Arc'teryx  Alpha SV Jacket - Women's

This is the perfect jacket. There is nothing as functional as Gore-tex in terms of waterproofness and breathe-ability. You can wear this jacket in extreme conditions with layers under it for great comfort. The many design features are well thought out from the helmet compatible hood, waterproof zippers, pit zips, chest pockets and 2 small stretchy pockets on the inside that snugly hold a phone and wallet. I loved my older "sister" jacket so much, and wore it for 9 years. There is nothing wrong with the 9-year old coat. It still functions well. I just thought it was time for an update. It is totally worth the price!

Have had the jacket since 2015. The teeth of the zipper stopped pulling together. Arc'teryx replace the coat. For the second time in four years, the zipper broke again. So, on average, the zipper lasted 2.5 years each. I have several, much less expensive coats, on which the zipper has not broken. Search the web for phrases such as "Arc'teryx zipper problem," "fix Arc'teryx zipper," "Arc'teryx zipper not working," etc... and you'll see the number of results associated with this issue.

Bought this because it was the best rated for alpine climbing; both durable and flattering. I was deciding between this, Rab Neo Stretch, Theta/Beta AR but this ultimately won me over as an all round jacket. I am 4'11 and 95 pounds, got the Raku XS which fits really nicely, the arms are a little bit long but they have a velcro wrist which actually works out really well so the sleeves stay put and it doesn't look too bunched up. The Raku is true to color a nice deep shade of purple, although it probably doesn't stand out the most in the mountain vs some of the other bright colours, i think it will be a nice classic colour that can last. It has a drawstring cinch hem and waist which add for a flattering fit as well as Helmet compatible stormhood which is adjustable without the helmet. The only thing I wish was that it included side hand pockets versus the chest pockets as I do love putting my hands with handwarmers in the pockets. I'm sure I can manage without it but this is the one thing I wish it did have. Although it is a bit pricier than most other alpine jackets, it's worth every penny and should be good for years to come!

The jacket is probably worth the money but after three years the zipper broke. I've worn other, less expensive, jackets more than this one and never had a zipper brake.