Apr 28

Apr 28 Arc'teryx Atom LT (2019)

Arc’teryx Atom LT (2019)

Type: Insulator / Use: Active / Face: Nylon / Insulation: Synthetic

Technologies: CoreLoft 60g

I worked at an outdoors store for 6 months in college. It was full of threadheads. Between the ultralight backpackers and half the Munising Ice Fest, we were gear people serving gear people. Also, a bunch of LA kids buying Gooses the day it dipped 40. Go Blue.

My coworkers there indoctrinated me to the cult of “the jacket.”

Every single member of the staff had an Atom LT. Or multiple Atom LTs. Some had an LT and an AR. If a pullover came up on Ebay, someone would mention it. The Atom had a cult following in the store - to the point where, if you were talking about an Atom, you called it “the jacket.” But I just didn’t get the jacket.

More precisely, I used my one (1) employee discount code on an Alpha SV instead. Threadhead!!! I’ve worn the jacket ten times to date. Extreme!!!!!

Years later, with the Biv crew in mind, I got an Atom LT. And I got it. I got “the jacket.”

The “jacket” is a lightweight synthetic hoody with a simple front zip and two elastic cuffs. There’s one elastic closure at the hip. There’s another on the back of the hood. Inside, there’s a single zip pocket. It’s as simple as it is functional as it is comfortable as it is cool. And here’s why.

At its core, the Atom LT is a stretchy, hip-cut performance piece. On the outside, there’s a silky, pliable, DWR-coated 20 denier nylon. On the inside lies Arc’s house-brand synthetic at the rate of 60 g/m2. They call it Coreloft 60. It’s warm, breathable, and weather-resistant. All around quite Prima. Massive side stretch panels round out the edges. Microfleece in the slash pockets make the whole thing rather pleasant.

The sum total of all those features is a butter-smooth zip-up that just fucking works.

The magic comes from a mix of patterning and material choice. Pattern-wise, everything is designed for movement and flawlessly executed. Wearing an Atom over a thick fleece crewneck, I can reach over my head and nothing moves. Jumping jacks? Sure. Not sure why you’d do those, but articulated elbows and a trim fit keep the whole package in your plane of motion. It’s exactly what you want from an active piece, and Arc’s understated craft (thin seams; simply features) make it all the more impressive.

As for materials, the Atom’s pattern greatness is in service of an optimized – not superlative, mind you – tech package. In a sentence: the Atom covers 90% of all situations where you’d need a jacket. Thin AF 20d ripstop cuts wind while the DWR (easily refreshed with some Granger’s) wicks away light rains. 60g synthetic insulation adds a touch of resilience, promising all-weather heat in case any bigger rains get through. And with the thin face, the whole thing is surprisingly, even shockingly, breathable.

There’s no hardshell, so sustained heavy rains will soak you quick, and you might not want it alone in a blizzard. But from 32 F to 60 F, the Atom alone is singular. If you layer it? Sky’s the limit. It’s trim enough to fit under most hardshells, but stretchy enough to be its own outer layer. I’ve put my Atom through everything: long runs, spring rains, 0 F ice gusts at 4300 meters, and yes, even fit pics. It’s kept me warm and comfortable through it all.

Which is amazing. Since, ya know. Simple.

Looks-wise, that simplicity translates to a featureless, dare I say minimal, aesthetic. The Atom certainly looks tidy – like all Arc, it’s well-constructed and wears well on the body. But otherwise, it’s basically a civvy cutdown of an ECWCS parka. It’s as versatile to wear as it is to use, and so I wear mine with just about anything. There’s just not much else to say here. Get a nice color? Pair it with clothes? It looks nice but could be more. C’est tout. Moving on.

Overall, the Atom LT is an incredible performance piece that handles almost anything and wears well doing it. I feel about the Atom the way I do the Hooded Spur: if it’s not perfection, it’s pretty darn close. At $259, it’s in a midpoint where it might be hard to justify - but believe me, on dollars per wear alone, it’s more than worth it. It’s also - like most Arc staples - almost always on sale these days. Strange times. Strange times.

My threadhead coworkers knew what was up. The Alpha SV may be damn cool, but this is “the jacket” for a reason. I wear mine twice a week, three seasons a year. And I’ll do it ‘til it falls right apart.