Ridiculously Overpriced Climbing Clothes...............

Most of my friends and I have at least one super pricey Arc'Teryx shell. We got them when we worked at a gear shop and used our one annual half off wholesale coupon. At which point my Apha SV seemed like a fair price

Everyone complains about the cost of Arc'teryx and no one talks about why it is.

The zipper on the Beta SV and Alpha SV alone is a 50 dollar material cost.

When they came out with the "new" Goretex Pro shell 2 years ago Arc'teryx had the exclusive rights to the material for a year and the YKK zipper they used was also an exclusive. That is expensive!

They also use a process to cut the fabrics for that jacket which essentially heats up a giant cookie cutter made of metal to cut the individual parts of the pattern ensuring a clean precise cut and sealing lose threads. Like using a hot knife for cutting climbing rope but matching the shape of the specific pattern.

If that wasn't enough they also 3D body map the fit model and use movement tracking to design the fit of jackets like the Alpha SV and Beta SV.

Fun fact about the Canada vs China manufacturing as well:
Arc'teryx has had less warranties coming out of China then they have in Canada. They only moved manufacturing to meet supply demands, and China has textile manufacturing plants that are far older and more experienced than North America.

I worked in the Outdoor Industry and I have been to the Arc'teryx Design Headquarters in North Vancouver.

I don't work for them and I don't only own Arc'teryx gear but learning why something costs what it does is important in deciding why you should or shouldn't buy it.

DRusso wrote:...learning why something costs what it does is important in deciding why you should or shouldn't buy it.

True. Also learning whether or not you actually need it. I worked in the bicycle industry, both retail and wholesale, and so many people are driven by the "next gen" effect that they don't stop to think if it will improve their experience at all, or if they are just chasing innovation. More power to them I guess... paychecks are dependent on them. I certainly can't afford it.

I have had a cheap shell for almost 15 years now. I think it cost me 120$ when I got it.

i will never purchase arc at full prices, but they do make great gear.

i think it makes no sense to purchase it if you just go day cragging. you dont need high performing clothes. if you get wet you just go back to the car. if its a little heavier, youre just a walk from the car. if you tear it, who cares you arent depending on it for keeping you warm/dry tonight and tomorrow any beyond, youre going home.

if youre going out on expeditions and into the alpine, high quality gear makes much more sense. youre far from a warm bed and far from a store that will allow you to replace. you need your gear to last or it can mean the end of the trip or worse.

but, i still feel anyone paying $800 for a jacket is a sucker, i mean did you even search for coupon codes?!

Brian Abram wrote: I really love the Gamma Rock pant. What didn't you like about the Psiphon AR? I almost pulled the trigger on a pair I found cheap a few weeks ago.

I was talking the discount factory store, I think Arcteryx makes some of the best clothing.

^^

I rarely pay full retail for anything climbing/hiking/backpacking/camping related. The interwebs provide a wealth of resources for finding deals. I own a pair of Arc'teryx shorts and the Atom Lt jacket. Both are awesome but no way would I pay $85 and $259 respectively.

A. Michael wrote: True. Also learning whether or not you actually need it. I worked in the bicycle industry, both retail and wholesale, and so many people are driven by the "next gen" effect that they don't stop to think if it will improve their experience at all, or if they are just chasing innovation. More power to them I guess... paychecks are dependent on them. I certainly can't afford it.

I'm still riding a 26er.

Bill Kirby wrote: I'm still riding a 26er.

You've got me beat I'm riding a 29er

Joe Z. wrote: You've got me beat I'm riding a 29er

Not really.. I own a 29er too. Not to mention I'm saving my pennies for a new 6". The new Rocky Mountain Slayer SS has 27+ Hoops with the new 148 boost rear.

Speaking of mountain bikes, there's ridiculously overpriced!

caughtinside wrote: It's the same as with the sprinter van thing.

If you don't live in it or take extended trips

If you want lightweight clothing at a lower price point it's highly worth checking out montbell. I have their mirage parka for ski touring. The warmth to weight ratio can't be beat.

Their synthetic puffies are good deal as well, not as breathable as the dead bird "core loft" though.

Alexander K wrote: For 99% of the things we buy the idea of a good piece of reparable gear is dead. Rain jackets delaminate, down jackets lose feathers and sythetic jackets lose most of their loft with in a few months of use. Anything that is light enough to truly be at the cutting edge of performance will not be that durable.

Well minus the delam issue those things can actually be repaired. And if you treat your 3L jacket well (ie clean it) then they shouldn't delam before the face fabric wears out.

Also a Beta SV isn't a "light weight" product having a 80D face fabric. Now if you're talking say a TNF Summit Series piece that is only 40D, then that's something else. The cuffs of my Summit pants can attest to that with ski edge and crampon cuts.

Inflation and declining dollar.

In the early 80's, a high end waterproof ski jacket was $300. (As a side note, my friends and I couldn't afford that, but our buddy's Navy dad stopped in Korea and picked up some up for under $200. We felt like we stole 'em.)

Fast forward 35 years and gasoline has tripled, so has food, rent, cars, lift tickets, minimum wage, many salaries, etc.

$800 seems about right, unless a persons point of view is stuck in 1980.

And to this day, I've never paid more than $200 for a jacket, so I suppose my idea of what a jacket SHOULD cost is stuck in 1980. But that doesn't mean a pricier jacket isnt worth it.

I really don't understand the mindset that gets offended at high prices. If you don't want to pay $800 for a jacket then don't, there are plenty of cheaper brands. Arc'teryx is a ultra-high-end boutique designer and their prices reflect that. If you don't feel that their gear is proportionally superior, the wonder of a free market is that you don't have to buy it. They are not cheating anyone, they just have high manufacturing costs and profit margins that reflect their relatively small scale operation. Feeling contempt for "dead bird" gear is nonsensical.

Factor in that this gear will last 10+years and be replaced no questions asked if issues the cost can be easily justified.

Screw Arcteryx, Moose Knuckles is the real shit, but only when ordered from Mr Olivier Goumas

Morgan Patterson wrote:Factor in that this gear will last 10+years and be replaced no questions asked if issues the cost can be easily justified.

Yeah, nah. Maybe for a hard shell jacket, but shorts?

Do you know how many goodwill shorts I can buy for $300? Shorts don't even wear out like pants do.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect knock-offs which are 1/2 as well made to cost 1/10th the cost. It's just plastic.

NorCalNomad wrote: Well minus the delam issue those things can actually be repaired. And if you treat your 3L jacket well (ie clean it) then they shouldn't delam before the face fabric wears out. Also a Beta SV isn't a "light weight" product having a 80D face fabric. Now if you're talking say a TNF Summit Series piece that is only 40D, then that's something else. The cuffs of my Summit pants can attest to that with ski edge and crampon cuts.

If you can tell me how to repair loss of loft in synthetic insulation I'd love to hear it. I'd imagine these people would too: mountainproject.com/v/synth…

Jackets like the Beta SV aren't "high performance." They may be durable and stylish (apparently Arcteryx has a color division, it shows) but if you see people pushing the limits, they will always be using some of the lightest stuff possible. The Patagonia M10 can do just about everything the SV can for half the price and weight. I think as others have said cheap, heavy and durable or light, expensive and flimsy are where most things fall in terms of need for climbers. Ski gear may be a different arena but when I think of Arcteryx I think of House of Cards jogging scenes, not alpinists crushing it in the mountains. That said if I made a ton more money, I'd buy a Tesla, and wear my Beta SV around town :D

Jim Turner wrote:declining dollar.

You should google USD vs CAD and USD vs RMB conversions before claiming that the USD is in decline.