What is the Thorium AR?
The Arcteryx Thorium AR Hoody is best described as a versatile and lightweight yet durable, do-it-all down insulated jacket. The clue’s in the name, Arcteryx use the suffice AR to describe their range of all-round products. So, this big, toasty jacket is perfect for just about any outdoor activity where you need reliable warmth and protection from nasty winter conditions.
What is the Thorium AR made of?
The outer fabric of the Thorium AR Hoody is made using Arato 30, a tough nylon that has a durable and subtly textured, non-shiny finish, is abrasion resistant and can be packed down nice and easily when not in use. The outside of this fabric is treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) to help repel light rain and snow; please note that the Thorium AR Hoody is NOT waterproof, so layer it up under a waterproof shell if, and when, it starts raining hard.
I described the Thorium AR as a down jacket earlier, but to be totally accurate it’s filled with natural down and synthetic Coreloft insulation. Arcteryx call this process “Down Composite Mapping” and it places each type of insulation where it works best. 132g of 750-fill power European Goose Down (some of the best there is) is used in the sleeves and around the core, while Coreloft is used in the hood, cuffs and under the arms, areas that get exposed to the most moisture and need to dry quicker.
What are the features?
One of the most important features of the Thorium AR is its fantastic cut and fit — the jacket just feels so good when you’ve got it on and the fact that it’s weather-resistant, breathable, lightweight, compressible and wind-resistant makes it perfect for all cold-weather activities.
But back to more tangible features, let’s start at the top with the hood. Arcteryx call the design a “StormHood”, this means that it provides full face protection in stormy weather and it can be used over a helmet for those freezing belays or winter mountaineering.
Storage-wise, you get two zipped hand pockets and an internal zipped pocket to keep essentials like phones and GPS safely tucked away; the hand pockets are big enough to easily swallow hats and gloves, while the internal pocket features a stuffsack. Articulated sleeves are finished off with a neat elasticated trim to seal out the cold and the hem is dropped at the back for added protection and can be sealed off with an adjustable drawcord.
How does the Thorium AR Hood fit?
As an insulating piece, it’s designed to fit pretty closely to maximise the insulation. The last thing you want is a big baggy jacket as you’ll waste energy warming up all that dead air space. Conversely, you don’t want it too tight either as that’ll hinder the downs ability to fully loft. The length is average, and there's plenty of room in the shoulders for climbing movements. The arms are also nice and long and don’t restrict your movement if you have to reach when climbing or scrambling.
Where does the Thorium AR fit in the layering system?
The Thorium AR is a mid-weight, breathable and packable down jacket making it perfect as a hugely versatile and very warm insulating layer depending on your activity level and the weather conditions. It also works perfectly well as a stand-alone jacket on those crisp, dry, freezing days or as a warm everyday jacket. Layering is not a precise science and there is no one perfect system that will suit every person, situation or the weather conditions. Some of us feel the cold, others get hot very quickly, but for more advice on using layers please check out this video.
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132g 750 fill power European Grey Goose Down
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Coreloft 140 gsm insulation
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Coreloft 80 gsm insulation
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Arato 30 weather-resistant outer face fabric
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Breathable
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Insulated
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Lightweight
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Compressible and packable
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Wind-resistant
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DWR finish (Durable Water Repellent) helps bead water from fabric surface
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Down Composite Mapping strategically places Coreloft synthetic insulation in areas where moisture may build-up
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Corded zipper-pulls reduce noise and are easy to grab
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Full front zip
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Low-profile insulated StormHood
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Elastic cuffs
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Adjustable hem drawcord
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Two hand pockets with zippers
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Includes stuff sack in the internal zipped pocket