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Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody Review

A thoughtfully-designed technical layer for the refined mountain guide
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Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody Review
Price:  $180 List
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Manufacturer:   Arcteryx
By Andy Wellman and Aaron Rice  ⋅  Nov 18, 2020
72
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 8
  • Wind Resistance - 30% 7.0
  • Breathability and Venting - 30% 9.0
  • Weight and Packability - 20% 7.0
  • Fit and Functionality - 10% 6.0
  • Water Resistance - 10% 4.0

Our Verdict

The Arc'teryx Squamish is our favorite technical jacket to bridge the gap between breathability and wind resistance. But for all of its features, this lightweight jacket carries a serious price tag. For warm windy days, this jacket is both breathable and offers a level of wind protection comparable to the top models we tested. While it won't keep you dry from much more than an alpine fog, its gusseted athletic fit and superlative features, including a storm hood and dual cord locks for hem adjustment, are some of the most well-designed in this review. We recommend this lightweight jacket for technical alpine pursuits like climbing and trail running, when saving weight is a major priority.
REASONS TO BUY
Technical fit
Thoughtfully incorporated features
Stretchy breathable fabric
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Not very weather resistant
Holds onto smell over time

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Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Windbreaker
  Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line A fine offering from Arc'teryx, but more expensive than some higher performing modelsOur Editor’s Choice for its simplicity, price, and solid performance in a lightweight packageMade for the mountains, this ultralight jacket will help you push your limitsUnique Diamond Fuse fabric adds extra durability and longevity to this clean, technical shellA solid balance of wind resistance and breathability, all offered at an unbeatable price point
Rating Categories Arc'teryx Squamish... Patagonia Houdini -... Black Diamond Dista... Outdoor Research He... Rab Vital Hoody - M...
Wind Resistance (30%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
8.0
Breathability and Venting (30%)
9.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Weight and Packability (20%)
7.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
Fit and Functionality (10%)
6.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
Water Resistance (10%)
4.0
8.0
3.0
5.0
8.0
Specs Arc'teryx Squamish... Patagonia Houdini -... Black Diamond Dista... Outdoor Research He... Rab Vital Hoody - M...
Measured Weight (size M) 4.8 oz 3.9 oz (size L) 3.5 oz 5.0 oz 4.8 oz
Material 100% nylon, DWR finish 100% nylon ripstop, DWR finish 100% nylon ripstop, woven w/ DWR treatment (Green Theme Technology) 100% Pertex Diamond Fuse (100% nylon ripstop) 20D Atmos woven nylon with fluorocarbon-free DWR
Pockets 1 zip chest 1 zip chest 1 zip chest 1 zip chest 2 zip hand
Safety Reflective Material Yes, reflective logo No (company states reflective logo on left chest, too small to really be visible) No Yes, reflective logo Yes, reflective logo on chest
Stowable Pocket Yes: chest pocket Yes: chest pocket Yes: chest pocket Yes: chest pocket No; included stuff sack
Cuff Style Half Elastic Half Elastic Elastic Half Elastic Half Elastic
Helmet Compatible Hood Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Our Analysis and Test Results

Since the last time we tested the Squamish Hoody, Arc'teryx revamped this current version with elastic cuffs (instead of Velcro), and the fit is now slightly slimmer. This gives it more of a refined look, as stylish in the high alpine as it is around town. There are now dual cord locks along the hem for an adjustable fit around a harness, and an adjustable storm hood that does a great job of staying put in a heavy wind.

Performance Comparison


arc'teryx squamish hoody - this jacket is the perfect companion for long alpine climbs, that...
This jacket is the perfect companion for long alpine climbs, that often require significant energy just on approach.
Credit: Jill Rice

Wind Resistance


The Squamish is made of a very lightweight 30-denier, Tyono fabric that is both stretchy and breathable. While breathability and wind resistance are often mutually exclusive concepts, this jacket does a nice job of walking that fine line. On an unexpectedly windy day in the plains of northern Colorado — where wind gusts reached 60mph — we were comfortable enough to continue our hike, even though we were only wearing a t-shirt underneath this thin shell. Even without having to lock it down, the storm hood does a fantastic job staying in place over a hat, just with the jacket fully zipped up. Despite this performance, we still think it is best used in warmer weather situations, or for highly aerobic scenarios where breathability is valued over wind resistance — like skinning uphill.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - hiking or climbing in the alpine often puts you at the will of the...
Hiking or climbing in the alpine often puts you at the will of the wind. But when we paired this jacket with a solid base layer, we were able to keep the wind at bay.
Credit: Jill Rice

