Here’s a sneak peek at the 2017 Arc’teryx LEAF line which will be fully unveiled during SHOT Show 2017, January 17-20 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Overall, you’re going to see expanded offering of Ranger Green, redesigned Load Carriage and new Garments. What you’ll see here is just an overview. We’ll be offering additional details soon.
Combat Uniform
LEAF is hard to round out their Combat Uniform offerings which started with the AR and FR series, followed by the Assault Coverall AR and FR. Now, they’re introducing the Assault Shirt and Pant as well as Recce Shirt LT for Hot Weather use. Lightweight, breathable, and fast drying, the Combat Uniform LT is made from Katana fabric by WL Gore & Assoc along with Tweave 520E and Cyberknit mesh. It’s not a jungle or arid uniform, but rather intended for wear in either environment.
You’ll note several new features including a zipper on the front of the Recce Shirt LT to get it closed up when you need to keep the bugs out. This can be removed by the wearer, if not needed. They’ve also considered both drainage and ventilation in the design.
Baselayer
The new Baselayer items are made from a Corespun Merino Wool which makes them stronger. The material was brought over from the outdoor line but the designs are LEAF, with a more generous cut than the outdoor line, and LEAF colors of Black and Crocodile. I wore a set during a recent visit to Vancouver and they were comfy during the recent cold snap.
Hardshell
What most people don’t know is that prior to this year, the Alpha and Alpha LT used different Gore-Tex fabrics depending on whether they were solid colors or MultiCam print. This year, that’s been rectified with the Alpha utilizing the WL Gore & Assoc, BD450 3L 40D Nylon Ripstop and the Alpha LT is made from L&F 3L 30D Nylon Plain Weave fabric from Gore. Previously, those fabrics were only used in the MultiCam versions of the clothing. Now, it’s all the same. These are literally the highest end Gore-Tex fabrics used by Arc’teryx. Look for Ranger Green this year as well as the other flagship colors.
The Alpha line consists of Jacket, Pant and Bib while the Alpha LT is just the Jacket and Bib.
Load Carriage
The big story here is a reboot of the Khard. Over the past few years, LEAF has named products based on what they do and the Assault Pack is a classic example. The Assault Pack is more refinement of the Khard than a completely new model and is still offered in 30 and 45 liter models. Many of the changes are in the lid with the zippered poxket on the inside removed and the outer zippered pocket given a flap and made slightly smaller so that the contents won’t fall down and pool at the bottom of the pocket.
The Assault Pack’s backpanel was also redesigned to make it more compatible with PPE. Having worn the new Assault Pack 45 for the past month, it still offers a comfortable carry while not wearing armor. In fact, the removable waist strap for both sizes was a welcome addition along with the thicker shoulder pads for both 30 and 45 liter models. Additionally, it’s now available in Black as well as Coyote and Wolf. The Khard 60 remins as-is in the line as a specialist item, although no Black color offering.
Finally, Arc’teryx LEAF is officially launching the DryPack 25 which we previewed last Summer. This is going to be very popular due to its size and price. Available in MultiCam it’s made from a 725D laminate with full seam taping and a T-handle waterproof zipper. They’ve also incorporated an inflation tube for swimming and diving operations.
Xfunctional Equipment
The popular Xfunctional Pant AR is now offered in Harrier which is a Grey color which joins Greenstone and Terra. Remember, these don’t sport the standard LEAF color palette because they are intended for more low profile wear rather part of a uniform system.
On a side note, although part of the outdoor line, the BAC will also be available starting this month in additional colors.
Availability
Look for an updated LEAF website from Arc’teryx on 11 January as well as LEAF dealers for orders of these new products. Everything will be available for sale this first quarter of the year with the exception of the Combat Uniform LT and the DryPack 25 which will be offered in the second quarter.
Tags: Arc'teryx LEAF
Are the Xfunctional Pant AR still about a size down? The green and terra last year were way larger than Arc’Teryx’s standard sizing.
As far as I know, yes
Great. I just bought a Gen II Alpha. Knew I should have waited for SHOT :-/
Definitely a bummer; I picked up an Alpha LT myself.
