Advice on new Beta AR
Hi everyone,
New to the group and wanted some thoughts from the seasoned veterans.
I recently purchased a F25 Beta AR that was on sale but am curious about the new EPE pro membrane vs the old EPFTE from previous models. I know the biggest fuss is regarding the new DWR which is eco friendly, but users claim to be worse. Has anyone tested both models with the old epfte/dwr vs the new? Is it noticeably different?
I’m asking this because I’m planning on using the jacket for skiing, hiking, and casual wear. Maybe I’m overthinking it but I’ve been considering buying an older model with the epfte membrane (mainly because I want the jacket to be my “last” jacket) and the epfte membranes has been established tech that doesn’t need to be treated very often vs the new materials. I’m not hinting at being careless of my equipment but I also don’t want it to wet out if I hit the slopes three plus times a week. Again, maybe this is due to the misinformation out there but it sounds like you have to “baby” the new gear vs older models that were built to last with lower maintenance.
I plan on putting some mileage on this and the last thing I want to worry about is babying a $650 jacket that’s been turned into a fashion piece. So for those that have been using older Arcteryx and upgraded to the new versions, are you satisfied? Or do you feel like you’re constantly looking for the older models?
Thanks in advance!