Arc'teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket - Men's for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

Writing this for my husband, who I bought this for. He needed a replacement for his 9 year old Beta AR that the zipper finally died on - used and abused on so many Sierra adventures. He wanted something lighter and still very versatile. This jacket is it. Super light, great at wind and water protection. I know he’s looking forward to many more adventures with this jacket! The cobalt sun color is great too - wish the ladies version came in the color!

Big fan of this jacket for backcountry touring in rougher weather. Completely keeps out the wind and snow. Stoked on the pit zips so I don't get too toasty touring in a storm.

This jacket is so poorly executed that I cannot possibly recommend anyone spend any money on it, in any proportion. The reason being, the material and manufacturing do not produce a functional jacket. In order to reduce weight, Arc'teryx has begun designing their products with as much glue as possible. This means zippers, pull tabs, etc are not effectively attached to the jacket. It cannot stand up to any amount of use. My waist drawcord pulltab just came straight off the jacket within 24 hours of owning it. No abuse, no long hard mountain climbs, just a ~1mile slow, flat dog walk in the mid 40's. Given that this jacket is meant to be packable, i shudder to think of the results from serious compression on the zippers and pockets. The other main issue with this shell is that it is loud. Comparable in noise to crinkling a paper bag. Walking at night, with poor vision, one tends to rely on their ears. Not with this material you wont. The only thing you will be able to hear is the nonstop crinkling of this paper thin shell. On top of the paclite being loud, it's not breathable. At least this jacket has pit zips, because you would not be able to use it without them. As far as the design goes, its good. Storm hood seems great and very protective, arms are well articulated and the cut gives you plenty of room to move while not billowing about. Cuff design is perfect, stays put without any issue. Zippers do seem to be airtight. Its just that everything about the material ruins the use cases that it was well designed for. Using the pockets instills fear that the zippers will delaminate under load. Stuffing it in a pack worries me with the very weak fabric. Wearing it casually is a pain with the aircraft engine-like noise levels. So overall, it is not a valid shell for any use case, and should not be purchased.

Phenomenal jacket - super versatile, worth every penny! Fit true to size for me, and was awesome when taking it out on hikes or around town on rainy days. Nice little Arc'teryx video to give you more info - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWkwAI9oXzQ

I love this jacket! I am a huge fan of the fit. I am super picky about sizing, but this one was perfect. The medium gave me enough room to fit a layer under the jacket, but not feel too baggy. This jacket also packs down to where you need it to be. I have had some that don't pack down how I would like, but this one does the job. If you are looking for a new rain jacket, this is the one.

This jacket is so well designed. Using distinct fabrics to save on weight and add strength where needed is fantastic. The overall quality and design is up to the high levels i have come to expect from Arc'teryx. This is one of the best lightweight and durable backpacking shells available.

I love this jacket. My wife says it makes my eyes pop, so Blue eyes and the blue jacket combo is great! It is very waterproof and helmet compatible. I have two big uses for this jacket. 1. Rainy Weather- there is always the case of rain in the spring. I've used it several times when the weather changes from the blue sky days to a torrential downpour. Because it is easily packable, I just throw it into my computer bag in the morning and just put it on when needed. 2. Spring Ski Touring- This jacket is very good for just about anything if you arrange your kit right. I use this in the light weather days in the spring but when there is a wet day rolling through. It's quite breathable and does have pit zips so if you are too hot, you can just open those up and vent.

Used product barely 2 weeks. Interior started breaking down. Customer service just wanted more money to address faulty product!

Love this jacket. Use it for rainy or snowy days out on the trail or on the mountain. I typically use it for hiking, camping, and commuting, but have used it snowboarding a couple times, and it worked great! A little shorter than most ski jacket shells, but it got the job done. There is Gore Tex Pro in the shoulders and hood, that potentially would get the most wet, and then Gore Tex PactLite throughout the rest. It is extremely packable and I'd suggest it to anyone!

Helped my uncle wade through the many options of ski jackets. Here was his feedback on this one. As a Montanan, when I look for outdoor clothing, it must meet high standards of both function and fit. Several years ago, I tried on an Arc'teryx Alpha jacket. Because the shoulders were a narrow fit and the sleeves were too short, I put it back on the rack and walked away. At 6'4", 195 pounds and a 36" sleeve length, finding a jacket to fit is a struggle. However, with the wonderful advice of seasoned Backcountry staff, I recently purchased the Beta SL Hybrid jacket, and to my surprise, its fit is perfect. A size large is a tailored fit in the chest, with room for layers underneath. The sleeves fit closely under the armpits and are long enough for reaching without exposing any arm. I wore the jacket while skiing in new snow with 40 mph winds, and although the jacket is light, it handled all of the weather thrown at it. I would recommend the Beta SL Hyrid to anyone who needs protection from the elements.

