I really like my Arc'teryx Rush from function perspective. Immaculate cut for my build, best hood functionality I've ever experienced (helmet or no), Gore 3L Pro, sleeve pass pocket, pow skirt, no wrist gaiters. Interior seam taping is really impressive, even compared to other high-end ice axe companies... blows comparable tier [ak], TNF, Patagonia, and Helly Hansen out of the water. Only company I've been comparably impressed by is Norrøna.
Arc'teryx kind of dorky but c'est la vie. They added some higher profile snowboarders on the team-- at least on the female side --so maybe they'll switch up designs. I wouldn't say
this necessarily looks good, but showcases some capacity for change.
Arc'teryx stuff is expensive, but I've learned if I buy anything cheaper than top-end, I will wreck it. I have a long graveyard of outerwear I've destroyed: Homeschool, Bonfire (various iterations), Sessions, [ak]. Hell, I have a 4-5 [ak] warranties to my name, including blown out the seat seam on my most recent set of Freebird bibs. I'll still wear [ak] because the warranty is bomber, but otherwise only really consider Arc and a couple other high-end ice axe-y companies.
Only really concern I have with them is they're owned by Amer Sports, which a
Mainland Chinese mega conglomerate acquired a few years back. If they were going to cut back on build quality or customer service, now's probably around the time we'd start seeing it.
