Cold, colder, Arc'teryx LEAF Cold WX SVX Parka and Bib

Even though we will tell more of the Cold WX SVX story in the coming months, photos and background data from various retailers who sell Arc’teryx LEAF products have already been released. While everyone is excited to see what's new, this has led to some confusion about this two-piece ensemble. Eric Graves (Soldier Systems) exclusively introduces us to the new Cold WX SVX System from Arc’teryx LEAF on SPARTANAT:

At 1,699 euros just for the parka, many scream and cry. But as is often the case with LEAF: if you complain about the price, the product wasn't meant for you. This is doubly true in this case. Cold WX SVX was designed for a very specific customer who has to work in extreme cold.

If you are one of those who need Cold WX SVX, you will welcome it, and as a core customer of LEAF, you will most likely benefit from it. And you will appreciate what it can do. You will be amazed at how lightweight it is compared to other arctic clothing solutions. And you will rave about how mobile you are when wearing this gear.

The roots of Arc’teryx lie in producing clothing and equipment for athletes who conquer the toughest landscapes in the world. Cold WX SVX was designed for use in the Arctic and for a different class of athletes: the military elite.

Cold WX SVX represents a new pinnacle in design, material selection, and production - even for Arc’teryx. Many experiences from all these areas, where Arc’teryx's manufacturing has continuously learned over the decades, are incorporated into these two pieces of equipment. Honestly, it's amazing.

Because it is built for a very specific application, Cold WX SVX does not replace anything already available. And its existence does not push the prices of other items for the cold season. Honestly, considering how many sets Arc’teryx will ultimately sell, they must be happy if they reach the break-even point. Arc’teryx has spent several years developing this product and creating the infrastructure to make it a reality. Originally, they planned to launch this clothing line a year ago, but then they weren't quite where they wanted to be, so they worked on it for a few more months, improved some things here and there, and then brought the final design to their facility near Vancouver, British Columbia.

The insulation consists of down because this equipment is meant to be worn in the Arctic. It's cold and dry there. Yes, a GORE-TEX outer material is used, which is extremely breathable and is designed to block wind instead of precipitation. SVX is not intended for average guys standing in the rain when they go from the car to the office. They would already be sweating before they get there. It's warm. Over a year ago, I visited Arc’teryx's design studio and tried on a prototype parka. It warmed me so much that I had to take it off after a few minutes.

Specifically, this equipment consists of Allied 850fp Grey Goose Down in Nylon Taffeta with an outer shell of GORE WINDSTOPPER 2L 40d Nylon Plain Weave and GORE-TEX 3L 30d Nylon Plain Weave material. "We look forward to working closely with Arc’teryx and utilizing our portfolio of functional materials for their cutting-edge Outerwear products," says Tom Dykes, Application Engineer at Gore. "The combination of Gore materials used in the Cold WX Parka SVX offers a wide range of protection for military and police forces facing particularly harsh weather conditions. This design, combined with technical fabrics, offers crucial advantages, allowing equipment users to stay warm and cheerful during their mission."

You're probably wondering why this clothing is not white, considering it's intended for extreme cold. Instead, Arc’teryx chose "Harrier," a light gray color. This is because the Arctic is also not completely white, and Harrier blends well in many places where it really gets cold. In addition, Harrier doesn't show every little speck of dirt like the color white does. Moreover, those guys who really need to camouflage themselves will use overalls.

Anyone who finds themselves in the coldest environments in the world should definitely buy the LEAF Cold WX SVX Parka with Bib. That would be money well spent, and you will appreciate this investment. But if you just want to buy Cold WX SVX because of "Arc’teryx," I understand that too. You just need to know what you're buying and why it costs so much.

Cold WX SVX is available now at leaf.arcteryx.com and at your preferred LEAF retailer. In Germany, you can get Arc’teryx LEAF at HQG.DE and at TACWRK.

Eric Graves, Soldier Systems

ARC’TERYX LEAF online: https://leaf.arcteryx.com The updated Arc’teryx LEAF homepage is focusing on Cold WX SVX. HERE is the link to the Parka, HERE to the Bib.