The Rush line from Arc’teryx has come and gone over the years, but mostly has been a stable presence in the Arc’teryx lineup as their all-mountain focused hit-big-lines-don’t-die kit. It’s a bit more burly than bibs and shells in their LT lineups, but doesn’t have the frills and insulation that make their resort pieces so sought after. This is the type of gear that I could see people using for sled-assisted access in big terrain, but I’ve also spent plenty of time earning turns in the Rush Bibs and never felt too slowed down. Clocking in at 725g, these aren’t ultralight by any stretch (compare with the Arc’teryx Sabre LT at 620g), but they don’t feel cumbersome.
One touch is that the top segment of the bib is Arc’teryx’s Fortius DW 2.0 fabric, which is a four-way stretch weave meant for next-to-skin comfort. For most layering approaches, this won’t be next to your skin, but it gives the area around your chest a feeling of being protected but unrestricted. The rest of the bib is N70d Most Rugged GORE-TEX PRO 3L, which is a bomber fabric built for years of heavy use. The denier range on garments like this go up to 100D, so N70d basically connotes a really durable fabric that is perhaps a step down from ‘professional-grade’ use like their Alpha SV. For 99% of outdoor users, N70d is a sweet spot of protection and light weight.
..........Read full articleArc’teryx is slated to gear up for the 2023 Lunar New Year with a Year of the Rabbit-themed capsule collection.
Initial images of the themed fan-favorite hiking and streetwear hybrid brand’s upcoming collection first surfaced on Reddit. The label has not yet confirmed the capsule however, the images that appeared on the Reddit forum are quite compelling given that it will not be the first time Arc’teryx has dropped a Lunar New Year collection.
According to the Reddit forum, the surfaced images pinpoint sneak peek reveals of the classic Arc’teryx items including the Alpha SV Jacket, Atom LT Hoody and Motus AR shirt, all with a stylized rabbit logo on the front and rear, replacing its typical bird logo. The monochromatic black, white and grey rabbit appears to be in a leaping motion and the stitched label name is highlighted in a shade of dark turquoise green. So far, the capsule logo appears on classic black renditions of the aforementioned apparel silhouettes.
Take a look above at what is to come for Arc’teryx this Lunar New Year.
..........Read full articleArc’teryx is among the most iconic and acclaimed outerwear brands on Earth.
Founded in 1989 in North Vancouver, in the shadow of the North Shore Mountains, its mission then was as it is now: to produce outdoor designs that are innovative, purposeful, and of the highest quality available.
Today, thanks to its commitment to premium materials, meticulous attention to detail, and a determination to always challenge existing design methods, Arc’teryx is recognized worldwide as the pinnacle of excellence in its category – whether for clothing, packs, footwear, accessories or climbing gear.
Arc’teryx is consistently singled out for greatness by authorities like The New York Times, whose Wirecutter product-review site praised its men’s and women’s down jackets as not only among the best available anywhere, but as “the most durable option.”
Online fashion magazine The Spinoff, meanwhile, wrote that Arc’teryx “has repeatedly introduced new ground-breaking technical solutions that have been adopted by the entire industry… as well as clean, unmistakable design language. The meticulousness with which Arc’teryx develops new products is legendary. Each fabric is carefully tested for durability, abrasion resistance and air permeability. Each seam is patterned, tested and optimized for optimum freedom of movement, fit and function. It speaks for the Canadians’ special self-image: fashion is an inevitable byproduct of good design.”
And now, as part of its never-ending quest to defy and surpass the ordinary, Arc’teryx is staging an event unlike any other.
In collaboration with Moment Factory—world-renowned specialists in immersive multimedia entertainment experiences— Arc’teryx presents For the Love of Winter. Created to celebrate the launch of the brand’s Winter 2022 collection, it combines all-encompassing projections and sonic dreamscapes in a multi-sensory event that seamlessly transports guests into the heart of Vancouver’s coastal mountains. Those attending will have the opportunity to preview adventure-ready gear while joining like-minded natural thrill-seekers who have come from near and far.
This approximate half-hour experience takes place October 23, 24 and 25, from noon to 8 p.m. daily (except Oct. 23, until 7 p.m.) at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre West Building (1055 Canada Place). Entry is free of charge, but reservations are required; see the link below to reserve your tickets. All ages are welcome, and the experience is wheelchair accessible.
And Arc’teryx is also proud to present another special experience under the For the Love of Winter banner. On Friday, October 21, The Pipe Shop at the Shipyards (115 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver) hosts Arc’teryx Films: On Tour. This one-night-only presentation features a program of seven exciting short films (ranging in length from six to 50 minutes) depicting tales of big mountains and backcountry lines, cold-air inspiration and powder-forged friendships. The films are followed by a performance from special musical guest Goth Babe.
Tickets for Arc’teryx Films: On Tour are $25 per person, and all proceeds will be donated to TREK Outdoor Program, a Vancouver School Board outdoor leadership program that offers integrated learning opportunities to Grade 10 students focused on place-based education, environmental sustainability, active citizenship, and outdoor adventure and challenge. (Please note that this is a 19-plus event.)
For all the high fashion collabs, celebrity endorsements, and podcast cosigns, climbing remains the North Star at Arc’teryx. But climbing in 2022 isn’t the same as it was when the brand launched its first product (a climbing harness) in 1989. It’s changing fast. To keep up, and to ensure the Dead Bird remains relevant in the sport that spawned it, Arc’teryx has announced the NextGen Climb Commitment, an initiative to invest $5 million CAD in community-based organizations, leaders, and training programs across North America over the next five years.
