Arc'teryx Gamma MX Softshell Jacket - Men's for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

I ordered one if these in a medium, in the brown color. The fit was perfect, very trim and fitted. I realized the brown color made it look like a car hart jacket, so I returned it for a different color. The new color was great but the medium in the new color was so small it would barely zip up. So I returned it. A couple months later I decided to give it a final try, ordering a large. It was huge, I was swimming in it. I was crushed, because other than the fit I loved this soft shell.

I own a lot of jackets, and have owned many more since I work in the industry. This is a consistent favorite for a dry-weather, ski jacket. When you don't need a hood it rebuffs moisture and wind really well. Nice material with solid abrasion resistance for tree skiing. The fit for me is true to size and I wear a Medium in this jacket but also the Atom LT, Proton LT, Cerium LT, Cerium SL, and Gamma MX Hoody, but I wear a Small in the Beta AR, Alpha SV, and so on. I'm 5'9-10'' and between 165-170 lbs with long arms, square shoulders, slim but with an avg to short torso length. I find that the Cerium SL pairs perfectly under this but if I go much heavier/higher loft then it's not as easy to put on.

Right out of the bag, this Jacket is amazing. Great look, and very comfortable. Technical and fashionable!

Bought this for a friend, this is his take: Really like this softshell - versatile, comfortable, functional on the trail and looks sharp around town. Good water repellency and wind blockage. Sleek fit with a surprising amount of pocket space hiding within. My only beef is the length; wish the cut was just a biiit longer. Unless I'm wearing a baselayer under this, my shirt almost always falls below the hem. Minor gripe, but it keeps me from wearing this in absolutely every situation. But I still wear it in most. Fits true to Arcteryx sizing - snug but true. I'm 5'10", 175 and have the medium.

It is comfortable, warm and good looking. Its breathability and soft fleece inside makes it a very comfortable layer for multiple uses. I plan on having this jacket for years to come. I especially love the arm pocket and the waist ties. Plan on using it as a layer for skiing and backcountry play and it is fantastic for tooling around town!

I pretty consistently wear a large. Got this jacket after reading reviews and while the waist, shoulders and arm length fit perfectly, the torso was laughably short. Raising my arms above my head pulled it above my belly button. I don’t know who this was designed for? Quality looks fine.

Love this jacket. Lightweight but reasonably warm. Very comfortable. Fairly dressy but very functional. Almost waterproof and windproof. I had the prior version for years and liked it so well I just bought this new one.

The Gamma MC is a great lightweight jacket. I have need wearing it almost daily in a variety of climates. It blocks the wind really well, repels light rain and has been comfortable in temperatures from 40 to 60f. A little pricey, but worth it so far!

I'll review both the Gamma MX and the Epsilon LT, which I considered and ordered, and why I kept the Gamma. I was looking for basically a more fleece-like jacket, with the added benefit of some wind resistance and a smooth face fabric to resist stains and pilling. Use for bike commuting in dry, cold weather, and as a casual piece during the fall/winter. I initially considered the Gamma MX, Epsilon LT, and the Gamma LT, all of which seem somewhat similar. I eliminated the Gamma LT as it seemed closer to a shell from what I could tell, and lacked a nice inner fleece fabric, which is a must, as I plan to wear it over just a t-shirt and want a nice fabric on my skin. Aesthetically, I didn't like the Arc'teryx logo on the back of the Gamma LT neck either. So I ordered the Epsilon LT and the Gamma MX. My impressions: Fit: Fit is about the same, the Epsilon seems just a tad longer and slimmer, while the Gamma MX is a bit boxier it feels. Perhaps this is because the fabric on the Epsilon is quite a bit stiffer. Overall, size M for me, 5' 10, 160lbs, was just about perfect, and consistent with Arcteryx sizing. Fabric: Both are so good, but different. The Epsilon is classified in some places as a "hard-fleece" which I figured would be more fleece-like than a softshell, assuming the continuum from fleece to shell goes from soft to hard, comfortable to stiff. Not so. The Epsilon is quite a bit more rigid, and doesn't fold and flex like the Gamma MX. It's not bad, it's just not what I wanted. If you're looking for a more handsome jacket to maybe wear business casual, the Epsilon definitely looks better because of that rigidity, and it feels tough as nails, it's really a cool fabric. On the other hand, the Gamma MX is very soft, supple, and lightweight, and I like the way it moves with me much more. It's a lot more comfortable, but feels a little less robust. Features: Both are great. I'm not a fan of the contrasting color of the bicep pocket on either jacket. Zippers are nice, pockets are large on both. The chest pockets on the Gamma look nice and are roomy, but I don't plan on using them for much. There's a really nice storm-flap on the Gamma, coated in some sort of rubberized plastic, and it's nice. The zipper is nicer on the Gamma. And the SLEEVE CUFFS. This, in the end, was the make or break feature for me. The Epsilon LT cuffs are really annoying. They're too big, so you get the sleeves coming down over your hands all the time. Maybe that's nice if you're wearing a base layer or a shirt with cuffs on it, but the Gamma MX cuffs are perfect size, and keep the sleeves from coming too far down. While wearing the Epsilon, I found myself constantly annoyed with the cuffs in my way. The Gamma cuffs are perfect, I never think about them at all. I can't comment too much on performance comparisons, because I didn't test the Epsilon before returning. However, the Gamma is great as far as breathability and windproofness. It feels lighter than you'd expect, but in 45 degrees, riding 30mph on a bike, it blocked 90+ % of the wind coming through, and didn't get all clammy. That's much better than any other softshell I've ever used, including Polartec PowerShield and a Marmot ROM. It's expensive, but it works well. In the end, both jackets are fantastic, and I would expect the Epsilon to perform similarly to the Gamma MX as far as breathability and windproofness. But the cuffs on the Gamma MX are what sealed the deal for me, as petty as that sounds. Maybe that should give some insight as to how similar these jackets feel in form and function.

