When Arc'teryx set out to improve upon its already legendary Alpha SV Jacket, the seemingly contradictory concepts of lighter and stronger instantly came to mind, seeing that it's the go-to choice for 100-day skiers, professional mountain guides, and alpinists scaling the world's most daunting peaks. The current iteration of the Arc'teryx Women's Alpha SV Jacket leverages a 100-denier nylon face (what Arc'teryx calls N100p-X) over the previous 80-denier fabric for twice the abrasion-resistance and 50% more strength against tears. It retains the dependable Gore-Tex Pro 2.0 3-layer membrane for rugged waterproofing and high levels of breathability when you're making first tracks on waist-deep days or pushing up peaks in the worst conditions imaginable.