In the last issue of Wild, we discussed Arc’teryx’s use of Gore-Tex’s Pro ePE material; not only is it PFAS-free, it’s thinner, quieter and lighter. It’s abrasion-resistant, too. All this comes without any loss in waterproofness; in fact, it’s enhanced. Which is just as well, because last Northern-Hemisphere winter, I spent two weeks road tripping testing out Arc’teryx’s Rush Jacket and Bib shell outerwear.
The thing was, in the middle of the trip, there was a seven-day-straight storm cycle where I was dealing with not only dry powder (Yay!) but also heavy, snotty, wet snow and even, at lower elevations, rain. The Rush—with its Gore-Tex Pro ePE material and its WaterTight zips—dealt with it all with aplomb, not a hint of wetness inside.
The Rush is made specifically with backcountry ski- or snowboard-touring in mind (although it works well in a resort too; it’s just that it’s not the type of all-purpose outfit that’s ideal for, say, hiking or alpine-climbing outerwear.) Its articulated cut gives plenty of freedom of movement. Four-way stretch on the upper bib lets you move comfortably through the range of motion demanded when ski touring. It’s light, too, but tough enough for touring.
I’m a bit of an aficionado of skiwear pockets (I know—weird!), and I’ve gotta say, I really loved the positioning and size of these thigh pockets. I tend to ski with a whack of stuff in them (energy bars and jelly snakes, my mobile phone—yes, there’s a little stretch pouch in there to stop it from bouncing about or slipping sideways); not once did I feel I’d overloaded them. They were capacious and never restrictive. But they weren’t like some snow-outerwear pockets that bulge out and protrude and look strangely outsized. These pockets were low-profile and fit well within the cut of the pants. There are also two smaller chest pockets high up on the bib.
The jacket has six pockets: Two smaller chest ones; two really generous larger lower ones; an upper arm one that you can keep a pass in on resort days, and on the interior, one attached to one of the two stretch-mesh pouches—which, incidentally, are large enough to hold my 125mm deep-pow-day skins.
There are good-sized pit zips on the jacket for venting on the climbs, and on the bib, there’s a venting zip on one side and a 2/3 zip on the other side that opens from the top; I was dubious at first whether this would open up enough to answer a big call of nature without removing the pants (who wants to expose their legs to the cold depths of winter!), but once I’d assumed the squat position, I found there was plenty of room.
A word of warning when it comes to sizing for the bib; I found that if I had to contort deep, say hitting a big mogul or similar, the added pressure on my midriff would sometimes pop the top button above the main zip of the bib open, which would then in turn slowly allow the shoulder straps to slip sideways and even off my shoulders. I don’t know if this is a common problem, but if it applies to you, I’m guessing it would be likely overcome by going up a size. Just be sure to check when you’re trying them on by doing a couple of deep squats.
A few more quick points to list: The hood fits without restriction over a ski helmet. On the bib insteps, heavy-duty Keprotec patches minimise cuts from ski edges and crampons. The bib pockets have key-clip loops for keeping important stuff easily accessible.
If you’re a diehard who’s after backcountry ski- or snowboard-specific outerwear, or even a resort skier who mixes it up beyond the boundaries, and you’re prepared to pay for top-of-the-line performance, Arc’teryx’s Rush Jacket and Bib should definitely be on your radar. I can certainly see this shell combo being one of my go-to backcountry-outerwear setups over the coming seasons.
The Details:
INTENDED USE: Back-country winter
MATERIALS: PFAS-free 3L Gore-Tex Pro ePE
WEIGHT (as tested): Jacket, M: 494g; Bib, M: 577g
RRP: $1,200
For more information arcteryx.com.au
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