The outdoors comes with many physical and mental benefits, but it also comes with a long list of challenges. There’s a huge market for outerwear and techwear clothing, as both come with varying features that people can put to use and face natural environments with confidence.
Whether it’s casual hiking, snowboarding, or mountain biking, both companies come with many clothing categories that are built for various outdoor lifestyles.
In this Patagonia vs Arcteryx review, you’ll get a detailed look at what both companies have to offer and which one provides the best value to the customer.
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Patagonia vs Arcteryx Overview
| Patagonia (Winner) | Arcteryx |
| – Massive catalog of clothing – Great option for the whole family – Buy used, trade-in, or fix gear – 1% of sales goes to the environment – A blend of sport and casual options – Heavy focus on activism | – Outdoor essentials for men and women – Free shipping and returns – Offer retail, on-sale, and used items – 30-day return policy – Focuses more on functionality over fashion – Pro program for outdoor professionals |
What They Offer
Patagonia
If you’re looking for a universal approach to outerwear, Patagonia has a catalog that seems to be an all-in-one for the clothing category. It ranges from casual to more technical outerwear, and they also have a sports section where you can find clothing catered toward a specific activity.
Aside from clothing, the company also has a wide range of accessories and outdoor gear on their website. It’s evident they’re looking to be the one-stop shop for outdoor clothing and equipment.
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Arcteryx
This is a company that takes active and outdoor lifestyles seriously, providing technical outerwear that’s built for any natural environment you may want to experience. They don’t offer as many clothing categories compared to Patagonia, but they definitely offer more than just the essentials.
You can find clothing and equipment for a vast number of outdoor activities, along with accessories, product care items, and a durable quality that’s unwavering across every product. They only have options for men and women, so you won’t find anything for children or babies from Arcteryx.
Quality
Patagonia
It isn’t hard to find positive comments about the company and its quality clothing. Shoppers seem to be quite happy with the company’s products, and many buy with confidence due to their environmental ethics and satisfactory warranty program.
You can easily find bands of customers online raving about their most recent purchase and how much they love it. It seems regardless of what you get from Patagonia; you’re going to get a product that lasts.
Arcteryx
Aside from the quality claims on their website, the truth is always in what the customer has to say about their first-hand experiences. With Arcteryx, it seems to be hit or miss for most shoppers.
From lackluster build quality to a drop in overall value due to moving production overseas, customers have frequent complaints about the current status of the brand and its products. They aren’t terrible by any means and have grown quite a bit in recent years, but some people are finding it hard to validate the asking price.
Pricing
Patagonia
Considering their enormous catalog, you’re bound to find a substantial range in their pricing. To give you an idea, t-shirts range from $30 to $80 depending on the design and material, and heavier items such as jackets will range from $100 to $700.
They also offer a used section where you can find quality items at a discount, and there are numerous ways to outfit your whole family without racking up too much of a bill.
Arcteryx
With a relatively niche product selection, this isn’t as much range or variation in pricing on Arcteryx’s website. However, they have two ways to save with their outlet and used gear sections.
The outlet generally consists of past season items, and used gear is a great way to keep items in rotation with a “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” approach.
From lightweight to heavier clothing items, you can expect to find pricing to range from $100 to $500 depending on varying factors related to its design and manufactured quality.
Sizing
Patagonia
Another reason many people favor Patagonia is that their clothing selection is very body positive. A majority of what they offer is available in sizes from XXS to XXL, making every piece widely available for a vast demographic of people.
Of course, you may run into an item that’s out of your size temporarily, but you won’t find an item you can’t have for yourself. From men, women, and children, everyone has plenty to choose from.
Arcteryx
In contrast, Arcteryx doesn’t have as broad of a size range, and it’s somewhat common for many best-selling items to be out of stock in regular sizes. Most of their clothing is available in sizes from small to XXL, and their bottoms don’t offer too much outside of a middle ground in sizing.
Although most people should be able to find what they’re looking for, niche groups will have a harder time finding something that’s built for them.
What Do Customers Have To Say?
Even with each brand’s pros and cons, they both have a sizeable customer base that’s happy with what they have to offer. Get a more unfiltered look at what customers think by reviewing their most common sentiments down below.
- People love Patagonia’s ethical approach
- Arcteryx is stylish, but they seem to lack in quality in recent years
- Shoppers aren’t happy that Arcteryx took manufacturing overseas
- Others really enjoy the unique style options Arcteryx provides
- Patagonia’s catalog selection reigns supreme
- Many outdoor enthusiasts feel Patagonia’s quality is unmatched
Let’s Wrap It Up
If you look at both brands side by side, it seems they serve a similar market and customer base. There are quite a few similarities, but after further review, there are also some key differences that make them unique.
From what we found in our research combined with public reviews, it looks like Patagonia is the ideal choice for outdoor clothing and gear.
This Patagonia vs. Arcteryx review discussed the fine print of both brands to help you discern which is best for your hard-earned money.
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