Arc'teryx  Acto FL Fleece Jacket - Men's

I thought about this one for a long time before pulling the trigger but this jacket is a bit of a unicorn. It's extremely breathable for how burly the face fabric is like its almost witchcraft. For ski touring this evoked pretty strong jealousy vibes as my partners were constantly changing layer all day... too hot ... too cold this jacket seems to keep you just right. The non insulated hood is great you can throw it on when you're going through tight snowy trees and you don't get snow down your back when they shed their snow. Also use it for climbing, and the foam in bottom is great for keeping it under the harness and it doesn't seem to show wear from a gentle thrashing around the rock.

This isn't a technical review just my observations:) I received this soft shell a few days ago and it's superb not so heavy that you can't wear it in the summer well a uk summer. I plan to wear this in the winter under the cerium LT best . As with everything Arc'teryx it's very well made although my only gripe is that the fleece doesn't go into the hood making the hood very thin and flyaway. It's not as heavy as the Gamma MX so probably won't be as warm either . I ordered the Cardinal colour which is like a burnt orange. The cuffs are really nice as they don't have any adjusters and they don't fall over my hands so they're not to loose .

So i purchased this jacket with the intent of getting a Gamma MX, but my local REI didn't have a hooded version on hand, so i tried on the Acto FL & a love was born. The Acto FL is definitely light - Much lighter than either my Gamma LT or Epsilon LT, but feels as tough as either although softer, with stretchability somewhere between the two. The seams are single stitched and then taped - cool trick to save weight. Then there's the grid-fleece lining -- i have come to love grid-fleece because it seems lighter, more flexible, and even warmer, since the furrows trap more warm air... The most amazing thing to me about the Acto FL is the "breathability", a quality for which there must be a better word, since the jacket doesn't have lungs, nor can it be safely inhaled... I have been on a quest for the most breathable insulated hoody for years, which has led me to the Arc'teryx Atom LT & SV, Patagonia Nano-Air, Rab Strata, continuous-filament insulations, and OR's Alpha Direct pieces, and of course the ubiquitous hard-fleece. Of all the types of jackets available, i have found the softshell to have the best blend of insulation, wind reflectivity, & most important to me, Breathability. The key for me staying comfortable is to stay cool rather than warm, & dry. There's nothing more miserable than being exposed in a cold wind, wearing a wet soggy jacket that's as air-permeable as a plastic bag. Sure, laminated PTFE membranes can keep you drier in a deluge-- or wetter, as the case may be. And i don't want a "micro-climate" under my jacket - i want it to work like magic, or like fur or feathers or a second thicker, tougher skin... That said, this jacket is not only more breathable than the ΕLT or ΓLT, but even some of my heavy fleeces! The fleece insulation on the Acto is more substantial than the ELT, similar in thickness to the ΓMX, except the top half of the hood, which is unlined rip-stop nylon, presumably for use with a hat. The unlined hood material is a little crinkly, which wouldn't be a problem anyplace else on the jacket, but right next to your ears it's pretty noisy and can make conversation difficult -- but i'm really picking nits here. The Acto has replaced my ELT as my everyday- carry jacket, as it's more insulated yet less prone to overheating, which gives it a wider range of comfort. This morning it was 28ºF, & with a 100-weight fleece base layer, i actually took off my ΓLT shell since the air was cold but still. I stayed nice and cool, the Acto regulating temperatures inside the jacket perfectly. There was only one time so far this winter that i needed a shell over it because the wind was gusting at like 30mph. Truth be told though, if i'm walking into a light head-wind and it's below freezing, i can definitely feel myself losing some body heat to convection, but it's not intolerable, or even necessarily a bad thing, esp. if i'm moving fast. I'll have to wear it a lot more to figure out exactly how wind-resistant it is, but so far it seems to set a new standard, at once "warmer", more breathable yet more wind-resistant than fleece alone. High-output in cold weather is where the Acto FL really shines. Since it's very much a technical softshell, there are no hand-warmer pockets, and the outer layer feels as tough as a work-jacket yet soft. If you are looking for a more low-output, 'round town jacket, the ΓMX or ELT are probably better choices. But the fact that i can wear this Acto in 28ºF or 70ºF with just a base layer & stay comfortable is pretty amazing...

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This jacket is great for climbing and hiking in cool fall and spring weather, and the fabric is abrasion resistant and sheds off light precipitation. It's lightly insulated and has good air permeability so good active cool weather jacket. The fit accommodates thin to medium baselayer up to the thickness of a Rho LT or Konseal as shown in the product gallery, but would not layer anything thinker than that nor is it meant to be. The inner grid lining is very comfortable next to skin so works great with a t-shirt baselayer. One issue for some people may be turned off by is the non-helmet compatible hood.

I have used this jacket for over two years now in both winter and summer conditions. I bought this jacket because it seemed very durable but still not bulky. My problem with this jacket is that it gets very wide below the chest. I normally wear a size M and all the other jackets from arcteryx fit perfectly. The problem I have with this jacket is that it isn't windproof at all. When I wear this jacket over a shirt it gets too cold. But also the insulationpads on the inside make it that you sweat very easily. I love the durability of this jacket. If you want a durable jacket that you can wear whilst crawling through tight spaces without scratching the jacket get it but be aware of the cons of the jacket.

As a mountain guide I needed a 'working layer' for alpinism and ski touring and the Acto FL has worked beautifully. It's very streamlined with no bits and bobs to hang up while climbing or rope handling. It sheds snow nicely while uptracking through trees to get to the alpine and I really like that the hood is a lighter material than the main jacket as it doesn't cause overheating during exertion. As advertised, very abrasion resistant. Fit is perfect for me; size M, 6' tall, lean athletic build.

Although it's designed for climbing/alpinism, I purchased it as a ski touring layer. As someone who usually runs warm, I've had no issues overheating whilst skinning, also manages to keep you warm while transitioning. The outer fabric is nice and bushwack-proof. Lately, I've found myself leaving my shell in my bag more and more often as the Acto will keep the weather out on anything except the stormiest days. All in, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a ski touring layer!

Positives: 1) Excellent fit. I'm 5'8", 152 lbs, got size S. Enough space underneath for thin layers (e.g. Arc'teryx Atom LT vest), thin and lightweight enough itself to be a hoodie-like layer under something else 2) Keeps me comfortable at 50 F with just a t-shirt underneath, waffle weave reasonably soft 3) Stretches in all the right places - not restrictive of movement in any way 4) Huge pockets, can put plenty in them if needed 5) Hood has structure due to the slightly stiffer brim, but not bulky due to use of lightweight nylon Doesn't bother me but noticed: 1) I'm not a climber so I don't need the Hemlocks (although I guess it does give me something more substantial to grab onto when I want to pull the jacket down straight) 2) No pockets placed appropriately for me to warm my hands, guess I'll find me some lightweight gloves

I use this jacket on days where temperatures are just above freezing and there is wind and/or precipitation. It works great and if conditions get worse I can add my puffy jacket underneath. I wore this combo a week after purchasing and our site experienced a storm. One guy was borderline hypothermic and most of the site went home. Happy to say my jacket performed flawlessly and I stayed to finish operations.

does exactly what you need. kept me warm and dry in active snow and deep pow while going uphill and downhill. its an fl piece so unlike what the other review said the hood is PERFECT. not many people want an insulated hood for an aerobic active piece. cut is perfect, as is amount of insulation. also climbed ice for a week in ouray with it. best type of equipment, forgot i even had it on.