The Driest I've Ever Been

By Tang Ranked #1378 - Men's Technical Shells December 19, 2009

Without rating the price, and just the performance I can honestly say that this i the best jacket for keeping your dry I've ever seen. I've taken it ice climbing in sideways sleet, I've canoed all over the 'Dacks with it, and I have used it to keep my nice shirts dry on wet NorthCountry mornings going in to work. But I must say that what impressed me most was when I sat for 5 hours in the parking lot at the Meadowlands in a tailgate with pouring rain. There was no shelter but this jacket, and I needed nothing else. I stayed dry, warm, and happy as can be in this jacket while my Mountain Hardwear Exposure II bibs let some water in.
Which brings me to my only negative point: This jacket is so good that water just runs right off of it, soaking your pants. So if you don't have a good pair of goretex rain pants, your legs will bear the brunt of this amazing technical piece of clothing.
Size-wise I'm 6'4", got a large (on severe discount, so I only paid 270) and it fits like a glove. The torso is not too tight, so it allows layering, the articulated elbows move with me so it doesn't crawl up my arm while I'm swinging ice axes above my head, and the back is longer than the front, which makes my seat stay dry. The hood fits perfectly around a helmet (and I usually detest hoods) and I still have full peripheral vision after adjusting the hood. I love it. You will too, if you've got the scratch.

View Details: Arc'teryx Theta AR Jacket - Men's

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