Arc'teryx Honors Lunar New Year with a Limited Edition 'Year of the Wood Snake' Alpha SV Jacket

The Lunar New Year is almost upon us and Arc’teryx is marking the marking the beginning of the Year of the (Wood) Snake with a limited edition version of its Alpha SV jacket.

The Canadian outerwear brand has teamed up with multidisciplinary artist Romon Kimin Yang to honor the upcoming new year with a design inspired by “urushi” – the Japanese word for the natural lacquer derived from trees of the same name found across Southeast Asia, one that’s said have healing properties and has been used for millennia to create durable, decorative objects.

Yang, also known as ROSTARR, was born in South Korea before immigrating to the US aged one. The American artist says he “channeled my Asian roots” in coming up with the design, adding that “the snake is a mysterious and beautiful creature that I have a lot of reverence for.”

The limited edition jacket is constructed from triple-layer GORE-TEX Pro 2.0 material, the most durable and hardwearing in Arc’teryx’s repertoire. The N100d material is not only waterproof and windproof, but is highly resistant to abrasion – after all, the Alpha SV is one of the brand’s premier climbing jackets, made to withstand the rigours of mountain climbing.

It features an adjustable hood that’s compatible with climbing helmets (or, indeed, those for cycling) thanks to the brand’s proprietary “StormHood” technology. It had a completely water-sealed pocket on the left bicep, two similar pockets on the chest, and two internal pockets for additional, secure storage.

And, for those planning to actually use this jacket in the wild, the Alpha AV also has RECCO® reflector aids to help search and rescue teams find you should you, you know, get lost.

The Arc’teryx “Year of the Wood Snake” Alpha SV jacket is available now in limited numbers at select stores priced at $1,000 USD. It is not available online.