Dwelling in Tucson, Ariz., I used to be sure I’d must drive north to Flagstaff or on the very least to the Catalina Mountains to correctly take a look at the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody. Even in early January, Tucson hardly ever will get chilly.
Nonetheless, to my nice luck (and plenty of locals’ chagrin), we bought a string of actually chilly winter days that month. A little bit of snow fell and we even had a tough freeze 2 nights in a row. Winds hit 20+ miles per hour and I excitedly donned the down hoody and plunged exterior for testing.
I’d later take the Arc’teryx hoody on a tenting journey to Ironwood Forest Nationwide Monument north of Tuscon and wore it on some chilly evenings and brisk mornings.
I rapidly understood why this was listed because the “Finest Total” jacket on GearJunkie’s information to the Finest Down Jackets. The Cerium carried out remarkably nicely all over the place I took it.
In brief: The Arc’teryx Cerium hoody has been a welcome insulated companion this winter. The mix of down and artificial loft was heat, immune to getting moist in all the fitting locations, and lower wind nicely. I felt as if the match of this new technology of Cerium was dialed, and never saggy or restricted. It additionally packs all the way down to the dimensions of a water bottle for backpacking, climbing, mountain climbing, or ski touring and appears ok to wear down in town.
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Insulation
850-fill goose down (Accountable Down Customary), Coreloft 100 and 80 recycled (80%) polyester insulation in wet-prone areas -
Face material
Recycled Arato 15D nylon (Previously 10D in Cerium LT), FCO DWR (PFC-free water-repellent end), dope-dyed yarns to cut back water and vitality use -
Liner material
60% bio-derived Arato 20D down-proof nylon -
Claimed weight
11.9 oz. (males’s medium) -
Precise weight
12.5 oz. (males’s massive) - Three zippered pockets
- Included stuff sack
- Cinchable and helmet-compatible StormHood
- Cinchable waist
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Wonderful warmth-to-weight ratio -
Mixed down and artificial insulation; “Down Composite Mapping” -
Bio-based supplies and PFC-free repellency -
Excessive marks for packability, weight, and flexibility
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Premium value level -
Non-integrated stuff sack
Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody: Assessment
Cerium Hoody Match
One of many huge enhancements Arc’teryx made with the up to date Cerium Hoody needed to do with the match. With the earlier Cerium, many reviewers complained of unpredictable sizing.
In a reply to a query on its web site, Arc’teryx famous that the brand new Cerium has a revised match. The Medium remained unchanged — nonetheless, “smaller sizes at the moment are tighter and bigger sizes at the moment are looser,” it stated.
I’m glad the model made this alteration. I all the time hovered between a Medium and Massive in Arc’teryx jackets, with the previous feeling too comfortable and the latter too free.
Now, the Massive feels extra like a premium, slim-fitting garment. It’s a great alternative for somebody my measurement (5’11” and about 185 kilos). I additionally like that the tail is barely longer than the entrance of the jacket, which helps forestall it from using up once I sit down.
Vital Options
Down Composite Mapping
What stood out to me instantly concerning the Cerium was the strategically positioned down and artificial insulation. Cleverly, the model makes use of each varieties of insulation to stability weight and heat in moist situations.
Whereas the first insulation is 850-fill fair-trade down, areas just like the shoulders, underarms, and face are full of Coreloft artificial insulation. Arc’teryx calls it “Down Composite Mapping.”
The concept is to keep up heat even when these particular areas get soaked with perspiration. In follow, this insulation system makes the Arc’teryx Cerium Down Hoodie a formidable technical jacket. It may be used for every little thing from rock and mountain climbing to cold-weather backpacking.
Packability and Pockets
The multi-fill development additionally maintains nice packability. Packed into its included stuff sack, it was simply barely bigger than a 40-ounce water bottle.
Moreover, the three zippered pockets and cinchable hood and waist are all well-designed and efficient.
It is a bizarre and specific notice, however I like a barely higher-up pocket to relaxation my arms in, which the Cerium Hoody offers.
The hood (Arc’teryx’s signature StormHood design), cinches tremendous evenly. Whereas tenting, I tightened it up and the hood had an excellent seal round my head that didn’t shift, bunch up, or catch wind in any respect. Once more, this can be a technical characteristic of the jacket that’s designed to work with helmets.
Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody: Within the Area
To get a real sense of the Cerium Hoody’s heat functionality I took the jacket out on a tenting journey to Ironwood Forest Nationwide Monument simply northwest of city. Lows hovered round freezing, and I bought to interrupt out the jacket earlier than sundown. It saved me heat as I shot photographs of pink and orange clouds hanging over Ragged High Peak.
Later, again at camp, I arrange a tent, constructed a hearth, cooked dinner, and performed fetch with the canines. I used to be energetic and shifting round and as heat because the Cerium Hoody felt, I by no means bought overheated.
After darkish the temps dropped and the climate turned for the more serious. The wind picked up and moisture settled in, indicating rain the following day. I solely took the jacket off once I was tucked into my sleeping bag for the evening. It was comfy and heat sufficient that I didn’t wish to take it off.
Material Sturdiness
Initially, I used to be apprehensive about snags and tears within the jacket’s outer. Our campsite was nestled in a lush desert panorama full of Palo Verde bushes, Teddy Bear Chollas, and Saguaros. In different phrases, there have been quite a lot of pokey issues round.
Additionally, the Arc’teryx Cerium’s 15D face material is likely one of the most interesting deniers on our checklist of greatest down jackets. It’s finer than the oft-compared Patagonia Down Sweater’s 20D material. And I believe it feels noticeably softer than the Patagonia as nicely.
Nonetheless, that is an improve from the previous 10D face material of the earlier Cerium technology. And I used to be impressed with its sturdiness. I inadvertently brushed in opposition to some Palo Verdes and creosote bushes and the shell material slid easily with out catching or tearing. Clearly, it isn’t going to face up to any cactus I stroll into. But it surely appeared to carry up nicely to normal use and abuse.
Insulation and Wind Safety
This was what totally offered me on the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody. My go-to down jacket for almost a decade has been the Patagonia Down Sweater. However as reliable as that jacket is, it all the time struggles in excessive winds. Perhaps it’s the composite insulation, or the Cerium’s barely greater down ranking (850 versus 800). However the safety in opposition to 20+ mph winds felt refreshing on this down puffy.
As soon as I threw the hood up and cinched it down, I may tuck my palms within the well-placed pockets and really feel fully heat and guarded in opposition to any chilly winter gusts of wind.
Within the morning the wind was notably reducing. As I snapped some photographs of the dawn, I wandered by way of the open panorama with the canines. We walked a few miles in whole, principally making use of a cattle-frequented wash to duck under the wind.
Sometimes, the gusts would scream proper down the wash however solely my pants let the chilly by way of. Again at camp, the remainder of our crew was huddled round a hearth: Safe in my heat down jacket, I used to be on breakfast responsibility.
Notes on Sustainability
One in all my favourite causes for recommending the Cerium Hoody is the general effort Arc’teryx has put in to make this product extra sustainable. Progress towards sustainably made gear takes time. It appears like every season Arc’teryx makes is one other leap towards a extra eco-conscious future.
In case you care strongly about your local weather impression, the present Truthful-Commerce Licensed Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody is likely one of the most sustainable jackets the model has made. The outer materials is totally recycled nylon. The water-repellent end has no fluorocarbons in it. The down is responsibly sourced. And it dope-dyes its yarn, which makes use of fewer chemical substances and vitality to paint textiles.
Arc’teryx has gone a great distance to make sure this jacket has the smallest potential impression on the atmosphere.
Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody: Backside Line
Tucson’s winter chilly streak couldn’t have come at a greater time. I bought to place the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody to the take a look at regularly, and have now worn it on many a brisk morning canine stroll, windy winter tenting, and on a few cold-night brewery patios for good measure.
I’ve all the time been a fan of puffy jackets for his or her versatility: So far as a one-and-done jacket, the Cerium Hoody is the most effective I’ve ever worn. Beneath a water-resistant shell, this could be an imperviously heat and protecting layer.
The Arc’teryx jacket is nice for actually chilly winter adventures — particularly these the place you can be working up a sweat. It’s gentle and packable sufficient for backpacking and climbing. Whereas $400 isn’t any small funding, the Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody is a sustainably made, efficient, and versatile jacket that can serve you nicely for years.
