Arc'teryx Seeker Comp Softshell Jacket - Men's - 2006 BCS

I've had this jacket for a few years and I can't tell you how much I love it. Super functional for playing outside, and just as good for dreary Portland weather. Great style is form and function. I love the hard shell on the top and the breathability of the softshell. Also a huge fan of the sidewinder zip, recco reflector and huge front pockets. Why they stopped making this I'll never know...Arc'teryx, please bring it back!!!

Ok, I bought this jacket because when I read the reviews and the description of the jacket, I was lead to believe this thing is water proof...I mean tight! It is not... The Hard shell material IS waterproof but the softshell component is only very highly water resistant. I talked to the folks at Arc'Teryx and they told me that this was NOT a jacket they deem "waterproof'. And folks, we know that Arc'Teryx is not mincing words when they describe their gear. What I was told was that the hard shell components are waterproof and the softshell parts are approximately 65-70% waterproof. The softshell material itself isn't waterproof in of itself (i.e. doesn;t have a waterproof membrane) but rathher is water resistant and made veryra water resistant by the DWR treatment.

So...from a technical standpoint, the materials do not make this a bombproof, waterproof jacket.

Now, Let me describe my real world experience. Just this Thanksgiving (2008) I went to playa de carmen for vacation and the first 2.5 days was rain soaked. I expected some rain and I took the Seeker Comp with me to test out its water resistance....

Let me tell you, this thing may not be completely waterproof, but it is very damn near close. This think kept me dry in 15 minutes of walking around in a deluge and 30 minutes of light rain. The only areas where I noticed a bit of water coming through was in the back, where I had been leaning back against a tree and some rocks. The back is the soft shell material and water WILL GET THROUGH if you but too much pressure against the material against really wet surfaces. By the way, the seams on the Seeker are beautifully sealed and the waterproof zippers are great.

With respect to breathability, it is outstanding...even in the muggy 75 degree weather during the rain showers in Mexico...I didn't have that nasty clammy wet feeling inside the jacket.

With respect to warmth....forget about it. This thing is a light shell. The folks at Arc'Teryx told me that this thing has only about 65-80% wind stopping. This turned out true. Here in the rockies, we have had some very windy days recently, and I can tel you that when the wind picks up to more than a strong breeze, you will start to feel the wind...especially in the soft shell areas. Also, the Seeker Comp is not your insulated or heavier softshell jacket. If you want to wear this thing in sub 40 degree weather, you may want to start thinking about a mid layer or a decently warm base layer. At about freezing tempature...this thing is not going to provide the warmth you need. Now, this is subject to your level of activity, as I was just taking a walk in the neighborhood so not realy getting my body tempture up. As for pit zips...who needs pit zips. This jacket breaths.

Now my question is, when do I wear my TNF Free Thinker and when do I wear the Seeker Comp... I just received my 2007/08 TNF Free Thinker Jacket and I will post a review after my upcoming snow boarding trip.

Hope this review helps....

Hello Gearheads!! I got my Seeker Comp on October 20th - a cold, windy & rainy day here in Helsinki. Like the Gamma MX no water got through what so ever. I really like the Sidewinder zip and how it covers my chin with space for a neck gaiter. I didn't feel any wind or any dampness... I was wearing a t-shirt and a sweat jacket under the Seeker Comp. The temperature was 5C, but it felt like -1C with the wind chill. My body temperature was just right - no overheating or cooling whatsoever. The next day the rain and wind were more intense. I wore Arc’teryx Ether Crew SS and Patagonia R1 Pullover under the Seeker Comp. Once again I was very comfortable and didn't overheat. The wind chill factor was at -2C, and the rain was coming down at a steady clip. The Seeker Comp does breathe very well... like the Gamma MX. Arc’teryx says the jacket is made for the backcountry. I think if you layer properly, it will be great inbounds as well. The RX (prescription) would be a) your base layer and b) a mid layer like Patagonia R2 or Arc’teryx RHO Top for cold winter days. You would use a mid layer like Patagonia R1 or microfleece on a warm spring day. I love this jacket already! I can't wait to ski with it. I will post an on slope review after I go skiing with the Seeker Comp. Move over Gamma MX. Seeker Comp is the BMOC now.

