Review: Arc’teryx Beta AR Men’s Waterproof Pant

When it comes to hardshell gear, especially trousers, what I look for is three things:

First of all, I need my pants to be sturdy. Hiking in rough terrain such as rocky mountain passes or thick forests rich in thorny vegetation where the pants can be scratched or ripped apart, requires high-quality, robust fabric that are resistant to abuse. Almost needless to say, I need my pants to be weatherproof, so that I can endure rough conditions such as high winds, rain or snow with ease. Last but not least, I need my gear to be breathable, because I’m one of those lucky (or unlucky, depending on your point of view) people that gets hot as soon as I start moving, so, even in winter, I might want to get some fresh air to flow on my skin.

Since the Arc’teryx Beta AR pants are advertised as all-round trousers, I put them into test in a variety of environments. I took them with me while hiking in late spring in the last snow available here on Apennine mountains, Italy, then I took them with me into one of the most humid forests we have in South Italy (photos of this review are from the forest), and, at last, I put them in the shower to test how waterproof it was actually (you may remember I already did that from my previous review of the Haglöfs LIM GTX jacket).

Starting with the snow, the pants did great. They actually kept me warm and dry throughout. They have snow cuffs that can be adjusted with a drawcord, while the previous model had a hook to anchor them in the shoelaces. I’m guessing that here the liking is quite subjective. Personally, I would have preferred the hook, because as secure as it might be, if you get caught in high, fresh snow, the drawcord is going to get loose at some point. The trousers come with instep patches that provide more protection against possible damage from boots or crampons. This feature is particularly handy to me, when climbing long and steep snow couloirs.

Getting to the forest, I tested the pants while it was drizzling. They did a great job keeping water from me, and resisted every scratch given by passing through low branches and thorny plants. At some points I needed to open the side zippers to let my legs breathe because it was getting pretty hot, but this is standard for waterproof gear.

In the end, I got the trousers in the shower to test them under a continuous flow of water. They did absolutely great. Watching water flowing down the fabric as it was repelled by the GORE-TEX coating was quite satisfying. Also the zippers did great, even if they aren’t waterproof but ‘highly water resistant’, as stated by Arc’teryx on their website.

Design

The Arc’teryx Beta AR pants definitely stand out for their simple and functional design. Even at first glance you can see how well they are made and how everything is in the right place.

Quality

The materials used to produce these pants are definitely high-end, since they feel sturdy and yet they allow for full mobility of the legs.

As I already said before, these pants probably aren’t for everyone. They come at a relatively high price, so my advice is that if you are looking for pants to do a more niche or specific activity, look a little further.

If you are an all-round sportsperson, then these pants are just what you need to venture out in all conditions.