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Over the last few years, Arc’teryx jackets have been cropping up in pretty strange places. At the Louis Vuitton show in 2020, the late, great Virgil Abloh took his bow wearing a cobalt-blue Arc’teryx zip-up. In 2021, high-fashion e-tailers like SSENSE made room on the digital shelves for the brand’s buzzy collaboration with Jil Sander. And in 2022, Arc’teryx benefited from the ultimate modern-day press bump: TikTok virality, thanks to a horde of floppy-haired dudes showering in its shell layers.
Arc'teryx's emergence as a bona fide fashion brand starts with one jacket—the Beta LT, a mainstay of the Vancouver company’s offering since the silhouette was introduced over a decade ago. Initially conceived as a mountain-ready shell jacket designed with inclement weather in mind, the Beta LT remains one of Arc'teryx's most identifiable products. It’s the jacket you keep seeing splashed across social media, and the one hard-boiled outdoors enthusiasts rely on to keep them dry on the trails.
But how, pray tell, does it actually hold up against the rigors of real life? And by that, I mean the cold, hard reality of winter in New York City, where every day is a hellish mix of wind, snow, and rain. So instead of putting the Beta LT through its paces in the great outdoors, I wanted to see how it performed in the role its new fans expect of it—as a go-to rain jacket during the sludgiest months of the year.
What's it made out of?
The Beta LT is made out of a waterproof three-layer Gore-Tex fabric, a lightweight miracle of textile innovation designed to keep you dry without suffocating your torso. The fabric is expectedly techy—it has a smooth hand and feels a little like a reusable nylon tote bag. Practically speaking, that’s not much of a knock, but I probably wouldn’t recommend wearing it without a layer underneath.
The upside to using Gore-Tex is its technical prowess. The downside is the long-tail environmental impact. There are valid concerns about the ingredients used in waterproofing fabrics like Gore-Tex; the coating might not last forever, but the chemicals used to make it have a nagging habit of sticking around in the ecosystem. For this review, I tested an older model of the Beta LT, but Arc’teryx is in the process of rolling out a revamped version that includes a PFC-free, just-as-waterproof coating.
In my experience, the fabric feels and performs the same as the one I tested, though it’s likely a bit easier on the planet. If you’re concerned about your standing with Mother Nature, double-check which version of the Beta you’re eyeing; the prior model is still being phased out.
How does it fit?
I’m 5’9” and weigh about 150 lbs. and wore a size medium for this review. The shoulders fit perfectly and the body was roomy enough to fit a hoodie beneath, and even the occasional down-filled puffer vest, though the combination felt a little bulky.
The body and the sleeves were a bit too long, but that’s a me-specific bug I’ve come to expect. If you’re really persnickety about fit, you could have the sleeves hemmed, but that’ll likely involve compromising the fabric and stitchless design, a no-go in my book.
How does it wear?
I wore the Beta LT for several weeks on and off in New York, subjecting it to bitter winds, freezing rain, and the occasional snowfall. It blocks rain and wind like Buffon blocks a fútbol, flicking away wind and water with ease. The adjustable elastic pulls at the waist help keep the wind out and, as many menswear buffs have since discovered, ensures that the waist stays cinched if you fold the jacket for a more cropped length.
Through bouts of rain, my upper half remained dry as a bone, and the stiffened brim by the hood helped keep the precipitation from dripping onto my face. Personal evidence also indicates that the Beta LT can withstand the average snow-packed projectile without incurring statistically significant damage, though if you’re pitted against Randy Johnson in a snowball fight, you’ll still emerge with welts all over.
Gore-Tex’s second-biggest draw is its breathability. The Beta LT was far from suffocating, but, contrary to the marketing spiel, a waterproof fabric can only be so breathable—which is why I really appreciated the inclusion of pit zips, especially as someone who runs hot. That being said, I could’ve used even more zippers.
The fastenings perform well and the waterproof sealing keeps moisture out, but I wish the main zipper worked both ways, a nifty touch that allows for pocket access in any layers underneath your jacket. And as long as we’re nit-picking, I would’ve appreciated a secondary entry point within the hand pockets, which would’ve spared me the harrowing ordeal of exposing my digits to the elements to reach any layers covered by my jacket.
How does it look?
Like Danner’s Mountain Light boots or Patagonia’s Retro-X fleece jackets, the Beta LT is an outdoorsy classic in the making. Naturally, it looks killer with swishy pants and next-gen stompers. I’m not exactly the gorp-iest of guys, but it still slotted neatly into my wardrobe, playing nice with jeans, corduroys, and a pair of workwear-inspired double-knees. But if you’re all-in on the Y2K revival, cosplaying as a cowboy, or swear by your suits, the Beta LT might look a bit out of place.
Is it worth it?
In a word: Yes—but you probably saw that coming. The Beta LT is a top-of–the-line jacket more than capable of handling whatever the weather throws at it. It performs just as well as a windbreaker as it does a rain slicker, and if you layer it strategically enough, it could plausibly replace your puffer. Sure, if your neck of the woods is prone to torrential downpours, you might want to consider an option that covers your lower half more effectively. But for most folks, the coverage it offers is as good as advertised.
Is it the best Arc’teryx jacket? Well, that really depends on what you’re looking for. Plenty of brands (including Arc’teryx itself) sell more affordable options, but for my money, there are few alternatives that manage to approximate its construction or endurance—or its surprising versatility. I stopped short of testing it in the shower, but I have little doubt it would've impressed me there, too.