Description of Arc'teryx Handler Fleece Jacket - Men's:
The Arc'teryx Men's Handler Jacket uses Polartec Classic Micro Velour Cord Fleece to create a corduroy-like face fabric with impressive technical performance. Although the Handler Jacket was built for days in the city, it also works as a mid-layer when you head for the mountains. Arc'teryx used no-lift underarm gussets and articulated elbows to ensure total freedom of movement for technical adventures—not something you usually see in a corduroy jacket. *Only available for US shipment.
Bottom Line: The Arc'teryx Handler Jacket brings mountain-ready performance to the city.
I LOVE Arc'teryx. They have great stuff that is well worth the price. However, I should have read the product description more closely because I didn't know it was a cord fleece. My fault for not reading. It's warm though.
For a lightweight fleece jacket it certainly gets a lot of use throughout the year. Very trim fit- size up if you plan to layer lots. I use this on cool summer evening with a T or as an underlayer beneath a softshell when its gets more chilly (my Med hercules or Gamma MX fit overtop) . 3 easily accessible pockets and a nice finish on the fleece (corduroy look).
"Worst purchase ever made" is a ridiculous claim.
The Handler is billed as a casual jacket, and is cut as such. It's loose for Arc'teryx (esp. noticeable in the forearms; I have climbers' forearms), and semi-fitted for casual clothing. It's still got the Arc'teryx cut, such as the articulated (bent) elbows and tapered torso. The courderoy fleece material actually feels (weight, drape, skin feel) a bit like cashmere, and so it wears kind of like a cashmere cardigan, but with a zipper. Likewise, it isn't very wind-resistant.
The Handler's strength is comfort. The cut is too loose for it be a technical/layering piece. Coupled with the weight and suppleness of the thin fleece, it isn't quite sharp enough for a night-on-the-town. However, this is the first thing I will reach for if I'm going to be sitting in my office, a library, or in an airplane for several hours. I wouldn't be surprised if the Handler was something the Arc guys came up with to deal with their own unavoidable office/design studio hours.
