Arc'teryx Beta FL Jacket

Comments about Arc'teryx Beta FL Jacket:

Unfortunately I have not had the chance to put the Beta Fl though any real physical activities yet.

The fit:

I am 5' 9", 175lbs, wear a sized 40R suit, and have a 33in waist. I would say I am between a medium and large. I got the medium. I can fit a thin fleece but that's about it. I plan to use this jacket as a three season jacket and it doesn't really get that cold her in the bay area so that works for me. If you are the same size and want to layer more I would go with a larger size. I really like the fit. It fits trim and close to the body. When I have my backpack (Osprey Talon 22) and waist strap on, I still have access to the 2 zippered jacket pockets. I really like how the front of the jacket is pretty flat and doesn't bulge out when you have the waist belt on. When I move my arms above my head there is very little lift if any. There are no pit zips, but the Beta FL uses Gortex's new Active material which is suppose to be their most breathable material to date. I haven't really tested this out yet so I can't really say.

The Quality:

It's from Arc'Teryx. So great seams and great materials. Also this one is made in Canada.

Comparisons:

I did try on other Arc'Teryx jackets before deciding on the Beta Fl.

Alpha Fl - The Fit is very similar. An ounce or two lighter. Also does not have pit zips and uses the same new Gortex Active material. But only has one chest pocket. The Beta Fl has two and ultimately that's why I ended up geting the Beta Fl. But if you don't need the extra pocket or want a super mimimalistic jacket, I would go with the Alpha Fl.

Beta SL - Fit was similar but uses Gortex Paclite. Went with Beta FL because Gortex Active material is suppose be more breathable and durable but weigh pretty much the same as Paclite.

Beta AR - This jacket uses Gortex Proshell which is more durable that Gortex Active. But this jacket is also heavier and not as breathable. Also the fit was slightly bigger especially in the shoulders. For my purposes I didn't need the extra durability of Proshell and didn't want to sacrafice the weight and breathabilty. Plus Arc'Teyx and Gortex has lifetime warranty on the jacket.

4 stars only because I haven't had the chance to really test the breathability and waterproofness of the jacket yet.

Thanks for reading I hope this helps someone.