On the LT this means a more you get a more durable jacket with a similarly breathable membrane, though still less breathable than the “Pro” material. On the Alpha this means a just as durable jacket with a more breathable membrane.
Did you get it on sale?
Well, yeah. I’d just rather not rip a $400 jacket because the material isn’t mil-tough.
What mere mortal could resist that TD sale? That’s about the lowest price I have seen.
High fives:) Thank you for choosing us.
What’s not to like. Great price. Good comms and it came so fast I asked my guys-“what’s that?”
Yes. At TD’s glorious Arcteryx sale. So I can’t really complain.
Exposed buttons on a jungle shirt?
Good question.
Exposed buttons seems like a really bad idea ….
Indeed!
I’m very curious about the fabric too – looking forward to giving it a fondle in Vegas….
+1
Agreed. Exposed buttons are a bad idea.
I’m not a fan but user evals toward covered buttons were negative as the flap took longer to dry.
Wait-a-minute vines or wet flaps?
I agree with your assessment. I’m down with wet flaps. Once you get it on, the uniforms getting wet, from sweat.
If you’re in the jungle you’re going to be wet.
We already went through all of this back in the 1960’s. Remember those old first pattern jungle fatigues? Exposed buttons. Didn’t take too long to work out that gear and vines snagging on exposed buttons was worse than having flaps that stayed wet a little bit longer…
Looks great, good to see gore’s new miracle fabric in the lineup.
One thing that always weirds me out about arc leaf is how they pingpong between two solutions. Talos top: zip neck and velcro cuffs. Then comes the assault top and you get a button neck and button cuffs. Then comes this top and it’s back to zip neck and velcro cuffs.
Same with sleeve pockets: they go back and forth between exposed zip and hidden zip on the same kind of garment. They undoubtedly have good reasons but from the outside looking in it’s weird as hell
Feedback from end users.
Possibly. End users are great at wanting one thing now and another thing tomorrow.
It’s especially weird in this specific case: you’d think button cuffs and hidden zips would be better on a jungle-oriented uniform.
Indeed. +1
The pictured shirt with the zip neck. Is that the Assault Shirt LT? And the pants is the are Assault pants? Or Recce?
Nevermind, I found my answer.
Too bad they only come in multicam.
Ok, the Assault Shirt looks like a combat shirt. Assault Pants are common and the Recce Shirt is like an ACU coat.
I am wearing the outdoor Arcteryx Merino wool base layer right now. This stuff is outstanding! Worth every penny. I will be buying 2 more sets of these! One set is going right into my E and E kit!!
Well done Arcteryx!
Do they call you insane soldier because you spend that kind of money? xD
Buy once, cry once. It helps a little that everything Arc does is better by a mile than its closest market equivalent.
Interesting choice on the main pant cargo pockets. They now closely resemble pockets found on Vertx tactical pants (which Arc’teryx designed for Fechheimer/Vertx, anyway) or even older generation Arc’teryx combats.
And as many above pointed out, decision to go with exposed buttons on combat attire is perplexing especially in recent years with different world’s militaries slowly phasing them out and ‘covering’ with a flap.
Doubt that would be due to feedback from end users, though as someone mentioned above.
Hi SSD,
How does the fabric on Assault Shirt LT compares to the older Arcteryx shirt(Chimera)?
I’m loving my Chimera shirts but it’s getting old. Could the new LT line be a good replacement to that?
How does the fabric on Assault Shirt LT compares to the older Arcteryx shirt(Chimera)?
I’m loving my Chimera shirts but it’s getting old. Could the new LT line be a good replacement to that
It’s entirely different. It’s a great garment but the materials used on the sleeves of the Assault Shirt LT are heavier than the Chimera. I think you’ll actually get more breathability with the LT.
So nearly bought the OR shirt in the ‘katana’ a couple of months ago, went with the LEAF Recce AR in MC instead because of the weird loop fields (and some other slightly odd design bits) on the OR.
Think Tyr and OR have only done shirts so this is the first combat shirt? Time to start saving and see if these fabrics live up to the hype/price.
I’m kinda bummed by what I’m seeing. Those buttons look unfriendly for airborne activities.
So, in the Multicam Alpha line there is no change in fabric for the new 2017 line correct?
Correct