If you’ve been around the site for any time now, you will know that we are a big fan of Arc’teryx and their products. Arc’teryx is a company that manufacturers outdoor clothing and climbing gear, and was started in Canada (specifically Vancouver, BC). The company has changed hands a couple times since and is now owned by Amer Sports a division of ANTA Sports. They still continue to make high quality products that are often designed in consultation with the Canadian military. As such, many of their products are used in the field by military personnel around the world.
So when I needed a new hard shell jacket that I could use for hiking, camping and at the range, I made sure to check out Arc’teryx first. I found their LEAF Alpha LT jacket and immediately knew this would be a great fit. Many of the jackets designed to be used for hiking and camping are usually made with bright colors which is obviously not very “tactical” so I immediately appreciated the choices of colors the LEAF Alpha LT Jacket came in which included Crocodile (dark tan/olive), Wolf (dark grey), Black, and Ranger Green (dark green). Arc’teryx limits the color choices to these because the Alpha LT jacket is part of the LEAF program which stands for Law Enforcement and Armed forces. This is great for someone who wants the advantages of gear designed to be used in the field but for personal use.
Everything about it feels like a high quality jacket. The LEAF Alpha LT has a nice weight to it, at 365 grams it is light yet the material feels like it won’t let window blow right through you. To the touch it feels like a rain coat material but the material is obviously much more than that (I’ll get to that in a second). The best part of this whole jacket is, because it is so light you can compress it down quiet a bit to easily store it in a backpack if needed.
The sizing and fitting is straight forward and the jacket fits true to size. I am 6’1, 190 pounds and found the large size to fit perfectly. I read online that some people sized down on these jackets because they are designed to have more room for additional layering and for space in the pockets. However, I found the LEAF Alpha LT jacket size chart to be adequate in determining my size and fit. I could still put on my external body armor and put the jacket over top without issue, as this is a jacket designed for law enforcement use after all. Even with the armor on, and the jacket zipped up I had no issue moving around or limited range of motion with my arms. While playing around with the jacket to test this, I was pleasantly surprised that even when lifting my arms above my head the jacket did not expose my belly.
As for additional features, the Alpha LT features a storm hood that will easily fit over top of a toque but also a helmet if needed. Every zipper pull on this jacket has a rubber molded tab which can be easily worked with even with gloves on or in wet conditions. The pockets on this jacket are not traditionally styled but do allow for versatility and speak to how adaptable this jacket is to what you need it for. There are two large chest jackets that can be accessed via zippers which are also watertight. I like that these pockets are placed higher up on the chest so they are not impacted by shoulder straps of a backpack and are easier to access. I also like that the pockets are crossover pockets, which means you access the left pocket with your right hand and your right pocket with your left hand.
My only knock on Arc’teryx with the design of the pockets it that they did not include traditional side pockets. Not a big deal, but for civilian use these would have been handy. I also feel like a shoulder pocket would have been a nice touch considering this jacket is to be used for camping and hiking. There is however a nice internal pocket which is small in size but perfect for storing your ID, cards, etc.
As far as the rest of the Arc’teryx it is to be noted this is a waterproof, windproof, snow-shedding and breathable jacket. The LEAF Alpha LT jacket is made using a Tiny GORE seam tape and there is a micro-seam allowance of 1.6mm which reduces bulk and weight. The rest of the jacket is made using GORE-TEX three-layer construction and everything is finished as Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish. The cuffs and sleeves are made with laminated die-cut Velcro cuff adjusters to further reduce bulk and prevent catching or tearing.
As for price, the LEAF Alpha LT jacket will retail for $800-$900 depending on where you are. At that price point, you are getting what you pay for, and with the LEAF Alpha LT this means quality. This is a well designed, durable hard shell jacket that has the minimalist at heart. It’s pack-ability is second to none, while it does not compromise it’s capabilities. 10/10, highly recommend!
Smooth