For many years now, I’ve been wondering what all the Arc’teryx hype about. Katie is always ranting and raving about how great her Arc’teryx shell suit is. She’s had the Theta AR jacket and the Beta AR pants for 8 years and calls this her ninja suit. I find you have to experience it first hand and decide for yourself. This fall, Katie and I were talking about getting me a new ski jacket because mine is 6 years old and worn out. Katie decided to go ahead and get me this jacket. The catch? I have to write a gear review! So here it is, the Arc’teryx Rush IS review!
My winter activities mainly include backcountry skiing, resort skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. I prefer to have a jacket that will perform well in all activities. I’m not the kinda guy who buys 5 jackets to have the perfect one for each circumstance. When I pulled the Rush IS from the package, I was worried it wouldn’t be warm enough. Here in Canmore, it gets down to -20C regularly. I wasn’t sure if it was going to keep me warm on a chairlift in -20C but there was only one way to find out!
Let’s Get Acquainted
The Rush IS jacket was designed to be a warmer version of the Rush shell jacket. The Arc’teryx Rush jacket was designed to be a backcountry touring jacket so it is only a shell. This means staying warm was totally reliant on your layering system. If you wanna learn more about layering check out our How to Dress for Cold Weather Activities layering post.
With the Arc’teryx Rush IS, layering is still very important, as it always is in a winter environment. However, the Octa® Loft insulation provides a little more forgiveness when you underestimated how cold it actually is out. The Octa® Loft is a pleasant addition for me because I am not a fan of just shell jackets during the winter. The Rush IS provides more protection between you and the elements.
N70p-X 2L Goretex
This Gore-tex design provides a lighter, softer more packable jacket without sacrificing water resistance. Being 2 layers, it’s very breathable but still blocks the wind super well.
On those cold windy days, the Gore-tex shell provides superior shelter! I have never realized how drafty my other ski jackets were!! The storm hood allows you to pull the hood over your helmet for added protection from the elements. The hood adds so much warmth just because it blocks the wind so well.
Octa® Loft Liner
This soft liner acts as your first layer of protection between you and the cold. Rather than having a cold, hard fabric next to the skin, the Octa® Loft is soft and cozy. Made of 100% polyester it provides a breathable barrier, that is lightweight yet captures lots of body heat.
Around the torso of the jacket, the Octa® Loft is ‘fuzzy side in’ which ensures it captures warm air next to your body. The lining is ‘fuzzy side out’ throughout the arms which still holds heat but allows for an easier range of motion due to less friction. Octa® Loft is a tried and true heat capture system – it’s essentially a built-in heavy-weight polyester base layer!
I have resort skied in -25C with 3 light and mid-weight layers underneath the jacket, and I stayed toasty warm. 3 layers are about how many I would have worn with my old bulky jacket, which means warmth for weight, the Rush IS a winner!
Storm Hood
The storm hood is made of 2 layers – the Gore-tex outer and a nylon inner. This double layer ensures there is no wind penetration and provides added heat holding capacity. The three adjustment points on the hood allow a perfect fit for every condition. This design allows you to wear the hood over your helmet, without restricting movement. Having this option means I can hold more heat without added layers simply by putting up the hood!
The high collar is so much nicer than on my old jacket! There’s no zipper in your chin, it covers you whole neck and really helps hold the heat. The collar does have polyester insulation between the layers, again ensuring no cold, hard shell against your neck.
Awesome Pockets!
I LOVE the placement of the pockets on the Rush IS and have clearly been missing out. The pockets are chest height which allows access to the pockets when wearing a pack with a waist belt. As a backcountry skier, this is a game-changer!
The outside two hand pockets are lined with Octa® Loft making them a very cozy place to put my hands after the skin change over. They feature water-resistant YKK zippers which ensure the pow stays out!
The left upper arm pocket means when we visit hills like Panorama or Big White, where they use the RFID readers, we can breeze through the gates.
Inside there are two additional pockets which are great for key and phone storage as well as keeping gloves or a buff warm on stand by.
Fit
When ordering the Rush IS jacket, I used the sizing chart provided on Arc’teryx’s website and was pleasantly surprised. I am 5′ 11” weighing in at 170 pounds and usually wear a large because I have long arms and a long torso. Usually, I find sizing charts a bit hit or miss but the Arc’teryx sizing chart was definitely a hit. The Rush IS jacket in medium fits perfectly.
The jacket in a medium still provides room for as many layers as is needed for winter adventures. I don’t feel any resistance when I rotate my arms, bend over or twist. The sleeves are a good length as is the torso – it just covers my bum. I think if I had gone with a large, it would have been quite baggy and drafty.
The snow skirt fits snug and works well even though I don’t have the matching pants. The Rush IS has special clips to connect it to the RUSH pants which would create a super snowproof ski system.
Arc’teryx Rush IS Review Summary
I have been out downhill skiing, ski touring, and hiking, and am pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I am all the time. I am very surprised that such a lightweight jacket is still able to keep me so warm. The incredible combination of wind protection and heat capture makes the Rush IS a superior ski jacket. The Rush IS is clearly a carefully crafted technical piece and is a jacket you can buy and wear for the rest of your life. I am very impressed with this jacket and Arc’teryx does hold up to those very high expectations Katie has set over the years. I look forward to many more cold, windy, snowy days spent exploring the Canadian Rockies!
If you found this Arc’teryx Rush IS review helpful, let us know in the comments below!