This Fall/Winter season marks the arrival of first down collection developed by Arc’Teryx and the Cerium LT Hoody, an 850 fill European Goose down jacket, does not disappoint. The developers at Arc’Teryx designed this jacket for backcountry and alpine use and the Cerium LT Hoody has already won an ISPO award, given out each year to “the most exceptional sporting goods products”. It is outstanding as either as a warm mid layer or on its own. Needless to say, we haven’t ventured outside without this jacket since we received it. As the snow begins to fall and the chair lifts begin to open, we are chomping at the bit to test it on the ski slopes of Colorado. Cerium LT Hoody ReviewLet’s take a more in-depth look at what we found special about this jacket starting with Carl Moriarty, Senior Design Manager at Arc’Teryx:

Cerium LT Hoody Key Features

Technical Features:

  • Moisture-resistant outer face fabric
  • Breathable
  • Insulated
  • Great warmth-to-weight ratio
  • Lightweight
  • Compressible and packable
  • Wind resistant

Construction:

  • DWR finish (Durable Water Repellent) helps bead water from fabric surface
  • Down Composite Mapping strategically places Coreloft synthetic insulation in areas where moisture may buildup.

Hood Configuration:

  • Adjustable hood drawcords
  • Insulated Storm Hood

Zippers & Fly Configuration:

  • Full front zip with chin guard
  • Corded zipper-pulls reduce noise and are easy to grab

Cuff & Sleeves Configuration:

  • Elastic cuffs

Pocket Configuration:

  • Two hand pockets with zippers
  • Integrated Features
  • Includes stuff sack

Materials:

  • Coreloft 80 g/m² insulation. Made with highly crimped multi-denier siliconized polyester yarn, this lightweight, breathable, and thermally efficient, 100% polyester staple fibre it is very compressible and has excellent loft retention.
  • Airetica—100% nylon, 34 g/m². Tightly constructed, high tenacity, 20×10 denier ripstop nylon with a smooth hand.
  • 850 fill European goose down
Arc’Teryx Cerium LT Hoody Review Break-down

Comfort:

Cerium LT Hoody ReviewThe Cerium LT Hoody is extremely comfortable. It is streamlined and fits close to the body for maximum warmth while its three-part sleeve is designed for optimized mobility. Weighing in at a mere 275g, the jacket is feather-light and is not bulky compared to similar down mid layers. The jacket’s adjustable hood is perfect for blocking the wind, is designed for maximum peripheral visibility and the durable water repellent finish is effective at keeping light precipitation off of your head. More than once, we have come in from the cold and sat in our living room for hours without removing this jacket, a key indicator of its comfort in our opinion.

Style/Design:

The Cerium LT Hoody is stylish and looks great around the city or on the ski slopes. We have received several complements on the red highlighting on the midnight blue jacket we received from Arc’Teryx. The jacket is stripped down of bells and whistles, designed for minimal complexity and ease of use. We welcomed the simplicity as it kept the jacket’s weight to a minimum. Down is typically not good when wet but the designers at Arc’Teryx have taken this into account by adding a water repellent coating that helps light precipitation bead off the surface of the jacket. Without a doubt, We would recommend this model over the Cerium jacket without a hood. Cerium LT Hoody ReviewMore nuanced details make this jacket really stand out. The 850 fill European Goose down is found in the core and arms of the jacket to optimize warmth but the design team at Arc’Teryx have strategically incorporated a synthetic down fill along areas that are prone to moisture accumulation including the hem, collar, sleeves and underarms. In addition, the two angled hand warmer pockets are large and easy to access. The left hand warmer pocket is equipped with a stuff sack attached to the inside for easy packing. We were amazed at how little room this jacket takes up in our rucksacks when packed away.

Versatility:

The Cerium LT Hoody is easily one of the most versatile jackets we have tested. As we mentioned before, this jacket can be worn in the city or on the slopes. It unpacks from its stuff sack in seconds and is ready for use. It can be worn as a mid layer under a shell or on its own weather permitting. More than once, we have taken this jacket out of our pack when the temperature dropped and found our friends surprised that we had it the entire time in a small pack. Having worn other down jackets, we were also surprised at how well the Cerium LT Hoody shielded from harsh winds. As a bonus, the hood is large enough to fit nicely over a ski helmet.

Cerium LT Hoody Review

Warmth:

This jacket is extremely warm. We have worn it with a t-shirt underneath in 20-30 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and had no problem staying warm. Coupled with a base layer and shell, this jacket is perfect for layering in lower temperatures in the backcountry. In addition, the hood keeps drafts out of the jacket and helps your neck stay toasty when wind chill drops.

Value:

We found the Cerium LT Hoody’s retail price of $350 to be more than reasonable. It is a high-quality jacket and when the Cerium LT Hoody’s versatility, warmth-to-weight ratio and design are taken into account we were pressed to find a higher quality jacket at the same price point. The jacket is a dynamic mid layer that provides excellent comfort and usability. Overall, for Arc’Teryx’s first venture into down, we were delighted with the results.

Buy Now: $350.00

The Arc'Teryx Cerium LT Hoody: Gear Review
It is no surprise to the Busted Wallet team that this jacket received an ISPO award for mid layers. We tried to find flaws with its minimalist design but were impressed overall with the jacket’s performance. If you’re in the market for a new mid layer this season, look no further, this jacket is the perfect addition to your winter collection for cool and dry conditions.
Comfort8.8
Design / Style9.7
Versatility8.5
Warmth9
Value8.8
The Good
  • Extremely Comfy
  • Surprisingly Pack-able
  • Fantastic Warmth-to-Weight Ratio
The Not so Good
  • DWR Finish Only Protects Against Light Precipitation
9Overall Score
Reader Rating: (108 Votes)
2.3

About The Author

Contributor

A fitness, outdoors and tech enthusiast, Justin is constantly searching for the latest and greatest products to add to his quiver. On the weekends you can find him playing golf, skiing in the mountains or exploring the city of Chicago. Justin is hard on his equipment and places a high value on quality craftsmanship and ingenuity. Currently in graduate school working on his MBA, Justin is excited to discover new products to share with the Busted Wallet community.

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.