In this latest article, we seek to compare two reputable outdoor clothing companies who both have humble beginnings as climbing equipment manufacturers; Mammut and Arc’teryx. While Mammut has over a century of more experience than Arc’teryx, both brands are relied upon and trusted by active people in harsh terrain. We are going to look at some of the more popular Arcteryx pants and compare them with their Mammut counterparts, as well as diving into the world of Mammut vs Arcteryx hardshell jackets.
What You Should Know Before Buying
History of Mammut
Headquartered in the Swiss town of Seon, the Mammut Sports Group is a trusted name in the trekking, mountaineering, and climbing community. The company has been running since 1862 after Kaspar Tanner started making ropes upon the completion of a three-year apprenticeship. To this day, their climbing ropes are still some of the most popular ropes available on the market. As the company grew and expanded, it swallowed up and rebranded rival companies such as Raichle and Ajungilak under their own name.
Material and Design
Mammut streamlines many of their products for alpinism and climbing, but also produce clothing for outdoor athletes operating on a somewhat restrictive budget. They are partnered with GoreTex and use some of their world-renowned membranes in some of their more premium and protective outdoor clothing. Furthermore, their clothes are specifically designed around the movements of the athletes using them, shaped directly onto the athlete’s bodies, and developed into a three-dimensional cut, maximizing mobility even when using potentially restrictive protective materials.
Mammut Vs Arcteryx – Best Brand Comparisons
Best Popular Designs
Mammut has established a strong balance between quality and affordability, and produce garments from roughly the middle of the overall outdoor clothing price range to the top while delivering durable and reliable products. Some of the more popular and interesting designs are as follows.
1. Mammut Kento Hooded Hardshell Jacket
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The Mammut Kento Jacket is a reasonably priced, climbing friendly, waterproof shell. It features two front pockets designed to work while wearing a climbing harness and an adjustable hood that fits comfortably around a climbing helmet, the shield of which has been reinforced to maximize your field of vision while protecting you from bad weather.
The yips of the jacket are made by YKK Vislon and are water repellent. The garment is made from Polyamide and Polyurethane to ensure waterproofing. It is lightweight, compressible, and therefore extremely packable, functioning as an excellent extra layer for a day of hiking or climbing.
2. Mammut Aenergy Pro Jacket
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Optimized for skiing and mountaineering, the Mammut Aernergy is a flexible and breathable softshell jacket that works as an excellent mid-layer in bad conditions and a functional outer layer when it’s not raining too hard. It is made of durable elasticized material to not impede your mobility and is fully adjustable at the hems to fit around accessories like gloves and to comfortably fit the user.
Like the Kento, the Aernergy also comes with harness-friendly pockets to stash your gear in. Its breathability is particularly noteworthy, ensuring excellent air circulation while keeping you warm and dry.
While not completely waterproof due to the softshell design, the jacket is very windproof and can be paired with a waterproof outer shell in a layering system. The Aernergy will protect you from gentle rainfall or snowfall.
3. Mammut Camie Climbing Pants
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The Mammut Camie Climbing pants are made from a mixture of cotton and elastane, designed to stretch in order to help you move when on the wall. The crotch has been gusseted and the knees articulated to maximize flexibility, and the stretchy material is both extremely comfortable and malleable, meaning you will never feel restricted in your movement. The minimalist chino design is also suitable for everyday situations, unlike many other climbing pants which stand out a little too much when worn away from the crag.
The fabrics are Fair Wear and Bluesign certified, making these an ethically positive choice for your climbing pants, both socially and environmentally. While they are not particularly heat-retaining or waterproof, for a pair of casual pants suitable for climbing and daily situations, you can’t go too wrong with the Camie pants.
4. Mammut Nordwand Pro Pants
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The Mammut Nordwand Pro Pants are a premium product for those who are serious about extreme alpinism, ice-climbing and ski touring. No detail has been spared in the design of these pants, and they have taken years of testing and modifying before arriving at the final product.
The pants are made from a mixture of materials, including a new GoreTex Pro Stretch membrane to maximize mobility, GoreTex Pro Most Rugged technology for advanced weather protection and durability, and a dope-dyed hardshell exterior to protect you in extreme conditions.
Much like the Mammut jackets, these pants also come equipped with harness-friendly pockets. Seam edges are reinforced to protect against the weather and against accessories such as crampons. Everything is adjustable to ensure the most protective and comfortable fit. There is a side-ventilation system to help you moderate your temperature and moisture build-up inside the garment. There are also detachable braces to help everything stay in place when using the pants.
While you will have to pay a fair amount to get your hands on these pants, if you are venturing into such hostile environments that demand such features, you should not compromise your health and safety over the price of your equipment. These premium pants are tried and tested by athletes in the field and can be relied upon in the harshest of conditions.
These four products span a wide area on the price spectrum, from all-around, affordable protection to pricey, premium pants that would not be out of place on a professional expedition. Now, let’s have a look at what jackets and pants Arc’teryx has to offer.
