This Arc’Teryx Cold Wx Jacket Lt Gen 2 review has been two years in the making. This jacket has rapidly become one of my go to pieces of gear for tactical tasks in bad weather. It’s very light weight, and does a good job of providing a lot of warmth in most common cold weather temperature ranges. I’ve worn mine in almost every type of inclement weather, and I can tell you there is a lot to like, and one key drawback. Keep reading for more.
Before we get into all the details of this jacket, I want to cover some basics. This Arc’Teryx Cold WX Jacket LT Gen 2 review is not associated with any manufacturer or company. I pride myself on honest gear reviews, but I do occasionally receive equipment from companies for free, and I like to disclose this when applicable. This obviously isn’t the case here, as it was purchased for review.
I’ve owned this jacket for around 2 years, and I’m very happy with it. I consider it a fall and winter jacket, and I wear it for a large portions of the year. It performs admirably when worn under body armor, and has some nice features for users who expect to wear it for direct action tasks, and cold weather tactical operations. It comes in four colors: Ranger Green, Black, Wolf Grey, Crocodile. Here’s a quick overview.
Arc’Teryx Cold Weather Jacket LT Gen 2: Overview
- Features CLIMASHIELD 3.0oz Prism Fiberfill with DWR
- Upper arm zipper pockets with loop velcro field
- V-Lite retention ring on exterior velcro
- Internal cable routing for headphones and microphones
- Water resistant, not water proof
- Hooded and non-hooded versions available
- Comes in 4 different colors
This jacket falls under the law enforcement and armed forces (LEAF) section of Arc’teryx. Arc’Teryx has made technical cold weather clothing for mountain climbers and outdoor enthusiasts for years. Recently they’ve started to focus their expertise on the tactical community.
Based on my experience, I think they’ve done a great job with this jacket. It is extremely durable and can be packed down into a small shape, so you can cram it into an assault pack. It also provides warmth when compressed under body armor, which is nice for stationary operations. In the next section we’ll cover its pros and cons.
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Pros Arc’Teryx Cold Weather Jacket LT Gen 2
This jacket is incredibly flexible across a wide range of weather conditions. I’ve worn the jacket from 0 degrees Fahrenheit (with base layers) up to 50 degrees. It really shines on windy days as the exterior of the jacket features gore windstopper face fabric which makes it a windproof jacket.
Not only does this fabric stop the wind from cutting through the jacket, but it allows your body to vent hot air and sweat vapor away when working hard. I’ve found this to work well when I’m rucking while wearing it. I never felt like it was trapping sweat inside like a trash bag.
The jacket also has well designed pockets. When wearing body armor, the upper arm pockets are great options to keep smaller items in. They’re easily big enough to keep a wallet or small med kit in. Or maybe some skittles.
The lower torso pockets in the front are clearly hand warming pockets. They, like the upper arm pockets, do feature zipper closures so you don’t find yourself frantically patting your self down for keys. Lastly, there is an internal breast pocket as well. I find I don’t use that one much. Next let’s talk about the cons.
Cons Arc’Teryx Cold Weather Jacket LT Gen 2
The biggest drawback to this jacket is that it isn’t completely waterproof. If you read the cold wx jacket lt gen 2 jacket description you’ll note it says water resistant. That is exactly accurate. I found this out the hard way.
I was running some training outdoors, and of course it was raining, because if it ain’t raining then why bother? The temperature was around 40 Fahrenheit, and I was comfortable for several hours, until I noticed my upper chest started to feel wet.
I looked down and saw that water was seeping through the seam that runs horizontally across the chest. This was the only area where that was a problem, and the jacket was completely soaked everywhere else. While this wasn’t a huge problem at that time, it might be a problem if I was deep in bush country.
The other con for this jacket is the price point. This jacket almost always retails for around $400. I’ve never seen it go on sale, and I doubt that Arc’teryx allows distributors much flexibility on pricing. If you need a great cold weather jacket with these specific colors then this is probably your best bet. Otherwise, there are other great options that are insulated and waterproof, like this jacket from Marmot.
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Final Thoughts Arc’Teryx Cold WX Lt Gen 2 Jacket
This is an excellent stand-alone jacket that is light enough to be layered with other truly waterproof shells, or more insulating layers for better cold weather performance. I’ve learned that layering is the best method to prevent overheating or freezing your ass off years ago at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in the Marine Corps. Don’t depend on one jacket or shell when outdoors, in bad weather.
I recommend the cold wx lt jacket gen 2 for folks that need a good do it all layer that excels at defeating the wind, and is great for use under body armor. I also find that it is subdued enough to wear around town, and people don’t notice anything, especially if you get one of the more normal colors.
Let me know what you think about this Arc’Teryx Cold WX Jacket LT Gen 2 Review in the comments section, and don’t forget to subscribe to our email list, so you don’t miss any awesome articles!
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Header image courtesy of Arctery LEAF.
