Hardshell Jackets
Product 2019
Man

Arc’Teryx Sabre AR

It is always exciting discovering an Arc’Teryx product. Above and beyond the often stratospheric prices of the Amer group (Atomic, Salomon, Suunto …) brand, you can only bow to the quality of ultra-impeccable manufacturing.

 

When you take a closer look, it’s frankly stunning. The seams, collages, assemblies and materials: everything is superior quality, it is mastered with a watchmaker’s precision. At 550 euros per jacket, we of course expect this level of finish. However, even if you are a fan of the Vancouver brand, you must not give in to a certain fetishism: you must go out and check this Arc’Terx Saber AR’s performance.

 

Designed for freeriding and freerando, off-piste skiing, the Saber AR is based on a Gore-Tex® membrane. It has a loose fit, so you can wear a fairly thick insulation jacket underneath without hampering movement. The fabric is also very slightly stretchy. Please note the Arc’Terx Saber AR is a protective jacket, not an insulated jacket. So you play with different warm layers of clothing to stay warm . On the other hand, it completes its protective tasks against humidity, wet snow and rain. We will come back to these qualities in a long-term test because the jacket has remained water-repellent. Over time, it would be necessary to check that the fabric and membrane hold up. To date there are no leaks at all in terms of the waterproofing: the jacket is mega reassuring in bad weather.

 

Breathability is always difficult to assess. You could say that the Arc’Terx Saber AR is not an oven, but that when you are walking briskly or going uphill, you warm up quickly. It’s also of course related to what you are wearing underneath. For info, for the test we had a Norrona Primaloft® jacket on. The underarm vents are therefore welcome. The zips are easy to handle with gloves and slide without getting caught. Each zip slider is equipped with a small strap that can be grabbed with gloves on.

 

A part from the waterproofing aspects, the other Arc’Terx Saber AR’s big advantage is its toughness. We carried skis, we rubbed it against backpacks, against fairly aggressive surfaces, we had no fear. The fabric absorbs shocks and tears (how much?). The shoulder area, although not especially protected, resisted ski edges’ friction. Again, we will have to see at the end of the season how the jacket behaved.

 

The two large chest pockets are located above a possible harness and therefore remain accessible. Be careful, you must to close the zip each time or you would lose anything inside. Your phone, for example, is better in your pants’ pocket.

There’s also an interior zipped stretchy pocket and a ski pass pocket on the left arm. No zips open unexpectedly and they are all (very) waterproof. A stretch mesh storage space is provided for your goggles, we didn’t use it (we left our goggles on the helmet).

 

The snow skirt is well-designed. Tough, it can also be attached to the Saber AR pants with sliding buttons (Tra-In®). We would have liked a fixing system to fix the ends of the snow skirt so that they are not visible when we don’t use it: snap button or Velcro®.

 

The hood is integrated to the collar and can cover a ski helmet and provides great protection from wind, snow and rain. You can turn your head easily in all directions and the goggles aren’t disturbed. In this configuration the height of the collar is perfect. Total protection up to chin level and everything remains comfortable.

When the hood isn’t used (3 adjustment points), the collar remains upright, except when wearing a helmet and a thick insulation jacket under the Arc’Terx Saber AR. It then lacks a little volume at the neck and you could be forced to open the jacket (contact with the zip is less pleasant!). It is therefore necessary to choose your insulation layers, probably a hoodless model as it adds volume behind the head when you wear a helmet.

 

The sleeves have a well-designed volume for adding underlayers and the Velcro® at the cuffs is powerful and easy to use. The sleeves go over gloves without problem.

The Arc’Terx Saber AR is a very good product that combines these qualities: waterproofness, durability, loose fit, and premium finishes. It is a jacket designed for difficult or extreme conditions. Dealing with bad weather with it almost becomes a pleasure.

We also tested the Arc’Teryx Sabre AR pants

"The Arc’Terx Saber AR is a very good product that combines these qualities: waterproofness, durability, loose fit, and premium finishes. It is a jacket designed for difficult or extreme conditions. Dealing with bad weather with it almost becomes a pleasure."

Rating

  • 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  • ZIP QUALITY
    9
  • WATERPROOFNESS
    9
  • BREATHABILITY
    7
  • HOOD QUALITY
    8
  • ACCESSORIES
    9
  • DESIGN
    8
  • DURABILITY
    9

Price : 550

Weight

700

Overall Rating

8.43

LONG TERM TEST

We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:

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