The meme, the myth, the legend – the final boss outdoor jacket. The Arc'teryx Alpha SV [Severe Weather] has done what only the most powerful of performance outerwear can do: become a cultural icon.

Recently you haven't been able to scroll for 5min before coming across a video of someone standing in the shower with their new jacket. Whilst some plebeian types are out there flexing with basic gear, we all know that when the weather gets serious they'll be curled up in the fetal position.

Alpha is the flagship model, the Arc'teryx "Grand Cru" of sorts – designed to protect people putting themselves into infinitely more exciting (and dangerous) situations than we'll ever experience. This is achieved through cutting edge GORE-TEX technology incorporating proprietary Arc'teryx innovations. Sure you'll probably only use 30% of it's capabilities when running to the bus on a wet day, but since when was any of this about being rational?