If you are
like me, you may not have heard of Arc’teryx
before. They are an outdoor clothing company
based out of North Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Their name and logo refers to the Archaeopteryx
Lithographica, which is the first reptile to develop the feather for flight
(something to bring up at your next trivia night). Their parent corporation is the Salomon
Group, which has built up quite the following in the outdoor sports world. The company was founded in 1989 by local
climbers whose goals were to create equipment that enables a person to be
immersed in the moment no matter what the conditions are. Arc’teryx
also believes highly in environmental stewardship, responsible manufacturing,
and community engagement. I recently
tested three products including the Norvan
jacket, Trino
tights, and the Calvus
visor.
Norvan Jacket
I have
tested waterproof jackets from Salomon, Outdoor Research, and Ultimate
Direction in the past. A friend of mine just
got the Norvan
jacket from Arc’teryx and I really
liked the way it looked and felt. I was
thrilled to have the opportunity to test it out. The first thing I realized when I first got
it was how well it was constructed. All
of the seams were well taped and the 3-layer GORE-TEX® felt extremely
comfortable. You didn’t get that stiff
feeling that the older GORE-TEX® coats had.
Arc’teryx describes the Norvan
jacket as an “Ultra minimalist waterproof breathable GORE-TEX® protection
for high output activities in wet, windy weather.” It weighs a mere 7.6 ounces and has a trim
fit. There are three color options,
Adriatic Blue, Black, and Vermillion (Reddish Orange). It’s made to keep out the wind and moisture
while still remaining breathable.
The Norvan
jacket uses the patent-pending 3-layer GORE-TEX® fabric with GORE® C-Knit
backer technology. You get all the
protection, with plenty of comfort.
There are two layers of GORE-TEX®
that are bonded to a dense, extremely thin circular knit layer to make a
less bulky jacket that is not only comfortable, but slides easily on and off
over other clothing layers.
This jacket
was designed with performance in mind.
The hood is fitted to provide protection and has an elasticized brim for
extra protection. There are air vents
that pull air through openings under the arms and provide constant air flow,
reducing heat buildup in the jacket while you are running.
The
WaterTightTM front zipper has a quiet, soft pull that is easy to
operate. There is also an internal
waterproof pocket that is laminated and has a port for your headphone
cord. That way you can keep your phone
or MP3 player in the pocket and run the cable out without subjecting your
device to water damage.
The arm
cuffs and bottom hem are elasticized to keep the jacket in place. The arms are shaped, which is great since you
don’t run with straight arms and there is extra coverage to keep rain off of
your hands. There are several reflective
logos and stripes on the jacket as well to make sure you are seen in low-light
situations.
The Norvan
jacket is easily cleaned in the washing machine (warm water and double
rinsed). As with almost all athletic
gear, do not use fabric softeners and remove them from the washer
immediately.
You can tumble dry the jacket on medium heat.
You can tumble dry the jacket on medium heat.
In my test
runs, it was pouring non-stop and none of the rain made it in the jacket. The vents worked fairly well and I did not
overheat. With any waterproof jacket,
you will sweat more than with a water resistant jacket, but you won’t get
drenched by the rain. It does a great
job and I really like the fit as well as functionality of the jacket. The hood was perfect and really stayed in
place, which has been a problem with some of my water resistant jackets in the
past. I also like not having to worry if
my phone will be damaged from the rain, thanks to the waterproof interior
pocket. All in all, this is an excellent
jacket.
The Norvan
jacket is available at the Arc’teryx
website for $349.00, which includes free shipping. I have seen the same jacket at REI for
around $245 and at there are a few places online under $200. It’s a jacket that truly protects you while
keeping you feeling comfortable. While
the price tag is up there, the quality is amazing and should last for a very
long time as long as you follow the care directions. This would fall into the “you get what you pay
for” category.
Pros:
Excellent
waterproof jacket
Elastic hem
and sleeves keep the jacket in place
Under arm
vents keep you cooler
Waterproof
interior pocket
Great hood
Breathable
Ultralight
(7.6 ounces) and packable
Cons:
On the
pricey side at $349 MSRP (can be found cheaper though)
Trino Tights
The Trino
tights are made with GORE® WINDSTOPPER® and is made for training in windy,
cool and damp conditions. They will help
you in your fast-paced adventures whether you are on the road or trails.
These tights
combine the protection of GORE® WINDSTOPPER® with the air permeable stretch
performance of AtreusTM. They
put the GORE® WINDSTOPPER® on the front of the tights to focus on wind proofing
and water resistance. The back of the
tights have the AtreusTM to improve temperature regulation and
provide a great fit.
There is a
9” zipper at the bottom of each leg with gusseted fabric inside to make the
lower legs tighter (more like a tight than a pant) while still being easy to
take on and off.
There are
two small hip pockets for gels or keys as well.
And the tights are designed with articulated legs so they fit and move
better with you during your entire gait cycle.
I was
extremely pleased with the comfort and functionality of the Trino
tights. They do an awesome job of
keeping the wind and moisture out. There
were 15-20 mile an hour winds, and I couldn’t even feel it on my legs. Even with the extreme rain, my legs stayed
almost completely dry, which I didn’t really expect.
The Trino
tights are available at the Arc’teryx
website for $149.00, which includes free shipping. I have seen them at REI for around $100
which is a great price for windproof/water resistant tights. Just like the Norvan
jacket, the quality is amazing and should last for a very long time as long
as you follow the care directions.
Pros:
Windproof/Water
Resistant
Great fit
Zippered/gusseted
legs
Two small
hip pockets
Great price
$149.00 MSRP (around $100 at REI
Calvus Visor
My friend
asked me “A visor is just a visor right?” I’ve noticed that certain visors have better
fit and functionality than other visors.
The Calvus
visor is a lightweight technical visor that
not only protects you from the sun, but does an awesome job at wicking moisture
away.
The brim is
made of a foam insert to hold its shape without adding weight or bulk. The fabric is made with SocoraTM
polyester and is light and air permeable.
Weighing in at only 1.2 ounces, it has a barely there feel. The SpacermeshTM band wicks
moisture away quickly too.
The
elasticized rear headband provides a secure fit and there is a reflective logo
on the side for low-light situations. I
love the fit and feel of the Calvus
visor. It performs well too and it
has become my favorite visor. The price
tag is great at $29.00 on the Arc’teryx
website which is the same price everywhere else online.
Pros:
Great fit
Excellent
moisture wicking
Reflective
logo
 |
| Archaeopteryx Lithographica Fossil |
Light weight
Great price
at $29.00
The Arc’teryx Social Media Links:
Arc’teryx makes some amazing products. While some of their products have a higher
price tag, I think they are worth the extra money. I am a strong believer that paying a few
extra dollars on a product that will make your hours of running more enjoyable
is more than worth it, especially if the gear lasts for quite a while. I love my Arc’teryx
gear and highly recommend it. If you
have tried any of their gear out, drop me a line and let me know what you
think.
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