|
Arc’teryx
Rho LTW Beanie
Owner Review by Andrea Murland
December 4, 2013
Tester Information
| Name: |
Andrea Murland |
| Email: |
amurland AT
shaw DOT ca |
| Age: |
28 |
| Location: |
Elkford
& Kimberley,
British Columbia, Canada |
| Gender: |
Female |
| Height: |
5 ft 2 in (1.57
m) |
| Weight: |
130 lb (59 kg) |
I began hiking frequently in 2006 and have
since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent 2 months
backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on
2-3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage
them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, but don’t have a lot of
experience with winter in the backcountry yet. Elevation is typically
500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk,
Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t
consider myself a lightweight backpacker.
Image Courtesy of Arc'teryx
 |
Product
Information
| Manufacturer: |
Arc'teryx |
| Manufacturer's
URL: |
www.arcteryx.com
|
| Year of
Manufacture: |
2012 |
| Model: |
Rho LTW Beanie |
| MSRP: |
CAD 30.00 |
| Colours
Available: |
Black, Calypso,
Crocodile, Honey Bee, Tungsten |
| Listed Weight: |
30 g (1.1 oz)
|
| Measured
Weight: |
36 g (1.3 oz),
mine has some extra embroidery |
Care Instructions: (from manufacturer):
Machine wash in cold water or dryclean, wash dark colours separately,
wash with wool detergent, tumble dry on low heat, do not leave wet,
iron on low heat, do not use fabric softener.
Description
The Arc’teryx Rho LTW Beanie is a lightweight beanie (which I will now
refer to as a toque) made of 95% merino wool and 5% spandex. The
headband is made from a double layer. There is an embroidered Arc’teryx
logo on the headband. The material is joined at the top in what the
manufacturer refers to as “six-dart construction”. You may see extra
embroidery in my photos below, from Search & Rescue.
Field
Conditions
I received two of these beanies in the fall of 2012. They have since
become my go-to toques for all of my energetic activities. One of them
lives in my emergency kit of spare clothes at the bottom of my Search
& Rescue pack. The other one I have worn about 20 days in the
backcountry, including a week-long ski trip, an overnight ski trip, a
two-week long trip to Iceland, overnight hiking trips, snowshoeing,
cross-country skiing, cycling, and day-hiking. I have also slept in it
several times on overnight trips. I have worn the toque in temperatures
between about -25 C (-13 F) and freezing, either alone or with another
layer on top.
 |
Review
Comfort & Fit:
I am impressed with the fit of the Rho LTW Beanie. I have a small head,
so most toques are quite large on me. This one is by no means tight,
but it fits acceptably well. I don’t really have to stretch it to get
it on. It creeps upwards slightly while I’m recreating, but not as much
as some other hats I own. I have worn it under a cycling helmet, and it
was thin enough to be comfortable without having to adjust the helmet
at all. It is also very comfortable under my climbing helmet.
Warmth & Snow/Wind Resistance:
The beanies perform remarkably well, considering that upon inspection
they appear to be just a thin layer of wool. I find that in calm
conditions, if I’m active, I am comfortable down to about -15 C (5 F).
The material breathes quite well, so I am also comfortable up to around
freezing, at which point I’m looking for something headband-style
because my head is too hot. However, I find that to be a pretty good
temperature range.
The material of the toque doesn’t block the wind. If there’s a breeze
and I’m active, I can still be comfortable, though not to quite as cold
a temperature, but as soon as I stop moving I need to cover my head
with something more wind-resistant.
The toque isn’t particularly water or snow resistant. Snow will melt
onto the toque from the heat of my head, and if it gets wet enough the
fabric will soak through. Usually if it’s precipitating that much I
have a jacket on though, so I put the hood of the jacket up to keep the
wet stuff off. The material of the beanie keeps my ears warm despite
getting wet, but any wind definitely feels cold in a hurry through the
wet toque.
Durability:
Well, my toques have no holes. They don’t seem to have faded. I’ve
washed the one that I wear regularly about five times, in the washing
machine, and air dried it. I haven’t subjected the beanies to any
particularly sharp objects, but overall the durability seems to be good.
Summary
The Arc’teryx Rho LTW Beanie is a lightweight merino wool toque that is
an excellent layer for active pursuits. I never leave home without
it…and sometimes two!
Thumbs Up:
Lightweight
Warm
Breathable
Thumbs Down:
Not water-resistant (not that I’d expect it to be)
Wind blows through
Read more gear reviews by Andrea Murland
|