Nice fit, quality manufacturing, but utterly useless in the outdoors. I've field tested this item several times while backcountry skiing - what this jacket was supposedly designed for. Even mild breezes went right through it, and you'll freeze in a winter wind unless you have a windblock layer underneath (in which case, why wear a parka?). It is also only as 'waterproof' as the DWR; if you lean against anything snowy or wet, the body soaks right through. I found it highly breathable, yes, but so is cotton and wool. I even tried a second jacket to be sure that these criticisms applied to more than one - parka 2 was no better than parka 1. So here's the conundrum: what is a $375 jacket for if it neither blocks wind or keeps you dry? I sent them back.

Hello gearheads! I put the "Seeker Comp" through a day in hell in Whistler. Their freezing level that day was 1200m - raining below, snowing above that level with 80km winds. I wore an Arc'teryx Ether Crew SS shirt as a base layer and Patagonia R1 fleece pants and pullover top... that was all under the "Seeker Comp". The jacket withstood EVERYTHING the weather threw at it! No water got through at all! Honestly, I really needed a Gamma SV vest on top of the Patagonia R1, because I did get slightly cold on the upper part of the Red Chair where U are exposed BIG TIME to the wind.
The skiing that day was phenomenal - over 40cms of powder! I didn't overheat when skiing through the powder and the trees in Franz's Meadow and V.D. Chutes. The jacket breathes well as I found out going through the bumps on "Lower McConkeys" in Harmony Bowl.
In conclusion, the "Seeker Comp" withstood Whistler's worst, but on days like these U would be better off wearing a Sidewinder SV - any other day is Seeker Comp day!

I got one of these, in grey, about a month ago -- and took it to Squaw Valley for a four-day trip.

A storm socked in the mountain for four days, with rain halfway up. While I stayed above the snow/rain line the whole time, I remained super-dry. By the end of each of the first three days, being in the wet snow conditions had soaked my Garmont gloves, and gotten a bit into my Ride pants. The Seeker Comp -- still beading, not an inch of soak-thru on the whole of the jacket. A kid working at a shop at the base of the mountain was stunned when I came in on the third day -- "you're dry?!?!!"

Add on the angled zipper (no chafing lips and chin), the super-cool look (slim cut and stylish), the helmet-friendly hood...this has got to be one of the best jackets out there.

P.S. on the fourth day the skies cleared and it was a three-foot fresh-tracks Monday.

I have had this jacket for 2.5 seasons now and truly enjoy it. I use this during the summer for camping hikes in woods, and for most of the winter skiing. I love the breathability and never find myself sweated up inside of it. I have not had problems with wind but my standard midlayer is a mountain hardware windstopper fleece to that may be part of it. I love the zipper on the collar and how it comes up the side. i can ski with it fully zipped all day and it doesn't irritate my face. Also, little things like the hood cinch and the small place to slide the brim of you hat into, it makes the hood stay in place while hiking or camping and the hood turns with your head. Not enough for extremely cold days I am good down to about 5 F but any less than that and I usually go to a down jacket. I have done spring skiing in this jacket where it was snowing but the second it hit you it turned wet and though the softshell material was wet to the touch on the outside I was not wet on the inside. Great jacket to layer with. But if it is going to be your only shell I would go for something with goretex or a similar material.

I recently bought the Seeker Comp, i read the reviews and it seemed to good to be true. This past weekend i put the jacket to the test in the Austrian Alps snowboarding. The winds were in excess of 50mph with fresh snow. I observed multiple boarders and skiers getting knocked over by the wind gusts. I cinched the hood up around my goggles, blocking the wind and staying warm and dry the entire day. The jacket lived up to the reviews of ALL the others users and surpassed my own expectations. The Seeker Comp is an incredible, reliable and functional jacket that i highly recommend.

I like the stretch torso paneling.. and the fact that it is either highly water resistant or waterproof. Its comfortable, I got the large... i'm 5-10" 180 and it fits well and can also layer, I would get medium if you did not want to layer and wanted the more snug fit. Great product

This jacket is LIGHTWEIGHT fits great for even the bigger upper body people. Very wind repellent and waterPROOF. Have worn it in the rain and been just fine... Get it!

