Review: Arcteryx Cerium SV Hoody

- product provided for the purpose of review, thanks to Arcteryx -

Winter has really kicked in over the past couple of weeks in the UK, the cold and dry conditions call for a down jacket which can push out some serious warmth and insulation. The Cerium SV is designed for these cold, harsh conditions - although other manufacturers have pushed for treated down, Arcteryx have remained true to the conditions down became popular in and created a jacket designed for cold, dry weather. 

Arcteryx are really pushing this jacket towards the high end of the market, coming in with an RRP of £400, it's a technical jacket with no bells or whistles, it's designed purely for keeping you warm when mother nature is doing her best to freeze you. Let's start off with the jacket's features before we look at how it performs when the temperature drops.

The jacket:

• Cerium - Streamlined, lightweight goosedown filled jackets made of a composite construction to provide warmth where it is needed most. Highest warmth-to-weight ratio. 
• SV - Severe weather, employs the most durable materials for prolonged use and provides the most weather protection in the harshest conditions.
• RRP - £400

Features: 

• Moisture-resistant, DWR treated outer fabric
• Breathable 
• Insulated
• Great warmth-to-weight ratio 
• Lightweight
• Compressible and packable
• Wind resistant
• Down Composite Mapping
• Adjustable, insulated hood with single pull adjuster
• Full front zip with with chin guard
• Elastic cuffs
• Adjustable hem drawcord
• 1 internal, zipped pocket and 2 external hand-warmer zipped pockets.
• Includes stuff-sack

Let's breakdown the long list of features provided by Arcteryx and try to get to the heart of this jacket. It's designed to be the ultimate mix of warmth and packability, while being lightweight, durable and water resistant, it's also designed to be comfortable and easily adjusted for everyone's unique fit. The fabric they've used is Airetica, a 100% nylon fabric which is tightly constructed, high tenacity ripstop nylon with a smooth finish, which is then treated with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating.

The insulation is mainly 850 goose down, but there's also 100 and 140 Coreloft synthetic insulation. The Down Composite Mapping explains the mix of insulation types - areas which are prone to moisture use synthetic insulation over down as it performs better when wet. Goose down is still the best warmth-to-weight ratio insulator used in technical jackets and this is why it's the primary insulation. 

All the drawcords are easily adjustable to bring the jacket in close and stop the wind from getting in, the hood has the most technical drawcord construction which really helps the hood come close in around your face. Although they don't seem like a major part of the jacket they can easily bring down the temperature within and make a jacket redundant. It's great to see Arcteryx making an effort with every aspect of the Cerium SV to really provide an excellent experience in the cold.

Field testing:

This jacket demanded some serious cold and the timing couldn't have been more perfect, an unusual patch of seriously cold and snowy weather hit Devon while the Cerium SV was on test meaning I got to wander around with a big grin on my face analysing a toasty down jacket. The lowest wind chill temperature I experienced while wearing the Cerium SV was around -4°C.  

Putting the Cerium SV jacket on is like wrapping a duvet around you, the warmth is immediate and the fit of the jacket means the down is tight around your body in all locations, perfect when the winds start blowing. I was shocked at how quickly the jacket began to warm me up, instantly radiating warmth back into my body. After some activity in a down jacket the feathers will normally begin to move or pickup moisture and coldspots will begin to form, thanks to the DCM this didn't happen, the jacket becomes warm and stays warm over the duration of wear. 

The basics of the jacket are all done well. Multiple pockets help keep everything organised on the move while the stuff-sack keeps pack management easy. Elastic cuffs and the hemcord provide protection against wind by moving with you at all this times - this keeps the jacket right next to a baselayer or your skin and stops any wind from getting in. This is also the time to compliment the cut and fit of the jacket, it really is perfectly done - it's slightly longer in the back just to cover the top of my bum, while the sleeves are the perfect length. Arcteryx have really thought about how perfect this jacket needs to be for the pricetag and all these design features are helping make this jacket a real standout piece.

One of the things I love about this jacket is the hood construction and thought behind the drawcord, the way it tightens is different to other jackets and brings the hood completely around your face. Great thinking from Arcteryx, there's no way the wind can catch the hood and it's noticeable - warmth around my head was far superior than my Rab Summit down jacket which uses a classic drawcord system around the top of the skull.

Long-term use:

As time goes on I have noticed that the jacket does like to shed feathers, I think this is due to the tightness of the baffles. All down jackets lose feathers as time goes on but it does seem like an above average amount. I've spoken to other owners of the Cerium SV and they've noticed the same thing - perhaps something Arcteryx needs to take a look at before the fall product range is launched?

In summary, the Cerium SV has become my go to jacket for cold, crisp and dry days where staying warm is a priority. It's well made, well thought out and can definitely provide warmth when it's needed. My only slight grievance with the jacket is the price point, £400 is a lot of money for a jacket but if you're heading off to a place where only the best will do then I highly recommend the Cerium SV. 

