Arc’teryx

Got maybe the best boots I have ever worn. They are light, comfortable, but can handle the terrain.
This store has some really quality goods from what I can tell. It loses a star because it’s really expensive. I am good paying for quality, but $ 500 for basic gore tex pants, thats a little much.
Anyway, if you are into really nice outdoor gear, have some money to spend, and don’t want to venture outside NW DC, you’re going to want to pay this place a visit.

Visit to the first Arcteryx store in USA. The product are great but expensive. I prefer to buy online when there is discount and sales.

I don’t personally own anything from Arc’teryx, but my boyfriend and his family swear by it for outdoor activity and daily winter wear.
However, I wanted to write this review to comment on the AMAZING customer service my boyfriend and I received at this store on Saturday. We had come in to inquire about the return/​warranty process and an associate approached us as soon as we walked in the door. She quickly and clearly explained the process to us.
We then took a browse around the store, where my boyfriend then had more questions about a few jackets. The same associate ended up spending about half an hour talking to him about the differences (pros/​cons) of each jacket and each product line. She didn’t try to hard sell him on any item, or up-​sell him to the pricier line. She was extremely informative and even talked about her personal experiences with the brand to help put the products in perspective.
Unfortunately they did not have the particular jacket in stock that my boyfriend wanted, so they recommended that he order online and gave him a free code for two-​day shipping. We asked if we could order it in store just so the associate could receive commission, but evidently they don’t make commission off that type of sale… which made me even more impressed at how patient and honest she was.
Kudos to the staff here! It is a high-​end brand, but I’m glad it doesn’t come with the snobby attitudes that exist at some other luxury retailers.

The employees here are knowledgeable about the product line and incredibly honest. I went there because I lost my Beta AR rain/​wind shell and was looking to buy another one. I was glad to learn about the differences between the Beta, Theta, and Alpha lines. Anyways, I went in and loved their products even though I did not buy my shell from Arc’teryx it was an amazing experience. I did end up buying four other products though (this place is expensive) so… I naturally I bought a few things because I fell in love with them…
— A plaid shirt (love the thickness of materials and the snap on buttons)
— Rico Shacket (great snap on buttons)
— A base layer
— Cerium LT Vest
Because of their assistance, I am now super loyal to Arc’teryx. Everything from my commute to running gear. But LuLulemon still has my market for workout gear.
Pro-​Tip: The Alpha has different pockets exclusively for mountain climbers or anyone else who wants across the chest pockets. Not good for those who want to put their hands into their pockets on a cold day. The Theta is a bit longer. The Beta is almost the same as the Alpha except for the pockets (you can stick your hands into the pockets and do not have to cross them across your chest).

Seeing as how this listing is for ONE SPECIFIC STORE — and not a place to whine about the price of the best made gear on planet earth — I’m going to keep my review to this ONE SPECIFIC STORE.
I wish there was a 6 or 7 star review, because they deserve it. So does the company in general, but this review is for, well, you know. Just this store.
As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by Miguel, who ended up showing me all kinds of stuff that I did not even know was on the market. I try to keep up with the latest more than most and Arc’teryx is killing it right now. Miguel knew off the top of his head the most minute details of every piece of gear in the place.
I mean, this is the type of service you always hope to get but so rarely do.
But the thing that blew me away was this: I walked in to the store with a Bora 80 backpack thta I haven’t used much, just because I thought I would go on many more long hikes then ended up being the case. (It’s an amazing pack. After the apocalypse there will be nothing left but Bora 80’s and insects, and I don’t think this pack will fit them). I was hoping to find a cardboard box for it, because I had sold it and needed to find something to ship it in. Katie went in the back, and after some effort found a box that would do the trick. She then brought out a tape gun, prepped the container so that it was more suitable for shipping, and asked me if there was anything else she could do to help.
Think about that for a second. I had sold their gear online and told them this up front. They treated me like royalty and gave me better service than many stores where I actually buy stuff.
I should have expected nothing less. I’ve done a ton of research on how gear is made in the outdoor industry — it was my business for a while — and the Arc’teryx attitude is «just make the best and don’t worry about anything else». And they do. So it’s no surprise that this same attitude filters down to their employees here, where the customer service matches the amazing quality of the gear.

Bought a full ski outfit, went to Colorado and it is simply the best gear you can buy. Service was outstanding I’m coming back this summer for more gear.

I went to the grand opening. I have one of their packs – a nice well made, relatively high end item and I was curious about what they had. The lineup for free little bags (their grand opening premium, along with crab sliders for people who made a purchase) included obvious fans as well as wearers of The North Face, Patagonia, and Marmot. The selection was a mix of clothing, accessories, luggage, and smaller packs. The accessories were priced similarly to other brands while the clothing and packs here were very expensive.
I looked at a lightweight hardshell rainjacket they had – it was much like a Patragonia jacket I considered buying a couple years ago for hikes in New Zealand (land of temperate rain forests), however, it was nearly twice as expensive and really offered nothing different in the way of materials, workmanship or design. The same theme was evident with the other merchandise, although they seem to use a finer grade of material on their day packs than others, but nothing that would justify prices that were 50−100% greater. They also didn’t have my pack, which was more functional and a better value than anything I saw in the store (I bought it at REI).
I’ve seen their gear at REI and Paragon in NYC, so I know not all of it is as overpriced as this. There was no effort to sell innovation, material, or other convincing brand defining characteristics. They did have a Gore-​Tex concession, but Gore-​Tex is neither new nor necessarily premium as a material (except may be for their expensive dental floss). They were talking about items being made in Vancouver but at least half the stuff had been made in China and I wouldn’t be surprised if it came off assembly lines that turned other brands.
So…possibly a semi-​good place for Arcteryx fans, but a pretty unconvincing place for people who are serious about the functionality of their outdoor gear (i.e., they actually use it in the way it is promoted) and looking for real value. The rest of City Center was dead, as usual, so it’s unlikely to be a draw for the complex, even though it fits the overpriced pretense of the other retailers.

The latest addition to CItyCenter DC arrived today and with it, large crowds lining up on H St.
I showed up at 10 am for the grand opening and found a long line of people already waiting to get in and/​or get a «custom» lunch bag.
After a few minutes, I was in the store; however, I decided to wait another two hours in a separate line for the lunch bag.
During the wait, I learned a lot such as Arc’teryx products never go on sale because they have trouble making enough and their items are quite pricey but nice and attract a cult following.
As others noted in line, why they chose to make «custom» lunch bags as opposed to having them ready for the hand out is one of great debate. In some ways, it’s genius. There were close to 200 people in and out when I was there, and that attracts more people to an otherwise sleepy upscale shopping area. (Loro Piana opened up a few doors down with no fanfare.)
It took awhile to learn that the «custom» bags were really just being sewn in the store; you didn’t get a monogram or anything, but you were able to speak with the sewer, Janna?, who designs Arc’teryx products.
A lot of people did end up purchasing things, and it helped they were handing out free snack tickets to Feeling Crabby, which conveniently pulled up as the crowds were getting bigger, and the CityCenter folks were handing out their usual bright orange reusable shopping bag.
Arc’teryx had a soft opening last night, and earlier in the week, I heard a shopper was able to convince them to open so he could purchase a pair of their top of the line ski pants. As for myself, I ended up with two backpacks. I can’t wait to test them out.
There was a lot of staff here today, probably because of the grand opening. The best part was that there was a staff member who knew sign language and interacted with a customer the whole time. It’s really great they had this guy because he was clearly the only one able to help the customer.