Arc'teryx Launches Beta Jacket with a Brand New Version of GORE-TEX

If you’ve spotted an Arc’teryx jacket in the wild there’s a good chance it was one of the brand’s Beta models. The Beta Jacket and Beta Lightweight Jacket are two of the company’s best selling products and it has just updated them both with GORE-TEX ePE, a new kind of GORE-TEX that’s being touted as more sustainable and better for the planet.

Arc’teryx is one of the first brands to launch this latest version of the world-famous waterproof membrane. It was tested and co-created with the GORE company and, according to Arc’teryx, “met or exceeded performance benchmarks while delivering a measurable improvement in sustainability.” The new GORE-TEX ePE membrane is “lighter and thinner” than previous versions, it claims, adding to the jackets’ performance credentials, going on to say that the updated Beta jackets took over two years to develop and required “a total redesign.”

The new Beta jackets are also PFAS-free. But, we hear you ask, “what is PFAS?” Well, if you can pronounce it – it’s a bit of a mouthful – PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of potentially harmful “forever chemicals” that are commonly found in clothing and are especially prevalent in waterproof and water-resistant gear. As a brand that makes clothes for the great outdoors, moving away from PFAS makes sense for Arc’teryx. The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters and the Vancouver-based company has worked closely with its innovation partners at GORE to develop this new material. Having a sustainability agenda is nothing new for most brands in 2024, Arc’teryx included, but progress in this regard can often be slow. One of the reasons for this is that achieving sustainability can often come at the expense of performance. Arc’teryx, however, has been clear that this isn’t a step backwards and in its latest press release the outfitter states that “the new jackets perform to the same high standards for breathable, waterproof, durable performance.” We recently covered news of Acr’teryx’s updated SV Jacket which uses an earth-friendly coloring technique known as dope dying, and the new Beta jackets continue the brand’s push towards a more sustainable future.

The new and improved Beta Jacket and Beta Lightweight Jacket with GORE-TEX ePE are available now via Arc’teryx stores and online priced between £350-450.