I am search for a new cold weather jacket or system. Temp range will be 20-40 degree’s and activity will be low to moderate. I currently use a Beyond Cold Blooded. Considering a hardshell with liner or insulation. Looked at ARCTERYX Fission AR because of the Gortex outer and pirma loft but it’s pricey. Something more tactical would not be bad. Can anyone give some advice or suggestions?
Posting this from Albuquerque NM after a week in Taos Ski Valley. I brought an Arcteryx Atom and Alpha Light which worked great for skiing and snowmobiling in the 20s to 30s. For more active stuff (cross country skiing and snowshoeing) I wore a TAD Stealth with just a single lightweight capilene layer under. Elevation was from 9200 to 11900 or so.
11500 elev. Frazer Mountain today temp 29 Arcteryx Alpha Light and Atom (I’m throwing up the “Southside” sign for all of us south of the river guys in Richmond)
Bull of the Woods Trail, yesterday temp 30 TAD Stealth
Layers are the key. For low to moderate I wore an underarmour coldgear longjohn shirt, patagonia R1 pullover, Atom and the Alpha LT. Never got cold.
On a side note, I snowshoed in Merrell Moab mid Goretex boots and never got wet or cold feet. Snowmobiled in them also.
Spence
Is the Alpha light durable and wind-proof?
Very windproof. Durable, I haven’t had mine long so time will tell but from others who own them the jacket is tough. Military Moron did a good review of it on his site. That coupled with the reviews of the jacket on Lightfighter led me to purchase one. I can see getting 3 season use out of this jacket, maybe 4 season (it may not be the best rain jacket for the summer here in Richmond). This combined with the Atom doesn’t take up much room in a pack, probably as much room as 2 Nalgene bottles and I’m wearing a XXL Alpha LT and XL Atom.
I really like my TAD Ranger Hoodie V5 in ME Brown. I like it so much I purchased another one. It’s very warm, stylish (dare I say that 
) and extremely comfortable for wear in cold weather.
I’m increasingly a fan of TAD Gear. Unfortunately, this late in the season it is going to be tough to get a Stealth or Ranger Hoodie (though the Ranger’s lighter weight brother, the Recon Hoodie, is supposed to come out in the next month or so). I bet more colors and sizes will be available in the Spectre Hoodie, which is probably the most ‘tactical’ appearing of TAD’s jackets.
I think the Stealth Reloaded is a great all around jacket, with good insulation and water resistance. Increasingly though I find myself using the Raptor hardshell with a wool or fleece layer for warmth, but perhaps that’s been because of this recent extended cold and wet snap.
I also love the TAD goodness. Have a Stealth and a Ranger Hoodie. The hoodie is the warmest fleece I own and very windproof. Once you pull the velcro patches off the sleeves both jackets blend in with the envionment better. I’ve hunted, trained, hiked, skied, etc. in both for over two years and they’ve held up well. Neither is a wet weather jacket though.