The stylish woman’s Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody is a versatile climbing jacket – keeping the wearer dry and warm in the
The Arc'teryx Women's Atom LT Hoody jacket. Photo copyright Arc'teryx.
mountains and looking good in the city. When on a serious climb, women need to be able to move well, regulate their body temperate and not destroy their jacket in the process of playing hard in the great outdoors. The Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody delivers on all accounts.
The Atom LT Hoody’s secret to keeping the wearer warm is its slick outer fabric and quality insulating material. This outer material is a tightly woven nylon fabric that is windproof and breaths well. These features combat two ways women become cold on a climb – from wind and from their own sweat after a highly aerobic portion of an approach or climb. The side panels on this jacket are not nylon, but Power Stretch fleece; providing breathability and mobility.
This jacket can stand alone as an outer jacket or be utilized as an insulating mid-layer on colder climbs. The Atom LT Hoody’s insulating material does its job well. It keeps the climber warm, yet is not bulky. This is a slim, lightweight jacket that provides the warmth of a heavier down jacket. The insulating material is Coreloft, a synthetic material that combines larger fibers for resilience and smaller fibers to increase insulating ability. The insulation in this jacket is highly compressible, taking up surprisingly little space in one’s pack.
The Atom LT Hoody has an athletic and flattering fit. The cut is form fitting, yet not constricting allowing the wearer to comfortably layer baselayers or a light vest underneath without hampering movement. The jacket length seems suitable for women with small to medium length torsos, fully covering the lower back and hips. This jacket’s insulated hood is large enough to easily fit (and stay) over a climbing helmet. The outer fabric is treated with a DWR finish, beading water from the fabric’s surface. This Arc’teryx jacket performed well in light rain, mist and wet rock, beading the water away from the fabric and keeping the wearer dry. In heavy rains, the jacket would soak through, but it will still keep the wearer warm. (Note: Arc’teryx did not intend this jacket to be a rain shell.)
True to Arc’teryx’s brand, the Atom LT Hoody was constructed with fine attention to detail from hem to hood to cuff. It is a flattering jacket, but the elegant features are stylish, yet simple and clean. This is first and foremost a technical jacket.
We at Alpine Athena loved this jacket, and it’s not hard to see why. And did we mention it comes in an array of snazzy colors? From Bondi Blue to Jacaranda to Poppy to Magenta, you can even take a walk on the wild side wearing the Chartreuse version.
Favorite Features: Warm – a solid synthetic mid-layer piece. Lightweight. Highly compressible. Versatile – works as both a mid-layer and a stand-alone jacket. Flattering, yet functional fit. Stylish.
Areas of Improvement: None noted by the reviewer.
Best Use: Mountaineering. Scrambling. Alpine Climbing. Ice Climbing. Hiking. Skiing. Around the town.
Bottom Line: This jacket is everything a synthetic mid-layer jacket or light outer jacket should be. It will keep you warm, dry, looking good and happy on the climb. It’s that jacket you’ll wear to pieces because you live in it – rain, shine, snow, city, mountains. The Arc’teryx Women’s Atom LT Hoody is worth the full price tag. The hardest question – which fabulous color to get?
Specs:
- ® Power Stretch® with Hardface® Technology
- Luminara™—Nylon weave fabric with wind and water repellant coating
- 60 gm/m² Coreloft™ insulation
- DWR finish (Durable Water Repellent) helps bead water from fabric surface
- Articulated elbows
- Gusseted underarms
- Hood fits under helmet
- Pockets: 2 hand pockets, one internal chest pocket.
Disclaimer: The Arc’teryx Atom LT Hoody
Genevieve Hathaway is the Editor of Alpine Athena. See her bio in the “Editor” section.
