Arc’teryx Proton LT Hoody Review

[Backpacking Light]

Companion forum thread to: Arc’teryx Proton LT Hoody Review

The Arc’teryx Proton LT Hoody is a hooded, full-zip synthetic active insulation mid-layer that weighs 13.2 oz (375 g) and retails for $299.

[Paul S]

What…Marmot Driclime windshirt has been discontinued?

I hope not, I have depended on that jacket for 15 years or so…I love it and had hoped to replace it with a new one once the current one has been worn-out.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

How does Coreloft compare to Climashield in weight v.s. warmth?

Climashield has in the past been the best synthetic fiber insulation in terms of loft retention after repeated stuffing.

 

 

[Ryan Jordan]

Eric, I have samples of “Coreloft” (what appears to be “Continuous”), which I hacked out of the old Proton LT Hoody) and “Climashield Apex” and they look like the exact same insulation to me.

Andrew has the new Proton LT now so you’ll have to try to convince him to cut it up. Good luck with that!

[Michael E]

What…Marmot Driclime windshirt has been discontinued?

I recently picked up the Driclime Ether Hoody on sale for $45, very similar to the windshirt. Like it quite a bit, the bicomponent lining really wicks well. The shell is more wind resistant than the Pertex Quantum Air on my Alpha 60, but also less breathable. The mesh under the arms helps a bit with venting, but unlike Driclime lining it does get soaked with sweat. The hood is okay, would have been better lined and with back adjuster instead of front toggles. Like the handwarmer pockets, don’t like that the Driclime lining  in sleeves stops halfway down forearm. The nylon tends to double up when you try to push over base. The Alpha 60 actually uses Driclime in the lower forearms, this works better in tandem with the alpha in terms of layering.

Driclime is still a pretty effective cool weather piece at a relatively low price. The Alpha 60, however, is a better overall active insulation piece.

The windshirt is still available on some websites, but only certain colors and sizes.

 

[Sean P]

Surely one of the modern active insulation jackets with polartec alpha would also  be a competitor to this jacket in terms of air permeability. Especially as several also come without an inner liner and so the insulative (and wicking) fibre is directly in contact with the base layer or skin.

 

 

 

[Michael E]

Surely one of the modern active insulation jackets with polartec alpha would also be a competitor to this jacket in terms of air permeability. Especially as several also come without an inner liner and so the insulative (and wicking) fibre is directly in contact with the base layer or skin.

The air permeability of Alpha Direct jackets is highly dependent on what face fabric is paired with the Alpha insulation. For example, I have an OR Ascendant (95g Alpha) that is paired with Pertex Microlight. Microlight is low CFM, so wind resistant, but not very breathable. My Marmot Alpha 60 is paired with Pertex Quantum Air (CFM 20) so much more breathable.  I also have the Strafe Alpha Direct Insulator (90g alpha) paired with Recon Air face fabric. No CFM is listed for Recon Air, but I would estimate at least double Quantum Air as it is the most breathable I have tried by quite a bit.

As far as the Alpha Direct itself, very air permeable. I have a Macpac Nitro that is made of pure alpha direct 90g. Like a lightweight fleece, but warmer for the weight.

Of course, air permeability is just one factor in evaluating the merits of an active insulation piece for various use cases. When I’m just looking for a little more warmth I go with my Atom LT. I’ve read several reviews of the new Proton LT and it sounds like an excellent cold weather active piece.

 

[Jonathan Marshall]

I think we are overdue for an in-depth review of the Marmot Alpha 60, an oustanding piece of active insulation at half the cost of Arc’teryx products.

[Christopher Palmer]

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I like the Marmot Alpha 60 also.  I bought 2 of the jackets and 2 of the vests when they were on sale.  But the hood could use some kind of adjustment and I’m curious about how durable the Alpha Direct insulation is.  I plan on using the Alpha 60 jacket as my insulation layer in warm weather here in North Georgia.

[Michael E]

Marmot positions the Alpha 60 as a summer alpine piece and I think that’s pretty accurate. I find it’s effective range as an outer for active use anywhere between 45-65 F depending on my base layers. Most similar to my Atom SL in terms of temp range, weight, and uses. One downside of the Alpha 60 is that the Quantum Air face fabric pills pretty easy when exposed to coarse mesh backpack straps and granular padding. The Tyono face on the SL is more durable and has better DWR. I like and use both pieces quite a bit. The Proton LT is clearly a cold weather active jacket, the FL is bit more similar to the Alpha 60 and SL.