I bought the Seeker Comp to replace my old Mammut Lazer Jacket. I wanted a helmet compatible hood, and better breathability than the Mammut had. I got all that and a whole lot more.
The seeker comp is a "hybrid" jacket meaning that it's made of both hardshell and softshell materials. In this case, the PTFE is pretty waterproof/breathable and it comprises the hood, shoulders, tops of the sleeves, and bottom hemline of the jacket. The more breathable fabric is on the chest, back, and bottoms of sleeves. This makes the jacket very breathable, light, and compressable, but still with good weather resistance.
This jacket is not marketed as a hardshell waterproof jacket. If that's what you're looking for, Arc'Teryx makes a number of Gore-Tex jackets to fit your needs. If you're a backcountry skier / ski mountaineer looking for a great coat, this may be it. I'm 5'8" 145# and a small fits me well. It's athletically cut so I can layer some under or pull a puffy over for really bad weather. With a simple T or base layer under, I can skin fast without sweating through everything. The helmet-compatible hood keeps the spindrift out when I'm booting up a couloir. The powder skirt works well for snorkel days. The fabric cuts (doesn't eliminate totally) the wind. If you need a warmer coat, pull one over this or skin faster. The cut keeps the jacket from pulling up when you're climbing. Nice pockets work with a harness.
A damn near perfect backcountry skiing jacket.

I wore the jacket for the first time during my trip out to Jackson Hole over the winter Holidays. The conditions were amazing, and the jacket held up pretty well - then again, I might have just been so enamored with the 50+ fresh inches of powder over the week to not notice any issues. I did notice though that I was having trouble zipping up after taking pictures. not an easy zipper at all. I can't attest to rain conditions because it luckily never rained, but it did blow - to the point of shutting down the upper mountain. That was a sad sad day. I remained warm most of the day though which is the important part, and happy. I would have like better pockets on the inside for phone and camera.

I live in Colorado and bought this jacket as an all-around final layer. It works very well in this climate, but the zipper design just doesn't seem to excite me; it seems to stick at the first "curve" up and then doesn't really zip all the way up when the hood is down and while wearing a helmet. This is minor, compared to the other features of the jacket, but all-around it's bomber. I would also like to have some better ventilation like pit zips.

This jacket is good for warm days, stormy days, and all around use in winter sports. With the critical areas waterproof, and the Consoltex S3 softshell material, this is the best combo of waterproof/breathable you can get for a jacket. Two inside pockets and two hand pockets and this does come with RECCO. I have wanted one for a long time, I am glad I now own one.

Arc'teryx is now making many of their products in China similar to other mainstream outdoor companies...but this peice is still made where Arc'teryx calls home-Canada. I love the feel of this coat. Just got one adn couldn't be happier. I've wanted a ligthweight softshell hoody for a while and thought I was going to dial in teh Gamma MX Hoody, but found out it was being made in China and then look elsewhere. Thst's when i found out that the Seeker Comp was still made in Canada where Arc'teryx has been producing the best gear for years. I bought one and you should too!

Great jacket. Arc'teryx sizing is all over the map across different models, but in this one sizing is pretty close to what I experience in most other good brands. In other words I felt more comfortable in size Large.

I am a big fan of Arc'teryx but have been moving away recently as they started making some garments in China rather than Canada (as had always set them apart)- but the quality is beyond arguments and thus I returned for this softshell- and good god am I happy- I had almost ordered another gamma mx hoody as I had been so happy with my last one and then I took a chance- and I agree with the gentleman who said "gamma mx beater" this baby is sleek and does it all, has it all! the price is amazing and guess what...MADE IN CANADA (unlike the new gamma mx's) Sure it is the middle of the summer now so i cannot test it but you just know with some jackets that they are dialed in and ready to shine and this is one for sure- colors are great, hood has extra adjustment that cinches it to perfection, gusseted arms allows maximum range of motion and reinforcements in key areas will allow for more down and durty tree rubbing etc as well as seal those areas that are more prone to downpours- they got it right on this one- grab it-
ps- this site is the way to go, been amazing in all return issues pricing etc, others like the "trec" fluctuate prices, send coupons you cannot use etc- straight forward and responsive- done deal

I'm generally surprised how Arc'teryx sizes its various jackets (often on the tight side but sometimes quite large). Seeker Comp though seems sized in common with other good brands, and I was most comfortable in a size Large.