The Arcteryx 2013 collection upholds this ideal with plenty of excellent new pieces for the fall and winter of 2013 to 2014. Technical down insulation innovation and the new GORE-TEX Pro material are the big stories Arcteryx has to tell about their current winter collection.
Technical Down Insulation Innovation
Down insulation has a high warmth to weight ratio and a unique ability to contour to the body (which further enhances its thermal efficiency). However, the downside of down, if you will, is that is does not do well in wet conditions. Arcteryx solved this conundrum with two innovative design ideas that combine down insulation with their Coreloft synthetic insulation.
Down Composite Mapping, featured in pieces such as the Arcteryx Cerium LT Jacket and the Arcteryx Thorium AR Women’s Hoody, is the strategic placement of Coreloft insulation in areas of a down jacket where moisture is likely to build up. This mapping makes for insulation that offers the best of both worlds; the down provides excellent warmth around the core, and the Coreloft remains warm when wet.
Down Contour Construction is a layering system that starts with down insulation close to the body, and then adds a thin protective layer of Coreloft Compact synthetic insulation just beneath exterior shell in order to guard the down from moisture. Featured in pieces like the Arcteryx Macai Down Jacket and the Arcteryx Andessa Women’s Down Jacket, this innovation is the perfect way to deal with cold, wet weather.
Arcteryx Senior Design Manager, Carl Moriarity, explains these down insulation technologies in more detail, as does the Arcteryx website. But the cliff notes version is that Arcteryx combines down and synthetic insulations for premium performance in waterproof warmth.
New GORE-TEX Pro Technology
Arcteryx’s waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX materials increase the wearer’s time and enjoyment in mountains by keeping them warm and dry without feeling suffocated or weighed down. Arcteryx is constantly field testing and pushing their suppliers to explore new technology for even better performance. This pursuit has recently resulted in the new GORE-TEX Pro technology, which offers increased breathability and increased durability. This technology, utilized in pieces like the Arcteryx Alpha SV Jacket, the Arcteryx Theta SVX Jacket, and the Arcteryx Beta AR Pants, provides a broader comfort range for a variety of mountain pursuits, due to the reduced need to stop to change layers.
Arcteryx is committed to always improving their products in order to offer the very best. If you’re interested in owning some of this high tech, experience enhancing clothing, shop Arcteryx at jans.com.
Kendall Fischer, Content Writer