4.5/5

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Thanks for checking out my review of the Cerium SV Hoody by Arcteryx, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for providing the jacket to test. If you'd like anymore information about the jacket then please click this link to go to the Arcteryx website.

Review: Osprey Farpoint 40 Rucksack

- product provided for the purpose of review by outdoorkit.co.uk -

Hi everyone, today's review is of the Osprey Farpoint 40 Rucksack, designed as a carry-on bag for weekends away. Here's what Osprey has to say:

"The Farpoint 40 is our lightest back-packable travel pack that fits within EU carry-on dimensions. Featuring a zip-away spacer mesh ventilated backpanel allowing the Farpoint to be carried like a backpack but packed like a suitcase. Cushioned carry handles on the top and the sides allow you to easily grab the pack off airport baggage carousels, we’ve included a removable shoulder strap. Your gear is all readily to hand, with the inclusion of a large zippered opening that allows access to the main compartment, featuring lockable zips for increased security. The inner compression straps allow you to fully maximise the capacity whilst securing your clothes thus limiting creases. Look a little closer and you’ll also find a top stash pocket for electronics and sunglasses, dual mesh front pockets for water bottles and a padded internal laptop sleeve. Our unique StraightJacket™ compression system pulls your load in – holding it tight, but it can also be used to significantly reduce the total volume of the pack. Making the Farpoint 40 the ideal travel companion for your next business meeting or weekend get-away."

After playing around with the Farpoint, I was glad to see Osprey have continued to maintain their high standards of manufacture and quality. Well thought out features have been partnered with great design, fabrics and price.

Let's start with the internal features of the main pack: internal compression straps help make the most of the space, a large mesh pocket helps keep things organised within the compartment and there's a solid back to keep things tidy. 

The structure of the bag really helps you absolutely cram it with stuff. I headed off to Morrocco for two and half weeks where I knew there would be a mix of temperatures and humidity so plenty of clothing was a must, I managed 6 pairs of socks, 10 pairs of underwear, 5 t-shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, 1 jumper, 1 fleece, 1 waterproof jacket and 1 pair of waterproof trousers, along with a microfleece towel. Bearing in mind the bag is designed for weekends away and short breaks there is a huge amount of room in the main compartment. The compression straps work well, they were a little on the thin side but they handled the big load with ease and really do make everything fit in, they're secured to the rigid back panel securely and there were no signs or indications of stress after use. 

The internal mesh pocket is good thinking on the design team's part, the way the pack is engineered you can strap things down within the main compartment and still fit more in the mesh - great if you forget to put something in but still want it stowed away. 

Moving away from the internals of the main compartment there's a smaller, pouch with a laptop/tablet sleeve, another zipped mesh compartment and room for a book or two. On my travels this became my go to pouch for storing things on the go without showing everyone my smelly pairs of socks. There's plenty of room for chargers, tablets, phones, guidebooks, etc. 

Tough zips feature everywhere on this pack

There's also a small pocket at the very top of rucksack designed for sunglasses, phones or wallets. It's a handy size but a little vulnerable and obvious for anything that's too valuable. 

Moving on to the outside of the rucksack: zipaway harness and hipbelt, shoulder strap, 2 carry handles and 2 water bottle holders. 

Osprey have continued the well thought out design with the back of the pack, the zipaway harness and hipbelt system is easily revealed or hidden if you're on the move or settling in at a hostel. A smart feature for cabin luggage where space is in short supply, it helps make the Farpoint a tidy bag for travel. There's also the shoulder strap option, which is easy to remove if you just want to use the bag as a rucksack, I ended up only using the shoulder strap on my travels as the bag hangs very nicely with it. 

Zipaway harness and hipbelt.

The two carry handles feel strong, they seem to be attached below the external fabric and "locked in" with another pieces of fabric on the inside of the pack. 

All these features feel like they're there to help you, not as gimmicks that have been thrown on to get sales, there's multiple handles and straps for when you're on the move, there's compression straps to get the most out of the space provided, there's a touch of modern with the inclusion of a laptop sleeve and overall there's a sense of quality.

In use I found this bag to be brilliant and I couldn't have asked for more, it just works. It keeps on working, taking the bumps and scrapes that travel brings, it can definitely fit kit in for a weekend away or a longer adventure if you're heading off somewhere for a week or two. 

I'd definitely recommend this rucksack to a friend!

Thanks for reading my review of the Osprey Farpoint 40, if you'd like anymore information please click this link to see the rucksack on outdoorkit.co.uk.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank outdoorkit.co.uk for their continued support of my blog, if you'd like to ask them any questions about the Farpoint 40 then please try their Facebook or Twitter.