Breathability and Venting


Thanks to the fairly permeable, stretchy nylon build, the Squamish ranks near the top of our list in terms of breathability. We loved this jacket for long fall trail runs and cannot wait to wear it in the skin track. Although this jacket lacks any sort of conventional venting, there are no issues with this jacket dumping heat. Even when worn as a mid layer, the Squamish strikes a nice balance of warmth and breathability — when layered correctly with one of our favorite base layers, we had no issues with moisture build-up. Really, the only issue we have is that nylon, like polyester, has a tendency to gather stink. And after a few uphill training sessions, it was time to put this layer through the wash.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - this jacket quickly became our go-to for trail running, even if it...
This jacket quickly became our go-to for trail running, even if it meant that we were wearing a groutfit.
Credit: Jill Rice

Weight and Packability


On the scale, our men's size medium weighs only 4.8 ounces, corresponding to the advertised weight and putting it among some of the lightest jackets we tested. Similarly, it packs down into its own zippered chest pocket, and is directly comparable to the smallest jackets in this review. With a reinforced clip-in loop, this jacket could comfortably be carried on a harness, or just as easily tossed into any pack for a backup outer layer.

Smaller than your standard Nalgene bottle, and about 1/7 of the...
Smaller than your standard Nalgene bottle, and about 1/7 of the weight.
A side-by-side comparison of packed size: Arc'teryx Squamish (left)...
A side-by-side comparison of packed size: Arc'teryx Squamish (left), Patagonia Houdini Air (middle), Patagonia Houdini (right). Tell us, which one do you think is bigger?
Small and lightweight is the name-of-the-game when it comes to...
Small and lightweight is the name-of-the-game when it comes to technical outerwear.

Fit and Functionality


It is hard for us to conceive of a better fit for a jacket than the Squamish. It is sleek, with the same refinement as a veteran mountain guide while also allowing adequate room underneath for warmer layers. Our head tester fits into that body type, with a slender, 5-foot, 10-inch frame which fits ideally into a medium jacket. We have known Arc'teryx pieces to be a tough fit for those who are bulkier or have broad shoulders, so we highly suggest trying on this jacket before buying.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - although the storm hood is a bit tight around a bike helmet, it is...
Although the storm hood is a bit tight around a bike helmet, it is more comfortable with a climbing helmet and stays in place well when a strong wind kicks up.
Credit: Jill Rice

In terms of features, the Squamish does not have quite as many as some of the other windbreakers that we tested. It does not have a way to stow away the hood, or hand pockets, or a mesh lining on its single chest pocket to aid ventilation. But again, alpine refinement is the name of the game with this well-designed jacket — for example, hand pockets would be useless under a harness. It does feature a helmet-compatible storm hood that stays in place, even through gale-force winds, and two adjustable cord locks on the hem to really lock things down when the weather turns. These essential features are integrated perfectly into this jacket, and we won't knock it for design considerations.

Trail running in the time of COVID... this zippered chest pocket...
Trail running in the time of COVID... this zippered chest pocket offers plenty of space for a mask and your phone.
As with all things Arc'teryx produces, the dual cord locks on the...
As with all things Arc'teryx produces, the dual cord locks on the hem are simple, lightweight, and highly effective.

Water Resistance


We really wish this wasn't the case, but the major weakness of the Squamish is when it comes to water resistance. After just one turn under the showerhead, we found water running down the inside of the jacket, completely soaking our base layer. While it does come with a DWR coating applied, it seemed to wear off much quicker than some of the other coatings on comparable jackets. The nylon fabric itself is quite absorptive, although the jacket's permeability does allow for it to dry out rather quickly in the sun.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - though you can't really see our face, we promise, there is a look of...
Though you can't really see our face, we promise, there is a look of disappointment in our eyes after the soaking results of this shower test.
Credit: Jill Rice

Value


There's no denying it; this jacket is one of the most expensive in the review. While we think it is certainly a quality piece, we would only consider it to be a reasonable investment for those who demand this jacket's balance of breathability and wind resistance. Those regularly engaged in high-level technical pursuits, like ski mountaineering or alpine climbing, should consider this windbreaker.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - quality and attention to detail is what arc'teryx is known for.
Quality and attention to detail is what Arc'teryx is known for.
Credit: Jill Rice

Conclusion


Without a doubt, the Squamish is a top-quality windbreaker with some serious strengths. But like most Arc'teryx pieces, you are going to pay a hefty price for its quality of construction. For fair weather, high-mountain adventure, this jacket certainly presents an interesting alternative to having to carry a full rain or hard shell.

arc'teryx squamish hoody - we love this jacket! we just struggle convincing ourselves that the...
We love this jacket! We just struggle convincing ourselves that the price-tag is worth it.
Credit: Jill Rice

Andy Wellman and Aaron Rice