Arc’teryx Sarissa Jacket

Hood

The hood on the Sarissa jacket is very well executed. Its generous size will accommodate a helmet with ease. I also enjoy the fact that the hood itself is insulated. So many jackets do not feature insulated hoods, and it’s amazing what a difference this made for me on days when the weather was truly heinous. When I locked down and sealed the hood to my helmet, the insulation left my head noticeably warmer and more comfortable on storm days, especially when compared to the non-insulated hood I sport on my Norrona Lofoten Pro Shell.

The hood features a reinforced brim, and four different adjustment points to dial the fit. There are two toggles located on the back of the hood: one near the crown to adjust the circumference of the hood, and another at the nape of the neck to adjust the height. Both require an adjustment with two hands, and upon pressing a small button can be moved along an elastic cord to be tightened or loosened as needed.

There are two additional toggles on the front of the jacket located within the collar (near where your collarbone would be) cleverly hidden within a flap. These two toggles adjust the height/size of the hood opening. This is a great feature on storm days, when keeping your face protected is paramount. These two toggles also require a two-hand adjustment to slide along an elastic cord.

There is also a small patch of microfleece fabric backing the inner lining of the right zipper. This is to protect your chin from chafing when the hood is fully zipped. This is a great feature, but in my opinion it could be a bit larger to provide optimum comfort and protection. It’s only about an inch wide by 3 inches long, and it could definitely be wider to provide better defense against chaffing.

Pockets

This jacket features two huge exterior hand pockets. They can accommodate a phone, snacks, a small camera, keys and an iPod. These two pockets do not feature water-resistant zippers, as they are equipped with storm flaps that completely cover the zippers.

There is one small external sleeve pocket that is equipped with a wind-resistant zipper, it’s located on the left sleeve and is slightly bigger than the size of an iPhone.

On the interior of the jacket on the right side, you will find one mesh-lined goggle pocket with no closure. I have yet to utilize this feature, as I prop my goggles on my helmet, but I suppose some may find it useful.

On the left side of the jacket interior, you will find two additional pockets. One small zippered pocket (about 4×5 inches) shaped like a rhombus, perfect for stashing credit cards. And one more laminated media pocket located beneath that one, about 5 inches by 6.5 inches in size.

Obviously, there is no shortage of storage space in this jacket. (I wish I could say the same for my tiny apartment.)

Extra Features

Targeted towards snowsport athletes, the Sarissa features a powder skirt with adjustable snaps. The bottom portion of the skirt is equipped with grippy elastic tape to keep the powder skirt in place. While this is a nice feature, I do wish this powder skirt were removable, as I tend to find them more of an annoyance than a benefit when paired with bibs. However, if you do like powder skirts, this is a high quality one, to be sure. It has a stretch panel for added comfort as well as a tiny loop to affix a lift ticket in an unobtrusive manner.

The Sarissa jacket is also equipped with RECCO reflectors. This is an added safety feature for locating victims in an avalanche situation, though it is not a substitute for a transceiver. As stated directly on the RECCO tag attached to this jacket: “The RECCO Rescue System does not prevent avalanches or guarantee the survival or localization of a victim.”  RECCO detectors are used by some ski patrols and ski areas, and may increase your chance of a faster recovery in the event of an avalanche. While this is a neat extra feature, we certainly encourage all skiers and snowboarders to wear a beacon, even when riding in-bounds.

On a lighter note, one of my favorite, and more subtle details on the Sarissa jacket is the nifty draft collar located at the back of the hood. This is a thin strip of stretchy material that acts as a membrane between your neck and the hood to prevent snow or wind penetration.

If anyone who has ski buddies can attest, this will come in handy when you inevitably get sprayed as your buddy skids to a magnificent halt beside you, dousing you head to toe in snow. Also excellent for epic powder crashes, powder storms, and cutting down on wind chill.

Packability

Because the Sarissa is an insulated piece, it is not a particularly packable jacket. I can compress it to about the size of a vollyball. Because it is not a practical choice for backcountry touring, however, packability shouldn’t be too big of an issue. It would actually be great for travel, because only a thin, lightweight fleece or synthetic jacket is necessary to layer underneath the Sarissa on the most frigid of days, thus saving you space in the long run.

Durability

Thus far, I’ve had no issues in regards to durability. The exterior fabric and all of the seams appear completely intact, despite my numerous encounters with conifers and the occasional shrub. I am starting to see a bit of surface dirt and a few visible stains on the light “Olea Green” color I chose, but other than this superficial issue, I have no negative feedback regarding durability of fabric, zippers, Velcro, stitching etc. on this jacket, as you would hope to expect from a jacket at this price point.

 

Bottom Line

The Sarissa is a jacket that resides at the top of Arc’teryx’s lineup, and it does not come cheap. However, I can attest that this jacket will assist you in any quest to ski from dawn til dusk. The undeniable performance of 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro fabric, the streamlined insulation, and the plethora of features ensures that a skier can depend on this jacket to outlast a storm.

I also feel that I may have solved my age-old layering dilemma. The exceptional warmth provided by the Coreloft insulation means I only need to add one extra layer on the most brutal of days (for me, anything below about 28 degrees F). Anything in the 28-40 degree range, and the Sarissa is a great stand-alone jacket atop a standard baselayer. While the Sarisaa cannot comfortably be used while hiking or in the backcountry, it is undeniably the best resort jacket I’ve ever used.