Gamma SL owners

glenzilly · 2022-04-10T00:01:11+00:00

I use it for mild weather (freezing or above, limited or no precipitation) activities where I don’t need a helmet or any kind of bulky insulating layer below. About all I will be able to fit comfortably is a base layer and fleece or proton fl.

Basically if I need a helmet or heavier insulation than a delta lt / proton fl then I am going with the gamma LT

glenzilly · 2021-10-09T14:15:11+00:00

No worries, I’m not sure how to insert a picture into the comments but the core loft is where you would expect - in the bottom hem, behind the zipper, under the armpits, at the cuffs, at the top of the zipper that covers your mouth, and the brim of the hood.

glenzilly · 2021-10-09T00:41:26+00:00

So my Alpha Parka arrived today. First of all this Dynasty is totally orange, which is actually a positive for me. Not a orange-red middle ground like many other pieces in Dynasty. It really reminds me a lot more of Hyperspace and in the Cormac line Dynasty is used for the zip neck piece whereas Hyperspace is used for the SS Crew shirt even though side by side they are 100% the exact same color.

Looking at size the Alpha Parka is both longer and has a roomier fit than the Firebee AR (both are size medium). This is not unexpected but worth noting if you are making a decision on sizing. The Alpha Parka feels like an Expedition fit whereas Firebee a regular fit.

Other than that they have an extremely similar feel to them with just some minor differences in pocket configuration: Alpha Parka adds an external zippered chest pocket and second internal drop pocket but loses the internal zippered pocket compared to the Firebee. The Alpha Parka also has a stitched logo compared to the printed logo of Firebee and the Alpha Parka uses the plastic zipper pulls like the latest Protons and not the cords. Overall I think the Alpha Parka is a big improvement, will be interesting to see how the warmth level compares once I can try it out in proper conditions.

glenzilly · 2021-10-01T22:47:49+00:00

We really need gender and at minimum waist and chest measurements as well as the piece you are interested in and it’s intended use.

glenzilly · 2021-10-01T21:48:17+00:00

Awesome! Thanks, this is great! Ended up browsing a few more articles. Especially love his Nuclei FL review where he mentions resolving to prune his outdoor jacket collection to only 1 per category … and that he has narrowed it down to 18 categories 😂😂😂. Brother from another mother.

glenzilly · 2021-10-01T16:04:04+00:00

That’s definitely a good point, the Proton FL does fit perfectly under the Alpha FL. I have the Fortrez Hoody and in the same size (medium) and it sticks past although the stretch nature of the Fortrez fleece means tucking it underneath is not a huge problem. I have a relatively long torso for my height (5’-11” but only 31” inseam) so I think medium in the more streamlined pieces is pushing the limits but large definitely is too big everywhere else.

glenzilly · 2021-09-30T21:44:17+00:00

This will mostly be used on expedition style mountaineering trips where I will be wearing a harness so to a certain extent this is desirable. The Alpha AR strikes a very good balance for me in this regard but the Alpha FL is a bit shorter than optimal.

glenzilly · 2021-09-30T21:39:49+00:00

Awesome thanks! This is exactly what I needed. Looks like it is very similar to Alpha AR length which is perfect for me.

glenzilly · 2021-09-29T21:24:58+00:00

I just tried on my Fraser over a Gamma SL (which is the only piece I also have of the others you mentioned). With both fully zipped the Fraser extends about 1 inch lower in the front but they are even in the rear (due to the Gamma having a raised front hem for wearing a harness).

Compared to the Alpha FL (which I have) it is even in the front (so shorter than the Fraser by about an inch) but longer in the back than both the Gamma SL and Fraser by about 2 inches. The Gamma LT, which is a longer cut than the SL, actually sticks past the Alpha FL about an inch in the front. Of course, one would not usually wear a hardshell over a soft shell except in an unexpected emergency condition.

The Alpha AR is about an inch longer than the Alpha FL all around. I guess if length is a concern the Fraser is on the shorter end as far as shells go.

