I am a sucker for Arc’teryx gear. Maybe it is because we used to live near an outlet store, the slim fit, or maybe it is the kid in me who loves the dinosaur bone logo. Whatever the reason, I seem to end up with a lot of their stuff, however, I do not have an unlimited budget and their pricing can be high (to put it mildly). I picked this coat up on clearance at REI about 10 years ago and it still looks nearly as good today as the day I purchased it. It is my go-to coat throughout most of the Chicago winter, as well as hunting, fishing, canoeing, and camping trips. I have used and abused it and somehow it still looks great after every wash. It is a bulletproof windstopper with some warmth on its own but really shines with a down or wool sweater underneath it. Make sure to keep a rain shell nearby if the weather looks dicey because the jacket does not have a hood.

Verdict: I would still try to find it on sale but after 10 years of use, I would probably just suck it up and pay full price if I lost or ruined mine. I highly recommend the Arc’teryx Gamma LT.