Repels water ridiculously well. Provides additional coverage so if you are long and/or this is primarily for rainy weather then this might be the piece you are looking for. Breathes very well too. Super light-weight material throughout most of the jacket so definitely not a winter resort piece but otherwise I’d say a fairly versatile (3/4 season). Some room for layering for colder days but I’m thinking this piece is best coupled with a base or slight mid layer only. One thing to note, and this is not s knock on the jacket rather BackCountry.com, is that this jacket is NOT made with Gore Tex Pro. Was extremely disappointed as this feature was mentioned in the description or specs multiple times.

First, I'd like to start by saying that I just received this and don't have long term use to review on. I will however, provide fit and feature feedback and compare it to some other jackets I have owned based on initial impressions. Fit: I am 6'3" 185 lbs and always have a hard time finding something long and slim for fitment. This jacket delivers fitment in spades, though I would prefer slightly more length in front, but this cut will be a better fit when driving or otherwise sitting. I ordered a size Large and, for my use, is a perfect fit. There is a little room in the body, enough to fit a 650 fill down jacket, but not much more than that. Without the down jacket layered, the fit is just roomy enough that if I was never interested in layering with it I might want to try the Medium, but overall would likely end up with the large anyway. Features: This is about as minimalist of a shell as it gets. You get the two outside chest pockets, and that's it. You get two hood adjustments, one at the back of the head, which will cinch down tight enough to fit like a hat and track your head's every move, and an eyeport adjustment at each cheek. You also get hip drawcords to to cinch that as well. Impressions: This jacket is extremely lightweight. Much lighter than the LL Bean North Col Gore-Tex Pro jacket, and even lighter than the cheap Columbia rain jacket I bought that absorbs water even within the first couple of times wearing it. I wore both back to back outside in the rain. The Columbia jacket was absorbing water within minutes and would fail to shed water from shaking and, once inside, the jacket continued to absorb the water sitting on it. The Arcteryx shed water nonstop, and a light shake sent water flying and the jacket completely free of water/dry/not-absorbed in minutes. It is definitely more breathable and noticeably lighter than the Columbia and LL Bean, as it felt weightless, and less insulating in the cold. I have yet to try in warm weather, but I was most comfortable in the Arcteryx while trying on in the house while I started to get clammy in the others. Cons: The jacket has no internal pockets. It would be nice to have an internal chest pocket at the least. Though I understand more pockets takes away from the minimalist nature of the jacket and would add weight. Crinkly material used for hood brim drawcord path. This is a minor issue, but something I noticed. Photo: photo shows sleeve length with arm raised. For a tall guy like myself, this jacket has you covered... literally. Arms at side, the jacket comes down over my knuckles.

The Beta SL Hybrid is hands down the best rain jacket I have ever owned! I've used this on several backpacking trips (including a late summer trip to Denali) and I don't have a single complaint! Long and slim fit to give you a little extra coverage, durable and great waterproofing, and I love the pocket location so you can still access them while wearing a pack with a hip belt. Truly an awesome rain shell for backpacking, plus it looks great when you wear it into the office on a rainy day!

I ordered a few cheaper rain jackets from various brands and decided in the end to just go with the brand I trust most for outerwear. the fit is always spot-on, and the look is understated and smart. the materials and the construction really are the best in the industry. I know the steeper price will be justified by the many years of use I'll get from it. I'll probably use it for skiing as well as on stormy days.

I have had a few Arc’teryx jackets before and this one is the same quality I have come to expect. The material is thicker than on the Alpha line which is what I was looking for. The jacket is lightweight and packs down very small. Overall I am very satisfied.

Bought this for my Dad and this is what he had to say: Awesome jacket! The large fits slightly slimmer and smaller than traditional larges, but still fits. I also noticed that the black color is slightly darker than what is pictured online. The construction and quality is really great and haven't noticed any issues so far and I am excited to use it on my next hike!

My husband bought this jacket, he says: Bought this specifically for backcountry ski Touring. Wanted something waterproof and packed small. I’m 5’10” 155lbs and medium fits great, can fit warmer layers underneath. It sheds water great, packs up great, fits and looks great. First Arcyterex Jacket I’ve ever owned and it lives up to the hype. Big cuffs go over gloves and arms are long so don’t pull off. Two chest pockets are out of the way from waist strap and shoulder straps for easy access. Big hood fits over baseball cap/beanie/ helmet with ease.

I gave this jacket to my boyfriend for his birthday, this is what he had to say about it. "The Arc'teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket is a phenomenal piece of equipment. The seams are excellently designed. The material is thick, while still maintaining flexibility. The pockets provide the perfect amount of space for everything you may need to carry on your outermost layer. While the hood may be abit large, it's easy to adjust, and that extra space makes it excellent for any additional head-gear you may want to wrap. The jacket overall is an excellent, unencumbering weight and the material has enough flex to never be obtrusive. These qualities make it great for everyday wear. However, if you plan on stomping through some colder terrain, you may want to size up, as extra layers beneath can quickly inhibit arm and shoulder mobility. Overall, this jacket can meet all of your external shell needs, and dollar for dollar, it is the best value in it's class, as well as in several classes beyond."