History of Brand Arcteryx
Since 1989, Arc’teryx has been creating durable and reliable outdoor clothing, designed against the harsh conditions of British Columbia’s Coast Mountain Range. Arc’teryx actively seeks to improve sustainability by ensuring their products last for a long time and that the materials used to make them come from environmentally and socially ethical sources. While originally a climbing company, manufacturing has expanded, and the brand is trusted by skiers, hikers, alpinists, climbers, and even those commuting to work in urban environments.
Material and Design
Arc’teryx both partner with material producers such as GoreTex, and produce their own patented fabrics for use in their quality outdoor garments, such as their Fortius 2.0 fabric used in many of their softshell garments. Arc’teryx products like their clothing or backpacks are usually specifically designed for particular activities and streamlined to complement very precise needs. Furthermore, the company focuses on quality over affordability to ensure uncompromised protection in extreme situations, which is tested in the rugged terrain of the company headquarters’ backyard – the mountains of British Columbia.
Best Popular Designs
Arc’teryx produces only the highest quality garments, delivering products near the top of many people’s price ranges while arguing that the elongated life of their clothing will pay off in the long run. We have taken a look at some of their most popular and functional jackets and pants and compared them to the Mammut products detailed above.
These four products span a wide area on the price spectrum, from all-around, affordable protection to pricey, premium pants that would not be out of place on a professional expedition. Now, let’s have a look at what jackets and pants Arc’teryx has to offer.
5. Arc’teryx Gamma MX Softshell
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Like the Mammut Aenergy Pro jacket, the Arc’teryx Gamma MX is a softshell jacket designed as a weather-resistant mid-layer jacket or a flexible standalone garment in gentle and moderate weather conditions. The breathability of the material ensures that, as a mid-layer, moisture is kept away from your body to help you moderate your temperature. It is constructed by Arc’teryx’s patented Fortius 2.0 fabric which has been made to withstand water and wind, and to be durable against abrasions and extensive use.
The Gamma has articulated patterning to help maintain mobility and harness-friendly pockets for those who wish to wear it while climbing or mountaineering. The simple, minimalist design is also stylish and suitable for everyday use.
While a little more expensive than the Aernergy, the durability of the build and the streamlined design give the jacket that signature premium Arc’teryx feel. It is sure to perform well throughout a number of outdoor activities and to last for a long time.
6. Arc’teryx Beta AR Goretex Jacket
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Comparable to the Mammut Kento Jacket, the Arc’teryx Beta jacket is a waterproof outer shell constructed from strong GoreTex Pro material. The jacket is completely waterproof and windproof, lightweight, packable and breathable, as you would expect from GoreTex technology.
As well as this, the jacket has embedded RECCO reflectors, which help you to be seen should you need to be rescued from an emergency. The jacket is also adjustable to ensure the seams stay close to your body, minimizing opportunities for wind and water to get in, and it allows you to adjust the hood over your climbing helmet.
While at home as an outer layer in harsh alpine conditions, the jacket is designed to perform across a multitude of outdoor activities and is a strong, all-around waterproof layer.
7. Arc’teryx Sabria Pants
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The Arc’teryx Sabria pants are a streamlined hiking product with a gusseted crotch and articulated knees for increased mobility. They are UPF protective for hiking on sunny days, and the casual lightweight design allows a good amount of air circulation to keep you both protected and cool on warmer days.
The material is strong and durable, and able to take a beating from branches and rocks. Furthermore, they are specifically designed to fit comfortably under your backpack with a comfortable waist and pockets for stashing your essentials in.
While not as flexible as the Mammut Camie pants, and not streamlined for climbing and bouldering, these pants are comfortable and flexible enough for trekking, hiking, and everyday use. Beginners to the sport of climbing may also find them flexible enough for basic movements.
8. Arc’teryx Ravenna Pants
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Somewhat comparable to the Mammut Nordwand Pro pants in that these are waterproof alpine pants, the Arc’teryx Ravenna pants are most at home on the winter slopes. Streamlined for snowboarding and skiing, the Ravenna pants are designed to fit with heavy snowboarding and ski-boots and are fully water and windproof to ensure that you are warm and comfortable throughout your time in the mountains.
They are constructed from 3 layers of GoreTex fabric to guarantee your protection. Articulated patterning helps to support your movement instead of restricting it. Adjustable vents allow you to moderate airflow and temperature inside the garment, while still protecting the vents from the snow that could otherwise find its way inside.
The simple and stylish design is sure to be the envy of everyone on the slopes. While these pants would protect you in alpine conditions during climbing and hiking expeditions, they are not streamlined for such activities but instead for snowsports, and if you are considering a mountaineering trip, it is best to look for specifically designed products to compliment your activities.
For those who are looking for more affordable products, suitable for everyday use and gentle outdoor activities, Mammut is probably preferable over Arc’teryx, as they make budget-friendly products as well as professional, premium clothing. For those venturing into harsh alpine conditions, both Arc’teryx and Mammut produce excellent protective clothing to ensure that you are comfortable and uncompromised in your expeditions, and thorough research into product features will help you to decide which garments are best for you. While Mammut garments will offer you more features for your money, Arc’teryx’s protection and quality are difficult to beat.
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