Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody - Women's Review

The Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody is made of a 100% nylon Tyono 30D shell with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. You'll find wrist cuff tabs, a hem that is drop back and features a cinch adjustment, and a hood with a drawstring, which allows you to cinch it in the back. There's one external chest pocket that the jacket stows into with a loop for clipping it onto your harness or pack. It weighs 5.1 ounces and comes in five different colors.

Value

At $149, the Squamish is the thoroughbred of windbreakers. Though it comes with a lofty price tag, this jacket exceeds the features provided by some of the other models we reviewed. If you don't like models that are streamlined and uber packable, than the extra features of the Squamish might be a good fit for you.

Performance Comparison

The Squamish is undeniably high performance, with superb construction and materials. However, its plethora of features made some of our reviewers balk, as it feels like a bit much for a windbreaker, which should be lightweight and streamlined.

This well-fitting model is versatile enough to easily transition from running to carrying a heavy pack.

Wind Resistance

This jacket rated high for wind resistance in our tests. The Velcro cuffs, drawstring drop back hem, adjustable hood and an almost imperceptible draft flap behind the zipper help to defy the wind. Plus, our testers also loved the feel of the fabric — it is soft, comfortable and warm even with only minimal layers underneath. The Patagonia Houdini was the only other piece as wind resistant as the Squamish, and the Rab Windveil was slightly less resistant than both.

This jacket is best suited to alpine pursuits where the wind blows strong and the temps are cooler. Jean Tucky tests out the wind resistant fabric on top of a giant glacial erratic on DAFF Dome, Tuolumne Meadows, CA.

Breathability

The Squamish, like the Patagonia Houdini, performed well in wind resistance at the cost of breathability, which is to be expected in a windbreaker. Although the Squamish was a bit more breathable than the Houdini, our tests found that this piece was likely to accumulate perspiration relatively quickly during high energy exercise, leaving the wearer feeling uncomfortable and clammy. If you anticipate needing a layer that handles wind and sweat better, we recommend the Black Diamond Alpine Start.

This model has less-than-ideal breathability, but when temps are frigid and the wind is whipping, it is one of the best to keep the wind off.

Durability

The Squamish is made of a Gossamera ripstop nylon and is abrasion resistant. We wore this jacket on climbs and hikes and bikes and noticed no abrasion. The Velcro tabs at the cuffs are heavy duty, though they did tend to catch and snag on rocks and vegetation. We like the Patagonia Houdini or Black Diamond Alpine Start if you're in the market for a highly durable piece.

This piece has more extra features then our reviewers' favorite pieces, including a hood brim and bulky wrist closures.

Weight and Packability

The Squamish is in the middle of the pack when it comes to weight and packability. This piece weighs in at 5.1 ounces, which outweighs the Patagonia Houdini and Eddie Bauer Uplift's 3.9-ounce design significantly. However, it compresses well, and if you aren't hyper-aware of an extra ounce or two, this jacket can easily be shoved into the bottom of your pack and forgotten about until the time comes.

The jacket's packed size.

Versatility

This windbreaker is versatile, thanks to a hefty feature set. However, our testers felt that this feature set detracted from missions that required a streamlined piece, like the Patagonia Houdini. The jacket features a soft brim visor, Velcro wrist cuff tabs, and a drawstring waist and hood. With all of these moving parts, we found that it was easy to get parts of the jacket snagged on branches or your pack. Because of this, we liked pieces like the Black Diamond Alpine Start and Eddie Bauer Uplift because of their streamlined build.

This model is one of our most wind resistant, but lacks the comfortable fit of other contenders.

Water Resistance

During our water tests, the DWR coating on this jacket beaded moisture well, thanks to its DWR (durable water repellent) finish. While none of the jackets that we tested were completely waterproof, if you are concerned about getting caught in a storm in your windbreaker then you'll be better off with the Squamish or the Patagonia Houdini, which repel water well and will dry relatively quickly once they do become saturated.

The piece's DWR finish helps it repel light precip.

Best Applications

This jacket is great for missions with high wind potential, particularly in a cooler environment. It lends itself well to sailing, backcountry spring skiing, cycling, bouldering, and traveling.

If you have short arms, you may want to size down or just push the sleeves up, but otherwise this jacket is great for all athletic women.

Conclusion

The Arc'teryx Squamish comfortably moves with the outdoor adventurer when shifting weather conditions are part of the game. The well-thought-out craftsmanship allows this jacket to be comfortable and easy to move in. However, a plethora of extra features might make the minimalist turn their nose up at this piece.