Arc'teryx Beta FL vs Arc'teryx Beta LT

I wanted a lighter weight gore tex shell for the warmer months. The Arc'teryx beta fl fills the bill. Fit is fairly slim but not restrictive; I can fit a fleece or other insulated jacket under this with no problem. I am looking forward to seeing how far into the fall/winter I can use this

Arcteryx make the best jackets. This is my second Beta LT after giving my first one to a good friend. Excellent product, kept me warm and safe during several mountain ultra marathons.

This is because Gore-Tex fabric technologies offer the best performance and durability in waterproof clothing.The Beta SL is lighter and feels thinner than most of Arc’teryx’s professional line jackets, but the water protecting concepts remain the same; they work.This jacket was designed with next-to-skin comfort in mind. The combination of fabrics works together to provide a waterproof barrier that simultaneously breaths and does not “clam-up” next to your skin

So this size large fits me beautifully to keep the weight down. Our Tech's have kept the features down. So don't expect a lot of bells and whistles wi...

. I am not sure why they made the video with no sound, but it still gives you a good idea of all of the Beta SL’s features in under two minutes.

Like nearly every 3-layer Arc’teryx shell we’ve tested, the Beta LT is quite formidable in rowdy conditions: its 40-denier face fabric and proven Gore-Tex waterproofing have effectively blocked everything from wet and slushy snowfall to strong gusts blowing off of alpine lakes. Further, the drop hem keeps the shell in place under a pack and offers just enough coverage for uses like winter and shoulder-season hiking and on shorter and less intensive ski touring days. It did feel lighter, more delicate, and less bombproof when worn back to back with Arc’teryx’s upgraded Beta AR (which uses 40 and 80D Gore-Tex Pro), but I haven’t had any failures to date. To help seal out the elements, the Beta LT comes with a nice array of thoughtful and protective features

But held up against Gore-Tex’s premium Pro, the Highline Stretch’s in-house BD.dry membrane isn’t as durable or protective, and the jacket lacks technical chops with non-hipbelt-compatible hand pockets and less of a performance fit. Serious mountain goers will want to stick with offerings from Arc’teryx and Patagonia, but the budget-priced Highline Stretch offers ample protection for most casual activities.

I'Ll go into that in the fabric section, so it's designed primarily for hill and mountain use. It's tough! It's durable! It's lightweight! It's highly...

WildSnow.com, she tests whatever gear she wants. She gives the WildSnow family of websites the feminine voice.

In all honesty, I’m the type of user who isn’t hard enough on their gear to require the robustness of the Beta AR, I’m currently only doing weekend hikes so being super UL isn’t my religion, I only have hooded midlayers so I was concerned about the Beta AR hood (though I admit it’s cool), I don’t deal with a lot of snow so having something as bomber as an SV would be overkill, I don’t climb so I don’t gravitate to the Alpha line, I like pit zips so I didn’t go with the Beta LT/FL (though I almost did), I really like the quieter/softer C-Knit even if it means I have to wash it more (helps with using this more casually), and it’s actually pretty packable as I compared it to the Zeta SL and found it folds down nearly as much in my pack.