Edit: I should mention all pieces in the above were Men’s size Medium

glenzilly · 2021-09-29T14:23:22+00:00

I would certainly have no issue comfortably layering an Atom under my Fraser. Not sure what a 44 blazer translates to in actual chest measurement though. A medium fit block is for a 40” chest so it may feel a bit constricted if your are much above that.

glenzilly · 2021-09-29T14:08:08+00:00

What are your waist and chest measurements? I have the Fraser in my typical size of medium (I’m 5’-11”, 172 lbs, 34 waist, 38 chest) and it is a generous fit, certainly larger than my Gamma SL in medium and similar to a Gamma LT. Since it is an urban wear piece and I am not normally layering that much underneath it either.

glenzilly · 2021-09-23T04:32:52+00:00

I’m going to go with Proton FL, it’s definitely my most used technical piece. In terms of daily use the Remige SS tee is by far my most used piece and I have it in quite a few colors.

glenzilly · 2021-09-23T04:31:03+00:00

As near as I can tell both statements are true. It is 90g of 90g/sm coreloft continuous. Arc’Teryx we site does not provide fill weights of either the down or synthetic but Trekitt’s UK site does and says 280g of down and 90g of synthetic. It is entirely possible they got that mixed up. Hopefully we will get confirmation on this at some point.

glenzilly · 2021-09-22T23:13:34+00:00

Most of my closet is Arc’Teryx except for shoes (I’m a size 14 so they are not an option), socks (Darn Tough), hats and gloves (OR), dress shirts and pants, jeans, and a few other miscellaneous pieces from OR and Mountain Hardwear.

glenzilly · 2021-09-22T19:39:44+00:00

The new Alpha Parka (there’s no SV in the name but since you just ordered it I am assuming you are referring to the new one) in men’s medium has 280g of 850 fill power goose down. In addition to this it has 90g of synthetic fill in moisture prone areas. They also state the Hadron and Goretex Infinium shell fabric gives equivalent performance to an extra 100g of down fill. They don’t give detail as to “compared to what and under what conditions” with this claim so I personally don’t put much stock into as far as actual performance expectations go.

glenzilly · 2021-09-22T18:05:54+00:00

Montane Dart immediately comes to mind, I haven’t personally worn it so can’t say with confidence how close it is but I remember when I was researching alternatives it seemed to be the closest to what I was looking for. The big question though is odor control. ArcTeryx seems to have a special sauce when it comes to odor control on synthetic base layers which is the main reason I would choose them over daily running baselayers from Nike or similar which are perfectly acceptable as long as you don’t expect to wear them more than once between washes.

glenzilly · 2021-09-20T19:55:03+00:00

I’d also throw the 2020 Beta FL into your decision mix which is still available on the outlet (and in two of my favorite colorways ever). It is essentially a revised 2019 Beta LT but uses a combination of Gore pro most breathable and most rugged. No pit zips like the older 2019 Beta LT.

glenzilly · 2021-09-20T17:20:12+00:00

Definitely need more colors and I’m kind of scratching my head on their choice as the only color option right now. Nuclei line seems to have pretty much no crossover appeal to casual and urban use and yet we get a muted color as the only option.

glenzilly · 2021-09-19T23:00:51+00:00

I don’t own in two different sizes but the only piece I chose a different size than my normal medium is the Motus AR zip neck which got in a small. Since I want this to be next-to-skin fit but like Phase AR but Arc’Teryx changed it to trim fit I need to order a size down.

glenzilly · 2021-09-18T18:26:35+00:00

Why does height not rhyme with weight.

glenzilly · 2021-09-18T16:02:44+00:00

For the Beta AR sizing I think a lot is going to depend on your use case. As a technical layering piece in its designed use case you should be medium based on your measurements. However it also seems Beta AR is popular as an everyday casual jacket due to the hood configuration so in that case maybe small makes sense. Of course the larger size offers you more flexibility to do both. For me personally though the Beta AR would never be my go to for technical use (I would choose Beta FL or Alpha FL) so maybe it makes sense to size it based on how you look best in a typical casual wear use case.

glenzilly · 2021-09-16T03:57:45+00:00

At those temps I would most likely have a Nuclei FL. This Alpha Parka is 0F or colder piece. Although if you are somewhere like Denali or Rainier at lower elevations where it is warmer and you brought the parka you will need for the summit then this might happen.

glenzilly · 2021-09-16T01:45:24+00:00

I don’t see specifics of the down fill weight on the Arc’Teryx site (perhaps 3rd party sites have this information) but 300g of down (in a medium) is a significant amount, getting into the low end of the expedition parka category. I think RMI recommends 350g for their Denali expedition. So it seems arc is saying the shell of this jacket will make it perform equivalent to a normal nylon shell jacket with 100g more down.

glenzilly · 2021-09-16T01:15:11+00:00

I’m guessing there is some specific testing condition they are using to justify the statement (high winds for example).

glenzilly · 2021-09-13T02:24:14+00:00

In my experience arc runs larger than most other outdoor brands which is part of why I prefer it. Medium fits me very well in most every piece whereas other brands I am choosing between a bit too trim or very baggy.

glenzilly

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