Arc’teryx Zeta SL Jacket Evaluate

The Arc’teryx Zeta SL is a hiker jacket that goals to mix a rugged shell and a light-weight, packable rain jacket. With the implementation of a 2L Gore-Tex shell, the perfect consumer is one after a dependable shell that doesn’t need to sacrifice room or weight in a backpack. It succeeds exceptionally on the process, and discovering a greater mix of weight and safety is hard than the Zeta SL.

After my third summer season mountain climbing with the Zeta within the Canadian Rockies, I’ve given the jacket an intensive check in powerful situations. Due to Gore-Tex Paclite material, the jacket gives loads of safety, might be worn with a number of layers, takes up minimal room in a backpack, and feels snug on the pores and skin.

The load financial savings permits me to bag quite a few summits with a 10L working vest. A path runner or ultralight thru-hiker would love this jacket. Discovering the proper stability between safety and weight might be difficult for a jacket. The Zeta SL manages to make this stability exceedingly effectively, however it does include a excessive price ticket.

Arc’Teryx Zeta SL Evaluate

Fast Specs: Worth: $299 | Weight: 10.9 ounces | Materials: GORE-TEX 2L Paclite

Efficiency of the Arc’teryx Zeta SL Jacket

Gore-Tex Paclite Professional

What units the Zeta aside from most mountain climbing jackets is the strong construct for a light-weight mountain climbing jacket. The Zeta provides a two layer construct that gives strong safety and manages moisture effectively inside. It’s additionally handled with a DWR coating to assist repel moisture.

The Zeta makes use of a fleece backer from Gore-Tex that’s fairly skinny and comfy towards the pores and skin. Its supple and light-weight nature means it’s an exceptionally light-weight and packable 2L shell jacket. It does all this with out feeling too crinkly or noisy.

I’ll typically put on this jacket with a light-weight mountain climbing shirt and by no means discover any discomfort. Its inside layer offers simply sufficient softness for reliably next-to-skin consolation that feels good on the path. The tender fleece liner additionally does job of absorbing and dispersing moisture away out of your physique and avoids a clammy trashbag feeling.

Component Safety

Given its 3 Layer building, the Zeta is a strong shell that does a stable job defending it from the weather. I’ve spent a number of hours mountain climbing within the rain, sleet, and snow but remained dry. It’s powerful to beat the water safety of a 3 L Gore-Tex. Granted, I’ve felt some moisture within the shoulders, hood, and entrance zipper in really nasty climate. Fairly customary for all however the burliest of shell jackets.

Wind safety is superb, and it’s develop into my go-to jacket for fast alpine ascents and scrambles. Nevertheless, it feels a bit of ethereal in heavy alpine winds as a result of its skinny nature, because the light-weight jacket cools off simpler. So for those who spend plenty of time at elevation, it’s possible finest to take a look at the Beta or Alpha line of Arc’teryx jackets. For these of us that stay on the path, it’s an distinctive jacket for wind safety. It will be an incredible jacket for hikes in tough areas like Patagonia, Scandanavia, and the Pacific Northwest.

Packability and Weight

The Zeta SL isn’t packable within the sense that it features a stuff sack or two-sided zipper to stuff the jacket right into a hand pocket. It’s packable as a result of potential to simply compress and handle the jacket’s measurement. Once I throw it in my backpack, I fold and roll the jacket into the inside of the hood. The result’s a manageable measurement that doesn’t weigh your pack down.

At 10.9 ounces, the jacket isn’t the lightest jacket available on the market, however it’s way more strong and incorporates greater than an ultralight shell. Extra inexpensive mountain climbing shells such because the Outside Analysis Foray and Marmot Minimalist are available in a number of ounces heavier with a slight downgrade in efficiency.

Temperature Administration

You’re unlikely to have any points with the jacket and temperature administration in delicate temperatures. I’ve frequently worn the jacket when mountain climbing uphill in cool temperatures and rain in consolation. As talked about earlier, the liner does job of dispersing warmth and moisture away from the physique.

When the temperatures begin rising, I’d respect the addition of pit zips. Because the jacket has no air flow, eradicating the jacket or unzip the entrance is the one approach to quiet down. This isn’t nice for rain in heat temperatures. The fabric does job of not feeling clammy, however your physique temperature does begin to rise.

Match

Arc’teryx describes the match of the Zeta SL as trim with sufficient room for layers. I’ve successfully worn a number of completely different mid-layers with the jacket comfortably, together with a Cerium down jacket. I’m 5′ 10″ and weigh 160 lbs and the medium jacket has sufficient room. We personal and have examined out many Arc’teryx merchandise and discover the scale to be barely extra forgiving than most of their trim cuts.

The jacket’s minimize is a bit of lengthy and sits comfortably beneath a backpack’s hip belt. It provides respectable protection over your again, and the lengthy drop hem provides good protection. The drop hood on the ac

StormHood

The Zeta options Arc’teryx’s easy StormHood, much like their fashionable Atom and Cerium hoody jackets. It gives a safe feeling and loads of safety from the weather, due to a single drawcord on the again of the hood.

I’m typically in a hat, however the jacket additionally encompasses a stiff invoice that hangs over the brow. A slight downward angle permits for precipitation to fall away from the face. It’s an incredible hood for mountain climbing, however it’s not helmet appropriate just like the Beta and Alpha shell jackets from Arc’teryx.

Zippers, Pockets, and Options

The entire options that you would hope for in a shell jacket are within the Zeta SL. It begins with two hand pockets. The 2 hand pockets are positioned excessive on the jacket to keep away from a backpack hip belt.

The design isn’t great city put on, because the pocket placement is a bit of too excessive for consolation. For $299, these after a bit extra versatility could need to look elsewhere — this jacket could be very a lot about efficiency.

With the waterproof full-length entrance zipper, the Zeta is made to resist snowy climate or chilly icy rain. Due to the beneficiant hood protection and the truth that the zipper might be closed up previous your chin if desired, the Zeta SL is an effective match for windy and chilly climate. Little touches just like the small fleece on the high of the zipper stop chin chaffing.

Customers can simply alter the jacket measurement due to an adjustable hem drawcord. It sits properly across the hips and offers dependable protection that doesn’t transfer in windy environments. It’s good {that a} light-weight jacket options adjustable cuffs, which are sometimes be eliminated to avoid wasting weight.

Total Comparision

Fast Specs: Worth: $299 | Weight: 10.9 ounces | Materials: GORE-TEX 2L Paclite