Arc’teryx LEAF just introduced the new Alpha Gen 2 line consisting of Jacket, Pant and Pant Bib which integrate new improved features. Now, they want to give you a set.
For Alpha Gen 2 Line Arc’teryx has completely redesigned all three garments with the Jacket dropping some weight through fewer seams and narrower seam tape, glued-in zippers and lighter Gore-tex fabric in the hood of the Alpha Jacket. The Pant and Bib both feature glued pockets and waterproof side zips that route aft of the knee allowing movement with the zips open.
Sizes Small – XXLarge, offered in Black, Crocodile, Wolf and MultiCam.
The Contest
Arc’teryx LEAF and SSD want to hear your LEAF Alpha Gen 1 stories and experiences. Specifically, we’d like to know how it performed for you or helped you do your job better. Obviously, there’s no need to disclose anything sensitive, we just want you to share your cool stories. It’s ok to be generic about operational details. Pictures help. Post it somewhere online and put the link in your submission post. Don’t tell us which SSD story you like. We want to hear about how you have used the Arc’teryx LEAF Alpha. The best story will earn the writer an award consisting of an Alpha set: Alpha jacket and Alpha pant or Bib pant in either Solid or MultiCam.
How to Enter
1. In the comments section of THIS article on SSD share your story. Only entries here on SSD (not Facebook) are eligible to win. You can tell the story anywhere you want to but it won’t count unless you post it HERE.
2. Comments are open from now until 2359 Zulu on 28 February, 2014. Ready – Set – Go!
3. Use any alias you want to post but be sure to use a valid email address since that’s how we’ll contact the winners.
4. Once the contest closes, representatives from Arc’teryx LEAF and SSD will review the entries and select a winner.
5. One entry per email address. We will delete entries that violate this policy.
6. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited.
Tags: Arc'teryx LEAF, WL Gore
Favorite story was still the Arcteryx april fools joke with the battle cape. Just funny it was meant to be a joke, but still, people wanted one (ps…i kinda did too)
So I suck at reading directions…. Arc’teryx makes some great stuff! The ability to have gear that withstands the elements, and doesn’t need to be constantly fixed and replaced is outstanding. One thing that is great about my Arc’teryx jacket its ability to keep the elements out, while not boiling me like a lobster. Also, the gloves are second to none, having substantial gloves that still permits dexterity and fine motor skills is essential. Since owning my Alpha, and using it for everything, I have also purchased the Sabre for skiing, (i know its not part of the LEAF line) and summer hiking gear for my recent trip to Arcardia in Maine. It’s because of my Alpha, that I have faith in Arc’teryx and it’s product line.
Favorite post latley is “The Rifle”. Just a big HK fan and believe to be true.
The Christmas post of the C.B. Colby books brought back so many memories. Definitely my recent favorite.
No Impact Credit Card.
So I made some choices.
Date or Arc’teryx, date.
Gas or Arc’teryx, gas.
Eat this month or buy Arc’teryx, I decided to eat.
At the prices they charge for these things no one that does not have a must spend government credit card can afford them.
The Canipe Correspondence on cold weather gear. I find myself searching it out every so often to refresh my memory.
Emerson Knives – EDC-2 Multitool
Just because I like it
On the outside It’s -40, my snot is freezing faster to face than it can come out of my nose. Every gust of wind that blows in my face gives me a head ache. But in my suit its like a summer vacation. Winter is no longer my enemy, its now my best friend that I could spend hours in and not be bothered at all 😉
My favorite SSD article is the Canipe Correspondence about the/your HK416. Mainly because your 416 is one of the best looking rifles I ever saw and if I could have just one rifle on earth I would want this one. It’s really sad you retired it because I would have loved to read more about it. But also this was the article that made me discover SSD and since then I read SSD every day.
Greetings from Germany and keep up the good work.
The shotshow reports is good, love it! Also fan of the Force-focus articles.
my favorite for now is: Arc’teryx Launches the Khard Pack. just love that pack 😀
Keep up the great job 🙂
G-Code D3 Disruptive Environments Carrier
Kydex gear always interests me, carriers more so.
