Arc'teryx Alpha SV Bib - Men's - 2007 BCS

These arc'teryx alpha sv bibs are super well made. I've had mine for about 3 years (and have put in a lot of days). They fit comfortably, and you don't look like a dork apres ski. I wear a medium weight base layer underneath (ie long underwear) and I'm perfectly warm even in frigid conditions.

I was looking for the best ski bibs out there so I got the Alpha SV. I was suprised that this bib "for climbers & skiers" had no internal gaiter. Not good for skiing! I was also amazed when I realized that in order to go to the bathroom, I had to completely unzip my coat and the powder skirt, and then unzip the bibs from the top to the bottom. TOO MUCH Exposure when it's cold or snowing! At 5'9" ,160 lbs, these bibs are constricting to me. They're designed for someone 15 lbs lighter(read climbers). Arcteryx is for climbers first & maybe skiers 2nd or 3rd.

The fit is excellent, many well placed pockets and zippers the material feels and acts durable, and they have held up on a couple of small backcountry trips this Winter. So far so good.

This bib is comfortable and fit me extremely well. The two chest pockets are large, well placed, and easy to access. My only complaint is that the lack of a 'fly' makes it a little clumsy to answer nature's call. The fly zipper comes all the way up to your chest so you have to reach under your shell and other jacket layers to find the zipper.

The alpha bibs were the best quality that I have encountered and I have looked at a lot of bibs. I like bibs to be bibs not pants. The bad guy is that I'm short and a short size is not available. The price for alteration exceeds $125.00 and I was already stretched on the cost of the bibs. Better luck next time. Back to the old ones that fit.

I’ve had these bibs for about four years now, and they’re absolutely bomber. When it comes to battling through nasty mountain storms for days at a time, there’s nothing that I would rather have. However, on nice days they always end up in the bottom of my pack, jealous of my lightweight softshell pants. The combination of high bibs and a jacket inhibits breathability a little too much for my taste. The bottom line is: if you’re expecting horrendous weather, get these bibs. If you’re climbing on a nice day, leave them at home and wear something lighter.