I recently traveled to the Canadian Rockies and forgot my technical shell. I didn't want to buy another; the forecast for the Columbia Icefields called for steady rain. So, I bought this jacket because my softshell was old. My only experience with soft shells was with Mountain Hardwear, with fully taped seams, windproof and almost fully waterproof. I expected this jacket to be a true technical softshell based on brand and price. Boy! Was I stupid! This is an overpriced fleece jacket at best. Perfect for early fall walking down the suburban streets of some ultra rich town to show off. I have had warmer, windproof and more water resistant jackets for half the price. Learn from my mistake. Do your research and compare features. Arcterex should be ashamed of the engineering and construction of this jacket at a $300 price tag.

That is all. My legal counsel has already been informed.

Fell in love with the unique design of the jacket. The two chest pockets and logo really set it apart from the crowd. I got the Blackbird in a large. Its sporty and handsome. I'm 5/10 160 athletic build and the fit for me is near perfect. I use it for hiking , walking and for going around town. These things aren't cheap, but hey Arc'teryx is Arc'teryx.

Very good quality and well made. Only problem is it's a very slim fit. I am usually medium size in all other brand ( TNF, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia ... ) but Arcteryx is so tight that can't wear anything under it. And sleeves are little too long so I can't wear large. If you are slim and long type than go for it.

This jacket is incredibly comfortable and holds up well against the wind and rain. This is my 'go-to' jacket in my closet. I'm 6"5 220lbs and went with a Large. Great fit. Plenty of sleeve length and fits well through the body.

This jacket is phenomenal. I bought it little over a year ago when on sale. Since then I've used it for just about any activity from skiing to climbing. One thing I love is how durable it is. I was in a cave a little over a foot white and was sliding through it wearing this jacket. I thought it would surely show signs of the scraping in the cave but nope, it withstood all the abrasion with no problem. Another thing I love is just how versatile it is, it can be worn as a stand alone piece in moderately cool weather, it can be a layering piece, and it also has enough room for more layers underneath. When spring skiing i wear this and another layer underneath and am completely warm. It is advertised as water resistant which it is, but it really takes alot for it to give, and it is also fully windproof. Pros: Versatile, Comfortable, Great weatherproofing, light/packable, stylish, decently warm. Cons: Requires more layering for colder weather, price Overall this jacket is great, it is a great piece for just about anyone wanting a daily use jacket that can still hand up to just about anything thrown at it. Must buy!

I bought this to replace my 2nd Gamma MX since I got a screaming deal. I am sold on the concept of this jacket and use it as a light shoulder season jacket on it's own and a layering or high exertion piece in the winter. I rarely use sweaters, fleeces anymore since buying the MX. Between a short sleeve or long sleeve base layer, the MX, and a shell in various combinations I'm set for 85%+ of the conditions in CO. I swap out the MX for an insulating layer only when it really gets really cold. That said - I don't like the new Fortius material nearly as much as the old. The face isn't as slippery (read harder to use for layering) and it feels warmer, but not in a good way. Where it used to be a perfect for 35-60F depending on level of activity, it now feels too warm at the higher half even as a casual piece. I also don't like that they relaxed the fit of the XL. Now too roomy in the arms and gut even for a big guy. It is much less athletic. I'm a big fan of Arc for not assuming that all XL guys are fat arses like NF does, but they headed in that direction in this version of the Gamma MX. Long and short is that I sent this back and will ride out my current MX until it is really threadbare.

This jacket is one of my favorite things. Functions well in the wild, looks sharp around town. It has a huge temperature tolerance and I wear it from the low sixties into the mid-thirties. All four pockets also serve as vents for the jacket and are lined with mesh. Wind resistance is pretty good, but the jacket breathes so incredibly well it's amazing. Has been holding up well to near constant use in the three colder seasons.

Okay, I've got to be honest, I wasn't crazy at first about this jacket because I bought it during the winter looking for a casual jacket that could be used hiking/backpacking. It has a light fleece backing and let's in some wind so as a casual winter jacket you still need to layer with other stuff. This all changed once I started exercising in it. I started running and then did a number of day hikes and have to say I was very impressed. The jacket really shines when you are doing heavy physical exersion. Before I'd have to constantly take off and put on layers to regulate body temperature, however the Gamma MX practically eliminates this need in colder weather. If you stop moving for awhile you'll eventually need to put on a puffy. Other things worth mentioning is that it has great storage. Pockets are very smooth and will hold keys, lip balm, phone, etc very well. There's no interior pocket but that's a minor detail. As a casual jacket it's much better suited for temps above 50 degrees, but looks great no matter what the temps. Great product!

Used couple times for hiking with phase base layer in low 30s no wind no rain conditions breathability is amazing sucks the moisture out of base layer and throws it out. Careful with chest pocket i had a phone there and it literally had drops of moisture on it coming from inside. work amazing in no wind no rain condition but doesnt stop wind so its perfect for low 30s maybe even 20s when you on the move

Some modern-day Rambos n bimbos will find this piece useful for capturing wild mountain cats with a thorn in their paw with their teeth and then running them to the nearest vet across the Nevada Desert when they celebrate with a cup of water and a carrot. For some of us, its super stretchy material allows full access to a beer and a Marlborough Light. A versatile, comfortable jacket that can be worn spring skiing or just around town.