Favorite recent article on SSD was how to instantly shatter a car window. This practical lesson is very useful and more interesting to read about than merchandise articles.
This article will be my favorite if you pick me as the winner. Arc-teryx is above and beyond other outdoor clothing lines.
Never owned anything Arc’teryx because it was always way too expensive.
I really enjoyed last years April 1st article about the Army going back to OD Green. It gave me a good laugh.
Hmm… tough choices! I enjoyed the post when Sonny shot the guy in the shoot house. Good lively discussion!
Favorite post(s) is the many posts about the Army’s Camouflage Improvement (lack of) Effort. Was nice to be kept current while it was going on even though Big Army ended up blowing it. Thanks
Don’t have any stories. Could make one up, but to be honest never been in a position to spend that kind of dough on that gear. Would wear the hell out of it, if I won it though. Could send you a post-won-contest story.
I enjoy all the back and forths about the new Army Camouflage. Back and forth, keeps me entertained, and my blood pressure high…
This is my favorite of all time: succinct, self explanatory and most of all effective.
WTF Moleskine?
A friend of ours in the firearms industry received this email from notebook manufacturer Moleskine after inquiring about getting some branded notebooks for giveaways.
Thank you for your request but currently Moleskine Brand Guidelines prevent us from working with any weapon companies. Good luck and have a great day.
Sincerely,
XXXXX
Moleskine America, Inc.
210 eleventh avenue, suite 1004
new york, ny 10001
http://www.moleskine.com
The rifle story ……..HK rules
Favorite post so far,
Is about Winkler Knives II and the brief history of the company and how it has grown as well as the craftsmanship that goes into every peice that is made.
It goes to show that quality comes handmade and is why members of the Special Operations choose to use those products.
Thanks
The rifle story ….HK rules
I found the post about THE gun to be really neat. Seeing a piece of history like that is a big deal, and I’m glad I got the opportunity.
As for my Alpha Gen 1 story — I was climbing the mountain near where I live, and it started raining really hard, me still be many miles away from anything. I pulled my Alpha jacket out of my pack, threw it on, and kept climbing, seeing some beautiful sights that I would have missed out on had I turned back due to the weather.
Currently the TQ article. I’m not sure an elastic TQ will stop enough bleeding but another option is always useful
THE rifle article/ picture. Definitely one of the best.
No sh*t, there I was. Getting snowed on again running to the latrine in another Southeast Asia winter. I was wearing my trusty Atom LT to keep me warm when I made my first mistake. I took my Atom LT jacket off and hung it on a hook outside the stall to spare it from getting sprayed by sh*t due to another horrible local meal. By the time I finished, my jacket was gone! All the fellas claimed it wasn’t them so I narrowed my search to the local workers. I found their leader who knew just enough English for me to threaten his life if his crew didn’t give my jacket back. I may or may not have been tapping my pistol like Doc Holiday while making the threat. Long story short … one of the local workers coughed up my Arcteryx jacket and I didn’t have to shoot anyone. The moral of the story is to never let your Arcteryx out of eyesight.
My favorite post(s) here are the ones that you follow this Marine Corps on.
Sometimes it’s hard to find information on what’s going on in the Corps, and SSD does a stand up job of getting the word out.
As for my story…
I don’t even know where to start… I’ve got dozens of stories from how the Alpha made some nasty days rather pleasant.
One that comes to mind is a long range course I took part in a couple years ago. Ranges were from 400 to 1000 meters and everyone was shooting 7.62nato (either EBR or M110). For some reason, the rain and cold was unseasonably harsh that day (I think a weather record might have been broken in our area). I have shot ranges in the rain before with my issued wet weather gear, and it had always been a pain. This was the first time I was able to use my Alpha in an event like this, and it did not disappoint.
