What is the Cerium SL?
The Cerium SL is the lightest down insulated piece in Arc'teryx's Essentials collection and is consequently one of the lightest hooded down mid layers in existence. Rather than simply reducing the amount of down to lower the weight of the jacket, Arc'teryx increased the quality of the down (850 fill power) and made the outer fabric lighter but just as durable as previous models.
What is the Cerium SL made of?
Insulation: Starting with the insulation, Arc'teryx uses a super high quality 850 fill power European Grey Goose down to provide you with the warmest, lightest and most compressive insulation available. Down is the warmest insulation for the weight in existence and packs down to almost nothing, meaning it is brilliant as a mid layer which will be taken off and stuffed into a pack regularly. The only issue with traditional down is it isn't brilliant in wet conditions, however, Arc'teryx cleverly places synthetic insulation in areas prone to damp such as the cuffs, shoulders and front of the collar.
Outer Fabric: The outer fabric used is just as clever as the insulation. Arc'teryx's Arato fabric uses a 100% nylon structure to provide a high level of durability without sacrificing weight. This outer fabric protects the down and provides a light level of weather resistance (although we would never recommend you wear this in rain or damp conditions without a shell over the top).
What are the features?
Pockets wise, you're given two minimal hand pockets with lightweight zips and one 1.5L stuff sack to pack the Cerium down to almost nothing. Low profile elasticated cuffs seal out the wind and reduce overall volume, while a hem drawcord traps warm air inside the jacket efficiently. The low profile Stormhood is both fully insulated and adjustable.
How does the Cerium SL fit?
The Cerium SL fits into Arcteryx's 'Trim Fit' fit black which basically means that the jacket is cut slim through the chest and waist for a low profile fit. So you get a snug fit with room for another layer underneath, without excess material.
Where does the Cerium SL fit in the layering system?
The Cerium SL is a lightweight, breathable and packable down jacket. It's a warm mid-layer that fits under a shell jacket very easily but also works very well as a stand-alone jacket on beautiful, dry, chilly days.
This jacket is the perfect mid-layer for cold, dry conditions thanks to its exceptional compressibility, incredible warmth to weight ratio and overall clever construction. Wear it under a shell on wetter days or on its own during cool, cold days in the mountains.
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Insulated StormHood
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Low profile cuffs
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Synthetic insulation in damp-prone areas
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High quality down insulation
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Super lightweight nylon outer fabric
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Stuff sack included
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Two hand pockets
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Lightweight zips
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DWR treatment repels moisture
How to wash your down products
Having spent years talking to people about down products, whether that’s a jacket, sleeping bag or even a pair of slippers, very few have had the confidence to go ahead and wash the product on their own, especially when they have just spent an arm and a leg on it. This small guide is here to explain that it’s not as daunting and utterly terrifying as it first appears.
Step one: Before you even get near that washing machine, wipe off any excess mud or dirt that may be lingering on the surface of the jacket, as this will clog up the washing machine, eventually rendering it useless.
We recommend the use of Nikwax Down Wash Direct for down products as it’s one hundred percent environmentally friendly and will wash and re-proof the garment without the use of bleach or any other nasty chemicals. What household washing agents can (and often do) is remove the water repellent coating on the fabric of the jacket, whilst also damaging the delicate array of feathers inside.
Step two: We’ll assume in this instance that you’ve been washing other products prior to your down jacket and have used a bleach based detergent. Therefore it’s a good idea to run the washing machine for half an hour or so without anything inside to rinse it clean before adding the Nikwax or putting the jacket in. Also, don’t forget to remove the detergent drawer to give it a wash inside, outside and behind, as detergent can clog up and still enter the washing machine if not cleaned out thoroughly. This ensures that any remnants of detergent are removed and that the Nikwax products will work effectively.
Step three: Set the washing machine to a cold wash (check the garments care label, most tend to be around 30°C) and as delicate as possible. Most washing machines have a “wool” cycle which is ideal.
Step four: If using Nikwax Down Wash Direct, place 100ml in either the tray or directly into the washing machine inside a small pot/ball. If you choose to use another washing product, place the appropriate amount in the machine in the same way.
Step five: Set the washing machine to run on a slow cycle, allowing plenty of time for the jacket to soak up the cleaning/re-proofing product. Most washing machines will have a pre-set time for different washing cycles.
When the cycle has finished be prepared for a shock, your precious bit of kit will come out looking like a soggy ball of material. But don’t worry, you haven’t ruined it, it’s just that all that fluffy down insulation has become water logged and has clumped together. The trick is to now get all that down nice and dry to reinstate its superb insulating properties. Simply hanging it up in a warm place will not work that well. It will take days to properly dry and you will have to constantly break up the clumps to get it thoroughly dry. The best way is to use a tumble dryer; either a domestic one for smaller items or a commercial drier for sleeping bags.
Step six: Pop the garment into the dryer and make sure to select a low heat; a high heat runs the risk of melting seams and fabrics within the garment. It sounds weird, but shove a few tennis balls into the drier with the garment; the tennis balls will bounce around and help to break up the clumps of down. Every 20 minutes, pull the jacket out of the dryer and lie the jacket down on a table. Run your hands over the jacket until you find a 'clump' or ball of down; tease apart this down clump and spread it evenly into the baffle. Once you're confident you've pulled apart every clump to the best of your ability, stick it back in for another 20 minutes. Keep repeating this until there are no more clumps left.
Step seven: When the cycle has finished and you are sure that you have got the garment as dry as possible, hang it up in a warm dry place, an airing cupboard is ideal, for 24 hours. This drives out the last of any dampness and allows the down to loft fully. Take it out and give it a good shake and, hey presto, it’ll be as good as new.