Arcteryx Beta AR Men's Jacket

A high-end waterproofing anchors the Arc'teryx Beta AR Men's Jacket, an all-round hardshell built for alpine climbing, ski touring, and foul-weather hiking alike. It pairs a fully waterproof and breathable membrane with reinforced fabric in the high-wear zones and a helmet-ready hood, so it shrugs off wind and driving rain without feeling heavy. The payoff is a do-everything storm layer you can trust when the forecast turns and the trailhead is hours behind you.

Why we like it:

The AR stands for All Round, and that is the whole point: one jacket genuinely covers climbing, skiing, and shoulder-season hiking with no real compromise. We also like that the tougher face fabric lands exactly where a pack and rope chew a shell up first.

Features and Functions:

At the core is a three-layer GORE-TEX Pro ePE construction, a PFAS-free membrane with a minimum 28000mm waterproof rating that holds up to sustained storms. Arc'teryx runs an 80 denier face across the body to trim weight, then steps up to 100 denier on the shoulders and hood where abrasion does its damage. WaterTight pit zips vent heat on the way up, the helmet-compatible StormHood adjusts one-handed, and a RECCO reflector adds a measure of searchability in the backcountry. An FC0 DWR finish keeps the face from wetting out.

Fit and Sizing:

Cut to a regular fit with articulated patterning, it leaves room for a midlayer or thin puffy underneath without ballooning. Sizing runs true, and the dropped back hem stays covered when you reach overhead.

Bottom Line:

If you only want one hardshell in the closet, the Beta AR is the benchmark. It is best at all-round alpine and mixed-weather use, equally at home on a tour, an exposed ridge, or a soaking approach, and it is built to log years of hard seasons.