Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody

The +Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody jacket is an essential and versatile piece for cold weather in the backcountry or urban environments. The synthetic insulation, Coreloft, is super lightweight, compressible and warm. Coreloft is used exclusively in Arc'teryx products and is made up of small and large crimped polyester fibers that trap and retain body heat and can also easily be compressed. Coreloft is durable and resilient which adds longevity to the life of the product.

I bought this mid-layer as my go to jacket for when it gets cold and can also shed light rain since it has DWR finish. The tightly woven taffeta face fabric helps repel water and is also effective at blocking the wind. Weighing only 13 oz. the lining of the Atom is soft and comfortable while articulated elbows and gusseted underarms give me full range of motion without the jacket riding up.

For the past couple weeks of my traveling I've been staying in Asheville, NC and this jacket is perfect for the climate during autumn. We played disk golf at Richmond Hill and when not in use the jacket is easily compressed and stuffed in my day pack.

The Atom was perfect for hiking and bushwhacking through the woods in the Pisgah National Forest and I was surprised at how well it held up against rogue branches. Sitting around the camp fire at night in freezing temperatures this jacket was sure to help keep me toasty.

The hand pockets have zippers so items don't fall out and they're lined with a micro-fleece inside to help keep your hands warm and comfortable. There's also an internal chest pocket that I like to use a lot to stash my phone or sunglasses. The drawcord hem at the waist is crucial and helps seal in the warmth on the really cold days. 

This jacket makes a great layering piece during the winter when snowboarding or ice climbing. For the really cold days I would layer up using a Patagonia R1 base layer then the Atom LT and my Sidewinder SV shell.  During the last winter this was my ideal layering system.

I really think this jacket needs a drawcord on the hood to cinch it around the face. The hood is slightly large and feels loose when I have it up. A small drawcord like the one in the Cerium LT hoody would make the jacket better in my opinion. 

Overall, this jacket is a great piece to add to your cold weather garb and makes an ideal mid-layer.

pros: light weight, compressible/packable, warm

cons: no drawcord in the hood