“We believe in the value of people learning to climb and the impact the sport has on people's lives—it's more than just the technical side of the sport, there's a life evolution that happens, too,” Arc’teryx Vice President of Brand Karl Aaker tells Field Mag. “But accessibility to the sport is a direct problem. It’s access to expertise and knowledge as much as it is equipment and locations to climb… that’s where we're investing and moving resources.”
As such, the ambitious, holistic commitment aims to support newcomers and elite level climbers alike by building on existing grassroots activations and other elevated organization alliances already in place.
To help lead the charge in identifying opportunities to make a real impact, be it through physical events or financial support with operating grants, Arc’teryx will lean on community organizers on the ground in key cities like Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.
“We know that our expertise doesn’t match their expertise,” Aaker says. “So our work as an organization is to move resources into the hands of people that are leading the change, leading the work that removes the barriers and helps achieve that level of equitability."
For example, expect to see community-led free climb nights for underrepresented and marginalized groups at local gyms, free certifications, discounted courses, and hosted gym-to-crag events to increase outdoor education.
Grants for diversity, inclusion, and equity-focused organizations like Flash Foxy, Color The Trails, and Brown Girl Outdoor World will continue to help create more safe spaces for new climbers, while the ongoing partnership with Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) will ensure future Olympic climbers representing Arc’teryx’s home country are not just clad in the brand, but have been fostered by it too.
Now, if you’re wondering why a brand so deeply rooted in the alpine, in outdoor climbing and adventure, is doubling down on gym climbing and competition, so were we. To this, Aaker assures that the core of the brand isn’t shifting. But the industry is, and Arc’teryx isn’t blind to it. “We have roots in the Coast Mountains of Canada. We’ve built a brand and the product we offer in that outdoor space. That's not something to shy away from,” says Aaker. “But I think it goes without saying that the world of climbing, the industry, the sport, is changing rapidly. And to evolve our sport and see it grow in a way that's sustainable and productive we need infrastructure that introduces climbing to people. Gym climbing is an incredible part of that—it’s a driver behind the moment that climbing is in right now.”
All this said, there’s no concrete road map set in place for the NextGen Climb Commitment, beyond what’s been laid out for you here—a fair amount of gut following will guide the commitment. But that’s by design.
"Part of this being successful will be our ability to be nimble and respond to what's needed,” Aaker shared with Field Mag on the subject. “We don't want the money, the people, and the time to go to waste. So we're going to really watch where the impact is, where it occurs, and make sure we're supporting the right things."
In other words, keep an eye out for future news in your neck of the woods. Something might just be cooking.
..........Read full articleGORE-TEX Expanded Polyethylene debuts for fall 2022, promising long-lasting durability, a lower carbon footprint, and lighter weight.
Outdoor industry giant GORE-TEX is so ubiquitous that even small changes to its patented weather-proofing technology reverberate across countless brands and products.
Because of that, details from an announcement made today by the Maryland-based textile leader regarding its all-new waterproof-breathable membrane — its hallmark technology — will send ripples across the industry and may change performance standards in outerwear.
Lofty claims, to be certain, but the unveiling of expanded polyethylene (ePE) already has other industry titans buying in — including Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and more.
“GORE’s commitment to launching ePE directly supports our initiative to reduce our carbon impact by about 65% by 2030,” Arc’teryx director of advanced research, Greg Grenzke, said.
Grenzke teased that ePE would debut in the Arc’teryx line in its Ralle (men’s) and Coelle (women’s) jackets for fall 2022.
We’ve previously reported on details about ePE’s tech. Here’s what we know about GORE’s latest wünder material, and how brands will use it for the fall 2022 season.
GORE-TEX lauds ePE as “a key milestone in GORE’s ongoing sustainability journey.” And that sustainability element is a significant part of both the impetus behind the innovation and brands’ interest in it.
According to GORE, ePE boasts a smaller carbon footprint than its traditional waterproof-breathable membranes. This is thanks to ePE’s more diminutive profile — it has less mass and less overall material, which translates to less energy input, water usage, and carbon output.
Moreover, the ePE membrane is PFC-free, a goal that has rapidly become an industry-wide standard. This lighter membrane can also bond with selected backers and face fabrics — like recycled, solution-dyed, or undyed materials — to ensure the performance elements integrate with a variety of sustainable product constructions.
“This was an ask and a pressure we put on our friends and partners at GORE for a long time,” said Kristo Torgersen, Patagonia’s mountains brand and business lead. “We saw the future of waterproof breathables being in a non-fluorinated chemistry. We set out to eliminate PFCs from the membrane, but we got so much more.”
In addition to its environmental focus, GORE claims ePE possesses long-lasting garment life, fully windproof protection, high breathability, and durable waterproofing.
In addition to Arc’teryx’s Ralle and Coelle jackets, Patagonia will employ ePE on its Storm Shift ski and snowboard shell kits.
The new membrane will also appear in a variety of both performance and lifestyle products from adidas, Salomon, Dakine, Reusch, and Ziener.
Stay tuned, as GearJunkie will test GORE-TEX ePE in a variety of iterations to see how it stacks up. Learn more about GORE-TEX ePE.
..........Read full article
Follow us