Arc'teryx Men's Squamish Hoody

I loved my first Squamish so much that I bought a second. My first is still going strong. However, I have a serious gear fetish, and jackets are a little bit of a weakness of mine.
Yes, the fabric is 20 denier. I wouldn't go shimmying through a chimney in Joshua Tree with this jacket. However, I have done a lot of climbing and backpacking with this thing on, and it still looks brand new. It went through the chimney on the SE Buttress of Cathedral Peak without so much as a snag.
Fit is not bad. Arm length is about right, but there's too much room in the belly. I suppose it makes for a good outer layer, with room underneath for layering, but I rarely use it for such purposes. I have to wear a large for the torso and arm length (I'm 6'2" with a 21" torso and very long arms) but there's just too much room in the belly for a trim fit (I have a 31" waist). Its a minor quibble given what this thing can do.
In heavy rain it quickly saturates. This is not a hardshell. It will, however, fight off a short storm or a minor shower. As a windshirt it simply cannot be beat. Its quite breathable, and adds a fair amount of warmth for its almost unnoticeable weight. Its as good as a softshell for fighting off the wind, better in some ways. It wads up to the size of a tennis ball. I've literally stuffed mine into my pocket between pitches on climbs.
Ounce for ounce I can't think of a better garment. The Marmot DriClime is a close second. I never thought it could be beaten as a windshirt. I still love it, particularly since the DriClime adds a little more warmth... but the Squamish packs down to half the size... and it doesn't look like a satin pillowcase.

I use a windshirt as a mid-layer for heat retention when hiking or trekking during the winter. From spring to fall I wear it over a t-shirt or a thin base-layer. As on other Arcteryx jackets there are no pockets at the hips to interfere with a backpacking or climbing harness. There is only a small crossover pocket on the left side of the chest. I use this for keys if I go for a day hike. The Squamish hood is nice, very adjustable. The jacket material is both wind and water resistant, durable and very well crafted. The articulated cut of the sleeves is a great feature. The cuffs are adjustable for reducing or increasing air flow. I also like the heron color. In short, the jacket will do as it says, but it's pricey. It's $70 more than a Montbell windshirt which is a little heavier and full cut, but the Montbell doesn't have those awesome fossil bones on it if that's your thing. Personally I like the athletic fit and lighter material. I don't like feeling that I'm hiking in a noisy nylon sack in windy conditions. The Squamish works great for me in every situation where I need it.

This hoodie is incredible. Any time, whether in the backcountry or around town, I'm expecting wind or some rain shows I wear this. It's extremely lightweight, and blocks the wind like crazy. It's also got a hood with adjusters to tighten it if needed. Very windproof though.
This hoodie also does suprisingly well in rain. I've had it in a few rain showers for over 20 minutes and it just sheds the water like my waterproof shell. Granted, these were not downpours by any means, but it's very water resistant. It also packs down small enough to fit in my hand. There's really nothing I would change about this hoodie, great piece of gear, well worth the investment!

Purchased this and a Patagonia Houdini to compare. Feels like a higher end jacket with the velcro wrists, and opaque material - but it should for the higher prices. With that said, it might be overkill unless on sale.
It is also sized larger than the Houdini @ 5'9" and 200 lbs the Squamish is one size too large in XL, the Houdini is just about right in XL.

The Patagonia Houdini gets all the love for being 4oz, but I'll take the extra 2oz for the Squamish's better cut, drawcord hem, velcro cuffs and excellent hood. Unless it's the dead middle of summer, this is outermost hiking layer. Worth the price.