Gear Review: Arc'teryx Gamma SL Hybrid
These multi-season pants will keep you dry while providing outstanding freedom of movement.
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[multi-season pant]
Rainpants and gaiters are often the first layer cut on spring through fall trips, and the Gamma lets you leave them without having an anxiety attack when storm clouds form. It kept our tester dry through everything but the hardest Olympic Coast downpours, yet the fabric is breathable enough for summer alpine ascents.
Credit a hybrid construction, which places densely woven, DWR-treated nylon on the fronts of the legs to take the brunt of rainy assaults, and a stretchier, more breathable nylon (also DWR-treated, but with a looser weave and 16 percent spandex added for stretch) on the seat and knees.
Thinner and lighter than many softshell pants, the Gamma dries fast (despite the spandex content) after showers. And after clambering over downed trees, our tester issued props for the fabric’s four-way stretch, articulated knees, and gusseted crotch, which provide outstanding freedom of movement.
Zippered pockets have “plenty of room for a knife, phone, or camera,” he says. Small clips on the front of the cinchable ankle cuffs hook to boot laces for gaiter-like protection, and a tester called the chamois-lined waistband “buttery.”
> Weight 12 oz.
> Price $199
> Sizes S-XXL
> Infoarcteryx.com
