GEAR TEST//ARC’TERYX CERIUM LT HOODY
RRP $530www.arcteryx.comTe s te d byJUSTIN WALKER
I
HAVE ONE item of Arc’teryx outdoor apparel in
my cupboard: a very well used Theta AR jacket I
bought 10 years ago. The Canadian company is
renowned for its high-end technical outdoor
clothing – and the high prices of its kit reflect that,
which is one of the reasons I still just own the
Theta AR.
When I bought the Theta AR, I thought the
then-asking price was crazy but, in the decade
since (and besides renewing the DWR treatment a
couple of times), that initial outlay has been paid
back in spades with an outer shell that has
performed perfectly whether I have been ice
climbing, mountaineering, hiking or camping. Its
quality (high stitch count, robust fabrics), breadth
of capability in its technical design, and bullet-
proof construction (I couldn’t count the number
of times I have scraped up against trees, rocks, ice,
etc.) leave me with little doubt there are many
years of reliable service still to come, more than
paying back my initial investment.
So when this Arc’teryx Cerium LT Hoody
arrived at theAG Outdooroffice I was intrigued to
seeifthebrand’sproductstilloff ered that level of
high performance. The Cerium LT Hoody is a
slimmish shape (to maximise warmth retention)
and is lightweight, hence the LT moniker (it
weighs 275g), but it’s packed with technical
innovation. The fill is a combination of synthetic
insulation (Coreloft) and 850-fill goose-down to
provide warmth. The reason for using the Coreloft
is simple: this synthetic insulation will still retain
warmth when wet and its positioned in areas of
the jacket – underarms, shoulders, cuff s – that are
more likely to get damp/wet in snowy or
inclement conditions. Yep, it is clever stuff. The
goosedown fill is used for the sleeves and the
jacket middle that covers your torso for optimum
warmth retention.
The jacket is extremely comfortable to wear
and, impressively, allows plenty of freedom of
movement thanks to what Arc’teryx dubs a
“three-part sleeve” – basically a sleeve featuring
plenty of articulation so it doesn’t ride up on yourtorso when you are reaching above your head, for
example. The outer shell features a DWR (Durable
Water Repellent) treatment over the ripstop nylon
outer fabric while retaining breathability. I found it
fi ne for light showers (it’s not meant to be a fully
waterproof outer shell) in terms of not getting
damp, and even under high exertion levels it
never felt too clammy/sweaty.
The hood is easy to adjust while the pockets
are (for this writer’s large hands) plenty deep
enough to keep your hands warm. All the jacket’s
zips are easy to operate and once you’ve zipped
up the front to the chin-guard and put the hood
on, it is very, very warm. So far the Cerium LT
Hoody has been used mainly for cold and windy
winter days but, at the time of writing, it is about to
be put to use in a slightly foreign environment
compared to its British Columbia, Canada origins.
An upcoming seven-day Northern Territory desert
camping expedition will provide the opportunity
to test its warmth retaining capabilities in early
morning sub-zero outback temperatures, and
there will be plenty of abrasive sand around to test
its durability. I am, however, pretty sure it will be up
to the task: the tight stitching and excellent fi nish
on this jacket gives me loads of confi dence, so look
forward to a long-term update on the Cerium LT
hoody in a future issue.WARMING QUALIT Y
TOUGH BUILD
COMPACT SIZEHOT
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