Where I would have had nearly constant problems with my issued gear, the Alpha made what I thought would be just another thing I’d have to suck up barely even noticeable. I was able to lay prone for long periods in the driving rain and still be able to sight through my optics, positively identify my target, and engage with repeat performance. Having a hood with such a sturdy brim and range of adjustment allowed me to keep the rain out of my eyes and off my eye pro while shooting. That simply would not happen with a standard-issue APECS Parka, period. The difference was night and day. The brim on the standard-issue goretex would keep us dry, but if there was any kind of wind, you could forget it; the hood would flop down in your face, or slide off your head. Having shock cord in the crown kept the Alpha’s hood firmly on my head and the articulation in the shoulders kept the sleeves from riding up while lying prone.
When we finished, we had to hike back to the entrance of the range. It wasn’t terribly far, maybe a mile and a half, but in that weather it was a pretty miserable slog up and down a muddy, washed out gravel path. My hands were water logged, my boots had long since failed me, but my torso was not only dry, it was surprisingly warm. I wasn’t uncomfortably warm, clammy, or sweating my ass off, it’s just that I didn’t experience the chill that I’ve always come to expect from a heavy rain storm during time in the field.
After the course was done for the day, everyone was pretty tired. They were either haphazardly shuffling through their gear to get it clean and dry or put away. I remember distinctly feeling very energetic. I felt like the day was just beginning, like the weather wasn’t even a factor, and I owe that completely to my Alpha Jacket. Since then I’ve had many adventures, on and off the job, that were made considerably more enjoyable (and sometimes more survivable) thanks to what I have come to refer to as “the best goretex on the planet” to my friends.
I originally purchased my Alpha in 2010, and it has never let me down… though being able to retire it early for an Alpha Gen 2 would certainly be a welcome event 😉
If I am warm and dry I tend to be much better at hitting my target… be on the range… in the feild… door to door or in the men’s room. The kats make great kit that is simple and well thought out!
my favorite is the aerostar turkey suit. as an outdoorsman/hunter its really interesting to see a low profile ghillie suit. given the camo and material, itd be great for a bad weather bow hunt. I’m tired of the noise of my goretex, along with the lack of contrast with the environment (shadows and such for outline breakup).
anything in the SERE section would be considered my favorite. I’m in an area with variable and crappy weather. If its practical and effective, it makes my existence outdoors easier and allows me to focus on other aspects of my initial area that could be more threatening.
The SCUD hunter carabine article by LAV is my all time favourite. That is one awsome piece of gun history and I wish that article would continue with other historical pieces.
I like how these guys made it to the Stan to take care of the troops. And, they gave away some of our gear!
https://soldiersystems.net/2011/06/22/ads-takes-it-to-the-troops/
Actual pictures of the Brookwood camouflage pattern. It seemed like it was initially judged by many on the single swatch that was released. With ACUs made out it, I’ve come to appreciate the look and potential practicality.
https://soldiersystems.net/2014/02/16/zulu-six-starring-dale-comstock-jim-erwin-and-max-mullen/
Having met the man myself on multiple occasions, I love to see Max Mullen getting some praise. I had the pleasure to meet him for the second last year at Fort Knox during a Military Simulation game to honor Operation Gothic Serpent and got a chance to listen to him give a speech about the events that transpired during “The Battle Of Mogadishu”. There is nothing in this world I would trade for that experience.
I think the saying “Heroes don’t always wear capes” fits.
https://soldiersystems.net/2011/10/28/milipol-in-review/
Because it was my small contruibution to the SSD. Keep up doing great job, Eric!
https://soldiersystems.net/2013/03/24/canipe-correspondence-undervalued-skills/
The Canipe Correspondence – Undervalued Skill is my favorite article. Jon emphasizes the fact that knowing how to shoot, knowing medical training, and self-defense combat is just not a commando skill, but a life skill. Keeping your mind sharp on not only these three skills but anything your life revolves around will get your further in life. If you like to hike then learn woodland survival skills. If you ski, then winter survival skill.
The recent update on the Patagonia combat uniforms. Patagonia does such a good job hiding their mil involvement, I would’ve never found out about this if it weren’t for this website.
This new one about the new tourniquet and pressure dressing. It’s very timely as I’m updating a first aid kit for a wilderness trip and especially for staying on the bleeding edge of developments to relay to my two sons on active duty in the Army. https://soldiersystems.net/2014/02/25/swat-t-stretch-wrap-tuck-tourniquet/
SAmerican Kami MicrAxe is my favorite.
