Everyone already added the good things about the jacket. I would buy another one if I lost it.

Only issue I had is with the plastic zipper pull. It feels a bit cheap and somehow broke off. I emailed Arc'teryx and they promptly sent me a new one free of charge (plus some cool stickers and drink coasters).

I'm just shy of 6'2 and about 180lbs. I bought the large and fits me perfectly.

Incredible softshell. Built with Windstopper and interior lining is very warm. This is warmer than any other softshell I've had, including the Arcteryx Gamma MX. I am extremely impressed and satisfied. Expensive, but worth ever dime if you find yourself doing a lot of winter ski tours and winter climbing.

I have the Venta AR in black and you would have no idea how technical the design was unless you really looked closely. Super lightweight and thin, kind of plain looking (in black at least) but that's what I wanted (still retains at least some of that classic Arcteryx fit). The microfleece is only around your upper chest and down the back, elsewhere the material is even thinner to let out heat. No pit zips, but core venting is possible by leaving the pockets open. Oh, and a nice suprise - all of the interior seams are taped, which makes it a bit more comfortable than other jackets I've had if you're wearing a very thin shirt underneath (or nothing at all ;). Haven't had it very long, but so far it's perfect around town for temps down to 40F with a t-shirt or thin sweater underneath. Layering (or aerobic activity) should extend the comfort range lower, but my chub (combined with the athletic fit) seems like it might prevent me from layering up too much. If you're a thick guy, you might want to size up on this. If you're looking for something warmer (also more technical looking and maybe a bit more breathable) check out the Gamma SV.

Haven't had a chance to use it in the rain, so don't know how water resistent it is, but that fact the seams are taped, I'm pretty sure it would keep me quite dry. The jacket is very light and form fitting which is nice if you are trim. Comfortable collar and keeps the wind at bay nicely. Not very warm since it is mostly a windstopper, but it depends on how cold you get. Sunny day, mid 40's, little breezy, wore the venta and a long sleeve dryfit shirt and was fine. Very nice jacket overall and happy with purchase. If it had alittle more insulation, it would be perfect. I would wait for it to go on sale however (which I did), since I don't think any jacket of this type from any manufacturer is worth $300.

I loved my Gamma SV so much that I wanted to try out another Arc'Teryx softshell. After some shopping I ended up with this jacket in Tarragon as it seemed to provide a different set of technical qualities than the Gamma (windproof, warmer weather). Basically, after wearing both these jackets for the fall and parts of the winter, here are my conclusions: The Venta jacket is usable in a more diverse set of conditions. Tarragon is a beautiful dark greenish color, I absolutely love it (my Gamma was in drab black). The cut of the Venta SV is slightly roomier than the Gamma (but still athletic) and slightly longer, allowing for better layering. Taped Seams makes the Venta much more comfortable to wear over just a baselayer.

Now here is the one thing I do not like about the Venta -- the Windstopper fabric has almost no stretch. This is usually ok since the cut is roomier -- however the jacket is stifling at the wrists! There is almost no way I can check the time on my watch when wearing this jacket. The wrists are so tight that I cannot layer anything more than a long sleeve shirt and maybe a thin fleece, and putting on gloves under the wrists is really a pain (especially with a watch). This problem is made worse since whenever I put on my Gamma I realize how stretch yet durable the Powershield material is. Perhaps it would have been wise for Arc to provide gussetted wrists on this one.

So yes, almost perfect, and should be fully deserving of five stars... but the lack of 4way stretch takes this jacket one notch down. I would still buy this jacket in a heartbeat!

I picked mine up about a month ago and It has worked out very well for the most part. It can be quite warm at times in the SF Bay Area's dynamic climate via "Windstopper". The gusseted arms are very functional, unlike some other brands out there.

My only qualm is that after shelling out 3 bills for an Arc'teryx, it would have been nice to have been able to locate this elusive 3rd "internal pocket". I guess mine is simply invisible...