Best soft shell jacket !!
This jacket is the most comfortable in a soft shell category. This jacket is Durable, highly breathable and Wind resistant. It is clothes with the best functionality.

Soft Like A Baby's Butt
We use the Gamma MX Hoody on warmer days throughout the winter for cross country skiing, and snow shoeing. Used a lot for all season hiking, biking, and rowing. This multiple use hoody earns its worth in spite of the extra cost. This hoody is not a radiator but will help to retain body heat if you keep moving through the elements. If you stop for very long you might consider layering up with something over and/or under. This hoody really packs small. The Gamma MX Hoody will help keep you outside even if the wind and rain are threatening. If the elements are to extreme consider wearing something else with it. Arc Teryx picked a winner with the soft/stretchy fabric. I wear mine around the house during the winter rather than turning up the thermostat. The big hood requires some adjustment depending on what you are using it for. I like wearing the hood off my head and flat on my back in good weather or closed up around my face to keep the nasty weather out. Fashion statement from a friend: "That is one sweet hoody!"

Great BC skiing jacket for Sierras
I got the 2009 version of this jacket as an outer layer for travelling while BC skiing in the Sierras. So far so good - works great as an outer layer for travelling with a Capilene 1 t-shirt and a Capilene 4 shirt underneath. I can also comfortably wear a Marmot windshirt underneath too, which I've found to be a really versatile layering system for travelling. Then all you need is a hooded synthetic parka for breaks and hanging out. The pockets and hood are great too - stretchy and roomy; the hood especially so - plenty of room for a thick beanie or helmet whilst maintaining plenty neck motion and visibility. It's not as water resistant as I would have liked, but certainly as expected. The reality is that when it's not too cold and it's snowing, I take the GoreTex anyway. My only minor complaint so far is that the stitching around the back of the neck isn't as stretchy as it should be, and so the outer thread snapped in a few places as I was putting it on in a hurry. That said, the seam is still solid, so no bother.

My Favorite Cool Weather Softshell
This is simply the best softshell I've ever found - and I've at least tried to sample them all! I have more than a little bit of a jacket fixation, and my closet is full of fancy softshells, driclimes, hardshells, and combo-shells. But it's almost always the Gamma MX I pull out when I'm actually going somewhere. Even within the stellar Arcteryx line (like the almost-as-nice but stiffer Epsilon line, which has fewer pockets), the Gamma MX is a cut above the rest. The fit is a little more athletic, the pockets are better placed, better sized, and more useful, the weather resistance is ideal, and - this is more important than I ever thought it would be - it's the softest and least "crunchy" of anything else out there. The "hand" of the fabric doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you're planning (as I do) to spend this much money ONLY on a jacket that can do everything - from football games to mall trips to hardcore multi-night backpacking or ski touring - the comfort and quietness factors are actually pretty major (at least for me). The Gamma MX actually feels almost like a thick t-shirt: pliable, soft, slightly fuzzy on the inside, and completely silent. Add killer water resistance, wind resistance, breathability and pretty decent looks for a technical shell, and you've got a total winner. I have both the jacket version and the hoody version, and love both. My only suggestions for improvement would be to add a second sleeve or wrist zipper for quick-grab items and/or altimeter, and also a super-lightweight (mesh?) inside pocket. Other than that, it's hard to imagine improving on this one - but I'm sure Arcteryx will come up with something! P.S. Every once in a while they go on sale, and Altrec usually has the best deals.

This is my second Gamma MX jacket of the year, the first being a non-hoody. I refer to this jacket as being the best soft-shell I have purchased. I have many renowned brands of soft-shells and they all perform great. This Gamma MX hoody in particular, I wear most due to it's fit, comfort, and performance. I mtb, hike trials, and plan to board during hot days in this jacket. If you are looking for a "perfect" soft-shell, this is the one!