It's time to put away your Arc'teryx jacket
Taking a look at rain-ready outerwear alternatives that will keep you looking fly and prepped for the outdoors.
A good rain jacket is an item that everyone should have in their wardrobe, but with so many options out there how do you make a decision that’s right for you? Obviously, keeping yourself dry is the main objective here, and with today’s fabric technology, we have so many brands making various waterproof and water resistant outerwear that makes the hunt for the ideal jacket a bit more interesting.
Your best bet is to go into the mountainous territory and look at brands that have outerwear designed to withstand the worst types of climates — with that being said though, we also want the jacket to look good because sometimes functionality doesn’t necessarily mean that item has an exciting design. That’s why a lot of people are going to Arc’teryx because they kind of nailed the fit with their product. But, I’m here to let you know that there are other options out there for those who aren’t looking to conform to trends.
In today’s newsletter, we are tackling the world of waterproof outerwear by throwing away the Arc’teryx and checking out alternatives that are up for the job. We’ll also be taking a look at some new brands that have been killing the outerwear game recently, sharing one of my personal items that I’ve been enjoying a lot recently, as well as a few sales going on right now that will minimize our financial damage.
Ok, let’s get one thing straight before we dive in though, I don’t hate Arc’teryx. It’s a great brand that creates really high-quality pieces, has been around for decades, and has sub-brands like System_A and Veilance that pump out really great stuff. (To keep it real, If I were to rock anything from Arc it would be specifically from those two divisions)
The thing that I don’t particularly love though is the recent boom in its popularity over the years that has driven the brand to cringe levels of sorts— I blame the various TikTok trends like people wearing them in the shower flexing how the water just beads off. This information isn’t new though as this has been happening for years now, and with the weather getting colder, Arc’teryx has just been everywhere and I am just trying to wear something else.
At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with wearing one if you really like them, they do the job and fit well, so does it actually matter? Does anyone actually care? But there are way too many other jackets out there that I think are worth giving some attention to.
WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE?
It’s a lot of fun to look back at older garments because you get to see how past design techniques aged in the context of fashion today. Our taste is constantly evolving, and there are moments when you will have a new opinion on a piece you’ve disliked in the past. Maybe you will dislike them even more than you did before, but I’d still consider that style development.
Through this process, you end up rediscovering a lot of brands which reminds you about the variety that's out there. I recently went through some of my physical catalogs that helped remind me of what’s out there. Even though these next few pieces are only a few years old, it was still enough to get the research started.
If you are searching for top-tier quality with no branding then you have to check out Goldwin. Mind you, it’s definitely not cheap but to be honest, you’re going to have to spend a little bit if you’re looking to play in this subgenre of fashion. We’re talking about fashionable functionality and that comes at a price, but luckily there are some brands out there that still have reasonably priced pieces.
Anyway, back to Goldwin. They’ve been making garments for more than 70 years, primarily for skiing, but have evolved in designing functional sportswear for all types of people. Expect a high level of quality thanks to their focus on sourcing the best fabrics to create their collection.
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