Arc'teryx Delta AR Jacket - Men's

The Arc'teryx Delta AR Jacket is a great choice for anyone looking for a nice, simple fleece to wear alone or use as a layer when the mercury drops. The description is right on about the compressibility - it can be stuffed into a backpack with no problem. If you're just looking for a clean-looking and functional lightweight fleece, give the Arc'teryx Delta AR Jacket a try!

Arcteryx Delta AR Jacket Review This is a very stylish and handsome jacket. I love the red color and the high-loft Polartec Thermal Pro material is very light and warm. I'd like to add a few critiques however, mostly from a style perspective, that made me decide to return the jacket in the end. The collar: I like the fact that the only Arcteryx logo (aside from a small tag on the front pocket) is on the back of the collar. Initially I was worried it would be too big, but its really rather tasteful, thin, subtle and not gaudy. You can turn the collar down and cover the logo if you like, but the jacket loses a little luster. Unfortunately in practical terms the collar suffers from the same defect as the Maverick jacket. In the nice product photo above, you see a collar that is straight and fully zipped. However when you zip the jacket all the way up in person, theres a crease, or bend, in one of the sides that prevents the entire collar from giving off a straight, aligned and uniform look. Since my 30 dollar Columbia Steens mountain sweater does this no sweat, I was a disappointed that the Delta jacket didnt. After all, you want to look good and stay warm on those frosty days, right? I tried gently massaging the collar kink out, but to no avail. The chin guard also seems to catch a lot when zipping the jacket all the way up. Overall Fit: Arcteryx tends to cut their clothes athletically�, meaning that they are generally quite true to size. Im 6ft, 170 lbs, and found the Large to fit well, but almost a little too close. There wasnt much room left beneath, and I cant imagine wearing anything under it but the most fitted t-shirt, or a slim wool/capilene base layer. I think Arcteryx technically bills the Delta as a mid layer, but compared to my TNF Scythe jacket, it was disappointing not to have just a tiny bit more room. Hem: As with the Maverick, Arcteryx cuts the hem of their jackets in a downward sloping pattern from front to back, in order to prevent gusts of wind getting underneath from behind. My TNF Scythe jacket does the same thing, but not nearly as dramatically as the Delta, in which there is quite a prominent difference vertically between the front hem and back. So much so, that I almost suspected that my particular jacket was a factory floor anomaly. For outdoor/hiking/climbing use this wont be much of an issue, but from a style perspective this means that anything you wear under the Delta and dont want to tuck in will either stick out from under the jacket or run perilously close, creating a bit of a sloppy look. Once again, not a big deal for those looking for pure functionality, but for a jacket I wanted to wear both on and off the mountain this was a bit of a bummer. Conclusion: Ive made some mention of The North Face's Scythe Jacket as a comparison because I was very pleased with the way this jacket fit and because it uses exactly the same Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft material, only for substantially less than what Arcteryx charges for the Delta. Ive no doubt Arcteryx paid attention to quality with this jacket, but the annoying snags I mentioned above, coupled with the fact that other makers offer similar jackets with the same amount of attention to quality AND the little details makes this jacket hard to recommend.

Was looking for a thin layer to wear underneath a shell and this was perfect. I hate extra bulk on cold days...This keeps me warm and when the sun is out, and whem I'm skinning up, works as a perfect outer layer to she some heat. Agree with others, the fleece on this jacket feels great on the outside and in.

Nice looking jacket, warm and fully featured. The one thing I don't like about all Arcteryx jackets and zip pullovers is the neck. Seems to me they are always much larger than they need to be and much larger than the other brands. Arcteryx needs to either change the tailoring in the neck or provide a neck drawcord. Although not quite as good looking, the Patagonia R2 is a trimmer fit and the neck closure is much tighter giving a better seal when fully zipped. Overall, I'd spend my money on Patagonia if I had it to do all over again.

The biggest upside is the warmth of this fleece -- I feel as if it adds 15 degrees to my core body temp. The downside is that it is not windproof, so probably best serves as an insulation layer. Depending on your style, it's also very shaggy looking -- which I like, but others may not.

Very nice looking fleece, good snug athletic fit for layering and movement. Take note- Does NOT block wind - which is sometimes good and sometimes bad- (ie. bad at the beginning of a freezing 2am bike ride but good at the top of killer hills on sunny fall afternoons). I solve this problem by keeping the ol' Alpha SL packed in the bag to handle the wind and precipitation. Wind aside, great fleece, classy but inconspicuous and the ladies dig it.

I purchased this jacket as an inner liner used with hardshell. It's very lightweight, very soft but bit tight on the size. It packs easily. Do not expect this to have any wind protection. Keep your shell with you for wind/rain protection.

I have a number of Polartec 100 and Polartec 200 fleece jackets, as well as a Windstopper vest. This is my favorite fleece. It is very classy in black. All the comments about lack of windproofing are accurate. The feel and look of the Polartec Thermal Pro is very soft and comfortable. The tailoring is great. The cost is a bit out of line, but the jacket functions well around town or as an insulating layer in cold weather or alpine pursuits. You pay for the exquisite attention to detail. I love it for aerobic activities in Northern California winters. Add a shell for wind.

After owning a North Face Denali (before the North Face popularity rampage) and a well made Mountain Hardwear Windstopper tech, I wanted a different fleece. The Mountain Hardwear was great but not too soft or very warm, and I didn’t really like the fit of the North Face. This Arcteryx is great. I am sad it's not windproof but that isn't what it’s designed for so I’m leaving it at 5. This fleece is very soft and is supposed to remain that way. It’s extremely warm but breathes well. It is very athletically. So if you’re big, this is not your jacket! Thankfully I’m relatively small. If you want an insulating fleece but don’t like the look of the Mountain Hardwear Monkeyman, this is for you. If you want a windproof fleece go with the Patagonia R4 which is very soft and also Polartec Thermal Pro. This is my favorite fleece I own. Get the black, by the way.

Top notch fabrics (very light and durable), thoughtful design, and as always superb Arc'Teryx quality. The reinforcement on the shoulders adds a bit of windproofness and rain resistance. Very warm, but can be worn by itself only if there is no wind - windproofness is almost zero. Good size hand pockets and a handy inside pocket for ID/other small items. I have it in Blue Corn and it is a very nice color. Overall, the jacket is great - makes jackets from other manufacturers (who shall remain unnamed) look like a cruel joke from the 80s. Perhaps not worth the list price, but get it if it goes on sale.

At first I was not too happy with the color (sangria) but apart from this I loved this jacket from the first minute I wore it. Never had a fleece jacket as light and warm as this one before. Meanwhile I even start to like the color...

Already own two other Arcteryx Fleeces, the Delta R and the Delta RS, and the Delta AR is already my favorite…………The other two older fleeces are much more understated in that the Arcteryx logo is obscure on the left breast and I wasn’t sure about this jacket before I bought it but after receiving it is very tastefully done with the logo on the left upper as well as the bird behind the neck. Done just right and not flashy…….Great looking jacket!!! Functions and fits like a charm, this jacket is a winner, no hesitation in buying another. Washes well, no piling what so ever in any of the fleeces I have bought and I wear them twice a week on a rotating basis for workouts as well as more often in the winter. I bought the blue corn, sounds like a dull name for a color but it is a great looking dark navy blue with contrasting upper. One of their best colors by far (I bought the dusk blue in another Arcrteyx fleece and it isn’t anywhere as nice and returned it to backcountry which was as cordial as usual in taking it back with their uncanny customer service) Can’t go wrong here!