[Stumphges]

Andrew, Ryan, you guys again and again reference air permeability and breathability in this review, but there is no data to support these statements. This is inconsistent with the tradition of BPL reviews, where evidence and data has really set BPL apart in the past. There are now a great many websites, blogs and message boards where subjective reviews documenting limited/moderate use can be found. I think many members would be thrilled to see BPL return to its roots of data-supported and driven reviews that offer a depth of information not found elsewhere.

BPL continues to be a community with a large number of unusually intelligent, geeky and technically capable members. Could you please inquire whether one or more of them might be willing to add some objective data to this type of article? For example, BPL member Stephen Seeber has been testing air permeable garments for air permeability (CFM) and water resistance (hydrostatic head) and is also breaking new ground by measuring breathability (moisture vapor transfer rate) as well. His are the first publically available MVTR tests that I’m aware of for non-waterproof garments. He’s been focusing on single-layer “windshirt” type jackets so far, but could probably test something like the Proton LT as well.

With such technical capability potentially available to aid you, there would be no need to query and cajole the reticent and secretive manufacturer for data. You could write up a review like this with the ability to directly compare the merits of the Proton LT with those of a Buffalo Shirt, or a Paramo one- or two-layer garment, or with a windshirt + thermal-weight wicking baselayer, with your observations supported by third-party CFM, HH, MVTR and thermal performance data.

[Taylor L]

It sounds like they have made this jacket less durable with the updated version, opposite their claim.

Short staple insulation, ie “Coreloft Compact” is known to be less durable than continuous filament insulation, ie “Coreloft Continuous.”

[Mark H]

I don’t see in the review any information about the durability of the insulation in the new Proton LT. Do the testers (or anyone else) have enough experience with it yet to offer opinions or data?

Is it still true, as stated in the 2018 reports on synthetic-insulated jackets, that short-staple insulation loses loft more rapidly than continuous-filament?

[Chris]

Thanks for the nice write up! I had a question about this statement —

Arc’teryx claims the updated version of the Proton LT is even more durable than before, with a face fabric that is “over 60 times more durable in abrasion tests than the industry standard.”

My understanding is the original Proton LT had a 40d face fabric, compared to 20d for the revised version. And I thought I remembered reading some comments/questions on the Arc’teryx website saying part of the reason for that change was to make it more breathable. So I thought the claim about the face fabric being “more durable” was just in comparison to other (unnamed) materials, but not to the original Proton LT. But I could of course be mistaken…

 

[Ryan Jordan]

Chris, our understanding when we interviewed Arc’teryx is that it’s a little of both – a change in the fiber and the weave from the old 40D to the new 20D did improve abrasion resistance – a little. But also that the 20D used on the Proton LT is substantially more abrasion-resistant than say, conventional 20D calendered nylon. I can’t confirm the first claim, but can attest to the second. I’m very impressed by the 20D’s abrasion resistance when rock scrambling out here in SE WY and No CO, which is loaded with sharp crystalline Sherman Granite.

[Chris]

Interesting – thanks Ryan!

[Erik Norseman]

I echo some of the comments made by others about wanting to hear more about the insulation’s durability. Max Neale makes a point of discussing this, going so far as to say that the durability of the face fabric is moot because the insulation will usually degrade first anyways (e.g. 2018 review of Nuclei FL, among other places). I also like how the Proton FL uses octa-loft, which is most similar to polartec alpha, and is purported to be considerably more durable than any form of coreloft (apparently octa-loft performs more like high loft fleece, continuing to insulate long after short staple and continuous filament insulations would pack out.) I have a Proton FL and my climbing partner has an LT (with coreloft continuous) and we will continue to monitor wear side-by-side to see how they hold up over the years.

Surprisingly, this whole discussion is notably absent from this review, which seems like a notable omission. It would be interesting to hear if you had any observations on this.

Further, is a review of a Proton FL coming anytime soon? Or any octa-loft garment?

[Michael E]

I’d also be interested in an analysis/discussion of Octa Loft. I have a Proton FL as well as a few Alpha Direct (Marmot 60, Strafe Alpha Insulator, Macpac Nitro, Ascendant) pieces. Agree that the properties of Octa Loft are very similar to Polartec Alpha. The Octa fiber was developed by Teijin in 2011. Octa is a hollow core polyester fiber that has, “a unique cross section comprising eight projections, or fins, aligned in a radial pattern around a tube-like fiber.” Octa is also used (sans mesh type Proton FL liner) in other active insulation pieces like the Mountain Equipment Kinesis and Rohan Mistral. In these jackets they call it Octa Yarn. The warp knit Octa Yarn in the Kinesis looks the same as the grey Octa Loft insulation in the pocket of my Proton FL.

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