Thanks,
The Crops CTR belt – interesting idea and will be interested as to how it evolves over time when the majority of operators use molle or some derivative of.
I have a favorite topic more than a favorite article. The Camouflage Improvement Program and the ensuing debacle that it is tops my list. I am listing this specific article because it is kind of the current finale with the soft announcement of Crye being the winner (sort of, maybe) LOL!
https://soldiersystems.net/2013/10/12/us-army-camouflage-improvement-effort-us-army-awards-contract-to-crye-for-ocp/
Following this drama over the past several years really opened my eyes to the depth of inefficiency and lack of leadership the Army, and the DoD in general, have towards programs like this. It is no wonder we as a nation are in such a fiscal crisis.
Thanks again for all that you do and for this particular offer/contest. As one of Uncle Sam’s totem pole low men, opportunities like this will probably be the only way I will ever be able to obtain any of Arc’teryx’s product.
S/F
My favorite article is “the ways of industrial espionage”. The video was hysterical and reminds me of every “knock off” piece of kit , clothing , or equipment iv come across . It also shows in many ways the craftsmanship that goes into good stuff. There have been a number of great articles here on soldier systems but that video stands out because of the humor .
Thanks
I see a lot of invalid entries above because people couldn’t read the instructions
Favourite article I gotta agree is the Arc capes. Want.
Hands down favorite SSD article was the DK Alpha cape prank, actually laughed out loud during a big meeting at work.
I used my Alpha LT jacket/pant combo to hike about 10 miles home in the Atlanta “Snowmageddon” a few weeks ago. I layered an ATOM LT under and was completely warm and dry. The LEAF line is pricey but well woth every penny in my opinion!!
Never owned an Arc’teryx but always wanted to. Thanks.
Out of my head my favorite find on SSD would be the first article on the Individual Marker Panel. A piece of kit amazing in its simplicity and usefulness I cannot believe I almost deployed without.
I do like the news articles posted here a lot. But it’s the showcasing of these often genius pieces of kit and clothing that brings me back to SSD every day. Guess where I first heard of Arc’teryx LEAF :)?
I was contracting overseas and it was winter. We had gone out earlier than usual to beat the weather that was headed our way. It was still dark when we headed out and it had just started raining, heavy and steady. Our route was shit, and every contingency route seemed to be shit too. The trail vehicle got off the road into soft dirt and almost went over. All attempts to recover it just got it stuck deeper, soon the mud was up to the frame. Like usual when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong. Comms were down, weather got worse than expected, and we were soaked to the bone. Since we didn’t plan on being out that long, some guys were only wearing hoodies, some thin uninsulated rain jackets. I had my black Arcteryx Alpha jacket and was still warm and dry. My Alpha jacket was covered in mud and I thought for sure it would be snagged or torn from crawling under the truck to hook chains to. Crawling in and out of trucks to cross load gear must have snagged the pockets and sleeves dozens of times. To my amazement when we got back I washed off the jacket and it looked brand new. The jacket had kept me dry and warm and didn’t have a single tear or wear mark on it. All of my Arcteryx gear is the best I have and the first to be packed. The jacket is more than 4 years old, been all over the world, and still is worn on daily.
I used my Alpha, while rock climbing in the wet and cold back in October during the first freeze. Kept me dry and warm while it was pouring outside. Definitely my favorite Arc’teryx piece I own.
I fell down the side of a Mountain and I thought for sure these things are done. After I picked myself up making sure I wasn’t done, I looked them over and not one rip or tear. They are reall abrasion resistant. From that day on I have never had a doubt about Arc’teryx products durability!
So, not too much of a story. I work in norther areas of canada. Places where temperatures drop below -50 c regularly. Most of my work chums wear big bulky gear slowing them down and restricting movement but not I. I frequently poke fun at them as I frolic about in my toasty alpha/atom combo.
Pretty excited to see the longer cut, I know a new set will server me quite well. Especially my lower back which gets cold when I reach up 😉