Byron Go

Thermatek is the Bird's trademark name for taking Polarguard Delta insulation, and then dipping it in DWR, and then LAMINATING it to the face fabric. It's spendy because it's just as labor intensive as it sounds, and no one else does anything like it. And...you won't be disappointed in its warm for weight, and the snugger you wear it, the higher the heat.

Thermatek is the Bird's trademark name for taking Polarguard Delta insulation, and then dipping it in DWR, and then LAMINATING it to the face fabric. It's spendy because it's just as labor intensive as it sounds, and no one else does anything like it. And...you won't be disappointed in its warm for weight, and the snugger you wear it, the higher the heat.

Thermatek is the Bird's trademark name for taking Polarguard Delta insulation, and then dipping it in DWR, and then LAMINATING it to the face fabric. It's spendy because it's just as labor intensive as it sounds, and no one else does anything like it. And...you won't be disappointed in its warm for weight, and the snugger you wear it, the higher the heat.

Alright. From one outdoor professional who was a technical representative for a major Canadian outdoor company to y'all...

Down (the only material we didn't utilize, ironically) is fantastically breathable. Contrary to popular belief, breathability has nothing to do with how much air passes through something, but rather moisture transfer, in the form of vapor. But we're not just talking about down here, we're actually MOSTLY talking about the face (and interior) fabric of the jacket. And while the down is breathable, the face fabric may not be. It has to be VERY tightly woven to effectively be "down-proof," keeping the feathers from poking out all over the place, but unlike a waterproof shell, it does not have to have a laminate or coating on it.

So relative to your rainshell, your down jacket will be much more vapor permeable (breathability, remember?) But relative to a primaloft puffy, or even a plain wind jacket? Pretty comparable. Next to a fleece, no contest. The fleece is totally porous.

To answer this specific question...they'll both be equally breathable. 900 fill down is a marketing feature, you won't notice the difference between the fill power, you'll notice the difference between HOW MUCH DOWN is actually in your jacket. Of course, no one tells you that :)

One thing to love about Patagonia gear is that it is covered not just by a warranty, but a guarantee. Which is nice. If anything ever happens that you aren't satisfied with how it worked for you, you just give them a call, they take care of it. TNF will only handle defects...

Use Nikwax Tek Wash according to the tag on my Welder Insulated. Then use Nikwax Softshell proof to re-treat. :)

Umm...I think the question was about compressing the load, not load lifter or load bearing adjustment. The two sets of straps Andrew mentioned are for making the load sit better on the shoulders/hips. Compression straps are for taking up slack in the bag in the case it isn't full. There are straps on the side that could be used for compression, but are really meant for holding skis and other things on the sides. If this pack isn't full, it will not compress down as well as the Naos series.

Pro shell is more durable, and will breath better, and will be more versatile for warmer conditions. That being said, the Theta SV is NO JOKE, and a pretty heavy duty (and just plain heavy) jacket. Overkill for most. The fabric in the AR is plenty durable.

I would consider the durability of the Stingray and Theta AR to be comparable, and the SV to the level of glissading down rocky slopes. The Stingray will be slightly less durable, though, just because it has a softer hand and just isn't quite as tightly woven. That also makes it quieter, and softer to the touch.

And the Stingray is much shorter than the Theta.

Scorpion is also longer in the body, and heavier in total. The heavier fabric without a change in cut has caused many reviewers (inc. me) to find the underarms to be tight because of the bulky fabric. ie - I can feel the pitzips when they're closed.

Also, stylingwise, the Scorpion is lower key, with the hidden pockets being less Arc'teryx-y.

Love my seekers, and agree with Jacob. Would only want a hardshell if I wasn't going to be moving and a creating heat (lift assisted skiing, etc) And I wear my Seeker's casually, too...they fit like a great pair of relaxed fit jeans. With instep reinforcements :)

Gore-tex IS Teflon. Or rather, polytetrafluoroethylene. Which is the chemical name for Teflon. So ya, there's "teflon," but it's a laminate (a sheet) and not a coating (sprayed or applied on). Other than that, there's the DWR applied to the outside, and eventually, that WILL need to be refreshed. Arc'teryx does well to use a pretty high quality DWR combined with high quality fabrics that have natural water resistance due to the tightness of their weave.

FYI, the Beta LT is a completely BADASS jacket, being almost as strong as the hardiest fabric in the Alpha, but weighing WAY less. 320N pro shell is the best overall fabric in the line, and is also in evidence on the Alpha LT. 3 layer protection for less than an OUNCE more than the Alpha SL (paclite). AND pitzips...

All Arc'teryx garments will be made in China from here on out. It is a factory that Arc'teryx OWNS and operates to the same standards as Vancouver, they have decided to dedicate Vancouver to the AC^2 line, Bora line of packs, with very limited, if any clothing manufacture. I wouldn't fault the Bird for it, the price isn't because it's Canadian, it's because to make a coat like this it requires a lot of money in both materials and in the quality of work to make one last a lifetime.

Yes, pretty sure. Although it's not a fully windproof fabric, and really, it doesn't stretch that much. This comes from having an accelero pullover, and being familiar with the fabric.

It has the cubic inches, but it would be awkward to fit them in the shape of the pack. It could be done, though. Unfortunately, average sized ski boots is not a great descriptor, and the size of the boots themselves can depend greatly on their make, model, and function.Good luck!

PTFE fabric is basically Gore-Tex Soft Shell, they just can't call it that because it's not a waterproof jacket. Consoltex S3 lite is a single weave one layer soft shell material, a lot like the Gamma LT material. Pretty wind resistant, super breathable, not too warm. And the DWR is probably the best in the industry. This jacket really is perfect for what they intend it for, backcountry skiing and boarding.

If I were you, I'd order both the m/t, the large reg, and maybe even the l/t and just try them all on. These are pants you're hoping to have for the next decade, hell...forever. So...maybe take the extra time to give them all a shot. It's a small price to pay for the right ones. Once you get the right ones, you'll never want to take them off, trust me on that one.

I believe it's a 2 inch inseam difference, but not sure. The pants should fit as well as normal pants, but with more mobility because of the precurved cut and fit. At 5'11", it would be really unusual for you to need the Talls. Good luck!

They do not. If it's really that important, it's not hard to sew snaps onto a powder skirt. Otherwise, it's just a gripper elastic.

Probably medium. If you are talking a size 7 in a baseball cap. Lots of adjustability in the helmet, too.

Not just volume, but for the length of your torso. Different people have different torso lengths, usually (but not necessarily) coinciding with other factors, like height. If you don't know your size, check with your local outdoor shop to have them size you up. Volume: [Regular] 1831cu in (30L); [Tall] 2136cu in (35L)

Just tightens with a drawstring, had no problems with it yet. Oh, and the drawstring can be a pain to put away, but if you're careful you can pretty easily tuck it away in the hole in the top of the bag. And there's a little hypalon flap covering the hole that the drawstring has left. No, not waterproof, but pretty close.