Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket vs Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket
Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.
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These are two different kinds of rain jacket.
The Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket is an all-round rain jacket; the Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket is an alpine hardshell. The lighter one saves 120 g, but the two are built for different jobs, so the lightest is not automatically the better buy.
What the Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket offers besides the lower weight
- A lower list price: $500 against $599.
Weights are the makers' listed weights. The other specs were checked on 13 October 2026 against evo.com (Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket) and evo.com (Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket). "Not stated" means the source does not mention it, not that the jacket lacks it. List prices are the full price shown by that source, not a sale price; where sources disagree we show none.
Choose the Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket if…
…you expect sustained bad weather, climbing or winter use, or carry a heavy pack that would wear through a thin shell.
Choose the Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket if…
…you want one jacket for three-season hiking in real rain, with venting for the climbs.
Building a pack? Add either one to your HikeLoad list, or drop its weight into the base weight calculator, and see what it does to your total weight.
See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest clothing - outer layer page, or browse the full gear weight database.