sanchez

I've had a bunch of softshells from MH, Marmot, Cloudveil and Arc'teryx, but this one is hands down the best. Nice big helmet-fitting hood, great attention to detail in all the pull cords & closures, great breathability, huge pit zips, big durable zippers, excellent water resistance. It just feels solid. Sizing is typical close-fitting Arc'teryx, going up a size if you're in between makes layering a lot easier.

For my money, the most versatile wool layer you can buy is the smartwool lightweight crew, but this one is second best. It's fairly thin (but not the lightest micro-weight), stretchy, form-fitting in a good way, long for easy tucking in to layers, and generally super-comfortable. I use mine all the time as a primary layer for skiing and winter biking, and can go days or even weeks without washing it - sweat-stink just magically goes away when it dries overnight. When it finally gets smelly, throw it in the wash (cold), line dry it and it's good to go for another week or two. I don't use the zipper much for temperature regulation or anything else, and I find the crew style a little more versatile and more passable for out-and-about wear, while this one is clearly an athletic top with its zip, high neck and two-tone design. While Icebreaker and Arc'teryx make some very nice wool layers, I still think Smartwool is the softest of the bunch (with Patagonia a close second).

Need to review this for what it is clearly intended to be — a casual sweater with sport styling. It's not a wool performance layer, and anyone dreading The North Face-ization of Arc'teryx will be disappointed that they're in the casual clothing market at all. The fit isn't baggy at all by casual standards, it's actually on the trim side. All considered, it's a great-looking cardigan that downplays the logo so you could wear it to work or out on the town. Why the low rating? At first I was excited that I could get a wool Arc'teryx cardigan with their classic, simple design for about the same price as their synthetic fleece layers, or the price of a high-end casual wool sweater, for that matter. But the wool blend they use isn't soft merino — it's scratchy and coarse. No wearing this over a t-shirt with major discomfort. For what this is designed for, and for what they're charging, it's inexcusable to use cheap wool.

Cut is nice and long, unlike some Arc'teryx gear that rides up to your belly button when you raise your arms. Not as form-fitting as you might expect from Arc'teryx. Nice and light, soft, great for multiple temps, resists stink, all the good properties of merino wool. More of a base layer than a shirt to wear by itself, but you could probably get away with it if you're not worried about nipple-age. Is it worth the premium compared to SmartWool or other similar products? Probably not, but at the discount price it becomes a closer call.

They do look slick, they're basically the same shape/size as the classic Ray-Ban Balorama (Dirty Harry sunglasses), so the cool factor is there. The lenses are distortion-free. But what the other reviewer found a plus (lightness) I think both feels and looks kinda cheap. While for the price I paid they're fine, if I had paid full retail I'd be upset - they're just not that visibly different than your typical $15 gas station specials. Maybe the ultralight shiny black plastic is some unbreakable high-tech polymer, but you'd have trouble convincing anyone of that without documentation.