Gamma MX Hoody

Excellent product from a user standpoint. The cut of the jacket is what stands out from the rest of the crowd. Arc'teryx cuts their outerwear for the ectomorph/mesomorph body-type which is fine for me since I don't really worry about the extra pounds. What that gets you is a jacket that doesn't bulge up when you're performing some pretty contorted moves on the wall when wearing a sitting harness. Polartec Powershield is the best compromise of wind resistance and breathability available out there. Tried some jackets like the Serendipity (from Cloudveil) but although the Shoeller 3XDry is very breathable it won't stop a penetrating wind. Powershield is much better in this regard.

Pricey but as the saying goes "You get what you pay for."

Have owned this jacket since it was available on the market. It is an indespensible piece and use more often than any other of the jackets I own. It saved my life on a zero degree night in a San Rafael Slot Canyon - wet from head to toe, last November. I climbed my way over, under and out of that canyon for 23 hours with very little damage to the material. I am still extremely impressed with this jacket.

The cut of the jacket initially sold me on it. I tried several similar jackets and this fit the best--almost a custom fit. I bought it for ice climbing but use it for alpine and snowshoeing also. On real cold days wearing a wind shirt under it is all it takes to keep me comfortable. The construction is sound. I have no complaints other than I didn't buy it sooner.

Totally agree with all of the above. This jacket is awesome. Possibly the best ratio of breathability to durability in any softshell.

I have this jacket in the hoody model in a large and XL. One is an underlayer or summer alpine jacket, the other is my primary jacket for ice in the winter.

This jacket is obviously designed for technical climbing. There is very little obstruction of gear on your harness. The jacket has very little lift with elevation of the arms and is as versatile as it gets. I find it repels enough water that it is a great primary jacket, but I do climb with a light shell in case things get really wet.

Hands down the best technical piece of clothing I own.

I must say that I've bought this Jacket several times. My first one was in a large size - made in Canada. It was my favourite jacket. It handles everything and is quite light and takes up little room. Great fit (athletic fit) and climbs well.

I've taken it skiing, climbing and casual all-around use as well and it excels at everything. I can remain comfortable with a simple base layer until around -10 degrees celcius and the need for a light fleece underneath when it gets colder. Granted, this is while doing some sort of activity and not just hanging around casually.

I purchased a second one without a hood in large size as well to have 2 different options and it performed just as well. The only reason why I had to purchase a 3rd was due to a significant drop in size (car crash and significant time in hospital shrinks your overall size).

I now have this jacket in Medium sizes and I love it just as much. The thing to note is the expensive price tag, however this is the only jacket that I've actually bought multiple versions of - that should tell you something of how great it actually is. It's worth every penny in my eyes and I take it everywhere!

I actually hadn't noticed that my 2nd and 3rd ones I bought were "made in China", the quality to me is the same. The made in China debate that some have regarding outdoor gear for this at least, should not apply. I own both versions and while I've owned the Canadian version longer and it still holds up, in a few years, the China version should hold up just as well.