The Midlayer Jacket and Hoody are cross-functional pieces which find their DNA in Sitka’s Kelvin Active Jacket. However, due to material and construction, the Arrowhed Midlayer is even lighter and more breathable.
The key to this midlayer is its effectiveness as both a standalone piece and as part of a wet weather layering system. Exceptionally lightweight, highly breathable and compressible making it well suited for Special Reconnaissance tasks.
In fact, I’ve been wearing one for several months and love the comfort, both in how it feels against the skin but also how it feels as it warms up and under exertion.
The key to the success of the Midlayer Jacket and Hoody is the employment of Polartec Alpha Direct which is the newest variant of their Alpha insulation, originally invented for use in USSOCOM’s Protective Combat Uniform level 3 jacket.
Alpha has become extremely popular in outdoor clothing due to its high air permeability, allowing perspiration to escape. Alpha Direct is even more breathable as they’ve eliminated the next to body layer of the sandwich-style application of the insulation. Yet, Alpha Direct retains the loft to create air pockets which create a layer of insulating air. When you’re static it insulates, but when you move, heat and perspiration can be be pushed away from the body. This process is facilitated by the use of Brookwood AEROLITE H600 30d Nylon Ripstop face fabric which offers breathability and packability.
Because Alpha Direct has direct contact with the skin or other fabric layers, it increases breathability, while reducing weight, bulk, and dry-times.
In addition to those factors, you also get zippered handwarmer pockets and a single chest mounted zippered pocket.
The backer and exterior face readily accept dyes and can be color matched to maintain a consistent subdued tone throughout the garment. It not feels good, but looks good as well.
Offered in Coyote, Black and Lead, sizes Small – XXLarge, the jackets are made in El Salvador meaning they are TAA compliant.
US Elite has posted a blog entry about Polartec Alpha. They’ll will also be conducting a concurrent Facebook and Instagram Live event today at 1430 EDT where they’ll show you the line and conduct a giveaway.
Find an Arrowhead Dealer here.
The big first question for me is how does it compare to Arc’teryx’s Atom LT?
I can’t compare them. The air perm is so much greater with this jacket than an Atom, even an SL. This is a lot more like a Proton or Practitioner.
The Arrowhead jacket is much more for active situations.
SSD, with that greatly increased breathability, is there a loss in windproofness or light rain shedding as a result? This looks very much like a do anything mid-layer.
Air permeability = comfort under layers
If you’re looking to wear the Arrowhead as a stand-alone or, outer layer, when its windy or, cold, you’re bound to be disappointed; DWR manages droplets. This is an active, insulated mid-layer; if you’re of a two-legged nuclear reactor type, perhaps thin grid-fleece (or two) would be a better option instead.
Insulated garments are dependent on creating dead air spaces, voids, to trap air and allow your body heat to warm it up. Depending on how the company intends for their garment to be worn, the face fabric can be very air permeable (Patagona Nano), moderate (Arc Atom) or, limited (TNF Thermball)
Can confirm that most don’t do well as an outer layer, the patagonia 3b is the only exception I’m aware of. Whole point is that breathability, they work great under thinner softshells.
Yes, there can be, depending on the face fabric.
I do not have a Proton but have talked to Arc’teryx about it – about the same warmth as the Atom LT but more breathable.
Would you say the level of warmth is the same as the Atom LT?
The Atom is kind of a jack of all trades – light, warm, weather resistant. This Sitka jacket sounds like it might be better if under a shell if there are high winds/rain. Would this be accurate?
Different species of insulation; the Atx Atom lite is a monofilament like Primaloft thats much less air permeable and actually repels water, but also retains about 80% insulation value when soaked. Alpha is like a very loose knit fleece, almost totally permeable both ways and retains barely any insulation when wet but dries fairly quick, relying on any shell fabric for wind proofing.
For the weight the insulation like the Aton is warmer, often too warm if very active/not too cold.
Alpha (under another name) was developed for SOCOM as a quick dry light insulation for under shell layers.
I’ve worn it for years now, inc a near exact version of the one here (good for very high output activity in cold and wind). There’s a completely naked version too with no facing just straight Alpha which I like a lot more for a midlayer. Be good to see a Sitka version of that too.
This is all about layering, just like Sitka’s hunting line. If I’m active in my ATOM LT i sweat and I get very uncomfortable and I have to take it off.
The Sitka is SO breathable and much more comfortable for serious activities and better for layering as I said. My Arc’teryx, for me, is now just a general jacket, a really nice one, but just a jacket. In fact, I think my son stole it and that doesn’t bother me.
Congratulations on your pending grandchildren