Ready For Anything: Beta AR @ 25

Arc’teryx’s Beta AR has been the silent workhorse of alpine pros and weekend adventurers for a quarter century—and for FW25 the icon gets its boldest rethink yet. In this Q&A we dig into the jacket’s 25-year evolution and the tech behind the update: the Beta AR is the first Arc’teryx shell to use the new, PFAS-free GORE-TEX PRO with ePE membrane, plus field-driven tweaks like improved lamination, pack-accessible pocketing and a RECCO® reflector tucked into the hood. Read on to hear from the designers about marrying sustainability with uncompromising performance, and what this milestone means for the future of mountain gear. —Noa Nichol

The Beta AR has seen continuous refinement over 25 years—what does this latest update say about how Arc’teryx defines progress, especially when it comes to balancing innovation with sustainability?

In SS24 we began our ePE transformation to create a more sustainable future and started transitioning our line of bestselling shells with GORE-TEX ePE technology, including the Beta Jacket.  

Launching FW25, GORE-TEX PRO ePE is the next step in our material innovation journey to transition our hardshells developed with GORE-TEX PRO to the new ePE material. It provides the same protection and durability but better for the planet (and lighter!)  

The introduction of GORE-TEX PRO with ePE marks a major shift. What were the biggest challenges in ensuring that this new, more sustainable membrane could meet the extreme demands of professional alpine athletes?

GORE-TEX PRO ePE is the next step in our material innovation journey, to ensure that GORE-TEX PRO ePE could meet the extreme needs of athletes and guides we put over 50 GORE-TEX PRO ePE prototypes to the test, logging over 150 hours of intense field testing with athletes. This real-world application is crucial for identifying unpredictable variables (like a tree whip!) that lab tests can’t replicate. Our guides and athletes are key to discovering issues, driving our iterative problem-solving back in the lab. In collaboration with GORE, we’ve developed proprietary abrasion tests that go beyond industry norms, incorporating unique materials and varied methodologies for superior results. 

Arc’teryx is known for its obsessive attention to design—how do small details, like redesigned cordlocks or a hidden RECCO® reflector, contribute to a larger sense of trust and performance in the backcountry?

At Arc’teryx, obsessive attention to design means that even the smallest details, such as redesigned cordlocks or hidden RECCO reflectors, are thoughtfully engineered and rigorously tested both in the lab and in the Coast Mountains. Our unique access to the Coast Mountains and some of the world’s best athletes, mountain professionals and guides for field testing fuels our commitment to durability and performance.  In the lab, we rigorously test different forms of abrasion on various surfaces, punctures, propagations and tear tests, pull tests on lamination adhesives, tear strength, and DWR and breathability on-site; as well as extensive testing on the product development side around wash and care that goes above and beyond industry standards and contribute to trust and performance when it matters most. 

This jacket has become a symbol of preparedness in unpredictable environments. What role does emotional resilience—feeling ready for anything—play in Arc’teryx’s design philosophy?

Driven by an obsessive design ethos, every stitch we make reflects our dedication to quality and performance so that mountain athletes, professionals guides can feel safe and prepared for anything in the most extreme conditions. Arc’teryx GORE-TEX PRO ePE products provide the most durable weather protection yet, embracing the extreme in an uncontrollable environment, providing a feeling of preparedness amid chaos. 

Looking back over the 25-year evolution of the Beta AR, what does this jacket represent to the Arc’teryx team—not just as a product, but as a marker of the brand’s relationship with the mountains and those who move through them?

As one of our most iconic products, the Beta AR represents far more than a seasonal update, it’s the debut of a major material innovation that sets a new benchmark for performance and sustainability in alpine outerwear. Its 25-year evolution helps define what Arc’teryx stands for: obsessive design, relentless refinement, and a deep respect for the mountain environments we move through.

Each product we make  including the Beta AR, is a direct response to the demands of this rugged environment and the needs of the mountain athletes who navigate it. The Beta AR is the toughest and most durable jacket in our Beta family, and this FW25 Beta AR Jacket marks the debut of GORE-TEX Pro ePE fabric and a major leap forward.