fabric down jackets that have rubbed on rocks without issue. I also have a 20-denier sleeping bag that tore easily because I forgot to trim my dogs' claws. It's all relative.

I am 6'1.5" with a 37 sleeve...Does Arc'T...

akr2504194

Member since 
Posted on

I am 6'1.5" with a 37 sleeve...Does Arc'T come in TALL sizes? It would seem to me that gear this high tech and of such high quality that it would fit perfectly, but the size chart doesnt seem to apply to my dimensions.

Andrew Philp

Member since 
Responded on

The only jacket they make in a tall size is the Alpha SV which was stocked on Backcountry.com for a short while. It is also one of the only pieces they still make in Canada. I'm 6'3" and have monkey arms. Arc'teryx sizing has always been hit or miss for me when trying to balance sleeve length and torso size. Your best bet would be to try some on or take a look at Norrona. Norrona has very long sleeves and a narrow torso (M's usually have enough sleeve length for me, but torso always dictates a L or XL) with similiar, if not higher, quality compared to Arc'teryx.

Sid Nitzerglobin

Member since 
Responded on

I'm 6'2" ~185lbs w/ a 36.5" sleeve and a 44.5" chest and the XL has a bit of length to spare in the sleeve (~1/2 - 3/4"), torso is just the right length to maintain belt coverage through full RoM uncinched. The Large was a better fit in the volume of the body and sleeves but the shoulders didn't leave much room for layering underneath in the cold, and the sleeve came up an inch or two above the wrist and the waist just shy of my belly button when lifting the arms over head.

There's a bit of spare fabric in the body and sleeves, but it still fits much better than any other lightweight shell/rainwear I was looking at, doesn't bunch up w/ a pack on, and should give enough space to wear it in the dead of winter for skiing/winter backpacking if I so choose.

jasp400089

Member since 
Responded on

6'0, 190lbs, what size am I buying?

Where's it manufactured?

Alan Wanzenberg

Member since 
Posted on

Where's it manufactured?

James Jenden

Member since 
Responded on

Most of the high end Arc'Teryx stuff is made in Vancouver. This is probably the case. Whether or not it is, Arc'teryx has very strict quality control standards, and it'll be the same quality whether it's built in Canada or China.

Brandon Carlile

Member since 
Groups:
Responded on

The Alpha SL Hybrid is built in Arc'teryx' chinese factory.

hegaveitall

Member since 
Responded on

Still sad though, for this caliber of company and how they started, wish they would keep all in Canada. Seems like everything is being made overseas now. I have a Rab jacket, company in UK and it is also made in China.

is the blue galaxy more purple or more...

Dick Todd

Member since 
Posted on

is the blue galaxy more purple or more blue

PAUL UDOVIC

Member since 
Responded on

The paclite material on this jacket are more purple (same purple hue seen in shoulder/arm area of teh ALPHA/BETA FL squid ink). The Pro shell parts of the jacket are the blue (olympus blue hue like the theta SL)

Sid Nitzerglobin

Member since 
Responded on

So comparing this side by side to my Squid Ink Atom LT jacket the Paclite sections seem to be a brighter shade and are more definitely purple in hue. The Pro Shell sections seem to be an exact color match to my Squid Ink Atom LT (closer to a royal blue, but can still look purple based on lighting and your particular frame of mind at the moment).

I absolutely love this colorway.

eve4476433

Member since 
Responded on

I have both, as well, and I agree with Sid's assessment. Although, I have to say the squid ink color is my favorite of the two. Maybe the best color on a hard shell jacket, ever, in my opinion. And it surprisingly goes with just about any other color. It just needs to be able to take out the trash and do my laundry. That would really make my day.