Which one do you carry as a windbreaker, the Squamish Hoody or the Patagonia Houdini? You may be torn. The Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody is a windbreaker made from a single layer of 51 gsm nylon: 140 g, JPY 33,000 (men's). It packs into its own chest pocket, so it suits wearing it only when the wind picks up on a ridge. This season the water-repellent finish changed to FC0 DWR. But I have only tried on the previous model in a shop in April 2025, and haven't worn it in the mountains. I only saw the new 2026 autumn-winter model. What I checked in the fitting was how the fabric blocks wind and the shape of the hood. I haven't bought it. In spring 2025 I didn't own a wind shell, and JPY 33,000 felt too much for just a windbreaker, so I passed. Now the Houdini (bought in March 2026) is enough for me.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Throw it on when the wind picks up, and pack it into the chest pocket when it warms up. That speed of getting it in and out is the Squamish's strength, so I recommend this jacket as a wind layer for ridges.
Key points
- 140 g, ¥33,000. It is 35 g heavier and ¥16,500 more than the No. 1 wind shell in the rankings (Patagonia Houdini, 105 g, ¥16,500)
- The outer fabric is Tyono 30, a thin all-nylon ripstop that stretches. The water-repellent finish is FC0 DWR, with no PFAS added on purpose
- The StormHood is big enough to wear over a helmet. The fit is a trim fit
How heavy is the Squamish Hoody and what does it cost? 140 g, ¥33,000
The Squamish Hoody (men's) is ¥33,000 including tax and weighs 140 g. Sizes run XS to XXL and the model number is X000010276. The version on the official page now is the fall/winter 2026 model, with a new water-repellent finish.
It is a thin, single-layer wind shell with no insulation and no waterproof membrane. It is a tool for blocking wind and light chill, and it is no substitute for rain gear.
How I judged it
The first thing I looked at was that it packs into its chest pocket. When the wind rises on a ridge you throw it on, and when the sun comes out you stow it. A wind layer that's quick to get in and out gets worn more often than one you have to dig out from the bottom of the pack. Next I put the gap to the Houdini, No. 1 in the wind shell ranking, into numbers. Weight is 140g - 105g = +35g, and price is JPY 33,000 - JPY 16,500 = +JPY 16,500. The Houdini wins on weight and price. I still recommend the Squamish because of its stretch fabric and a hood that goes on over a helmet. It suits ridge walks with some scrambling.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody Men's
Lowest new priceJPY 33,000twopedal-ツーペダル-
From Rakuten Ichiba search results, tax included. As of Nov 10. Check the shop's page for shipping, stock, color and size.
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Squamish Hoody specs
| Item | Squamish Hoody (men's) |
|---|---|
| Release date | Listed officially as a fall/winter 2026 model (water-repellent finish changed to FC0 DWR) |
| Price (incl. tax) | ¥33,000 |
| Weight | 140g |
| Outer fabric | Tyono 30 nylon mini ripstop (51gsm, all nylon, FC0 DWR) |
| Fit | Trim fit |
| Hood | StormHood (helmet-compatible, with a brim) |
Is the Squamish Hoody waterproof?
It is not waterproof. I will say that first. What it promises is protection from wind and cold, and the water-repellent finish only sheds light rain. On days when rain keeps falling, choose it on the assumption that you carry a separate waterproof shell.
The water-repellent finish became FC0 DWR this season. It adds no PFAS on purpose and promises water repellency equal to before.
How is it different from the No. 1 wind shell?
| Model | Weight | Price (incl. tax) | Per gram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squamish Hoody | 140g | ¥33,000 | ¥236 |
| Patagonia Houdini | 105g | ¥16,500 | ¥157 |
The price per gram is 33,000 ÷ 140 = about ¥236. That looks higher than the Houdini's 16,500 ÷ 105 = about ¥157. On numbers alone, the Houdini wins on lightness and cheapness.
The difference shows in how easily you move. The Squamish has a stretch fabric and a trim fit, so it is built not to bind even when you reach up on rock. For the reasons behind the order, see the lightweight wind shell rankings, where I line up 5 jackets on the same yardstick.
Do you wear the Squamish Hoody as a mid layer or an outer layer?
One over a T-shirt, another over a fleece. It is a jacket designed for layering like that. The insulated Atom SL Hoody is 280 g, so the Squamish is 140 g lighter. You can split the jobs: the Atom for warmth, the Squamish for wind.
What a 10-minute try-on of the previous model showed, and the day the Houdini fell short
In April 2025, at a mountain gear shop, I tried on a size M of the previous model (172 cm, 65 kg) for about 10 minutes. I tried three things: raising my arms high, squatting, and pulling the hood on. I didn't wear a pack. The zipper pull was easy to pinch, the cuffs stopped at the wrists, and the hem didn't ride up when I raised my arms. The fabric had a taut feel that blocks the wind. I only saw the new 2026 autumn-winter model at a local mountain gear shop on a weekend around November 1. It was on a hanger, and I looked at the FC0 DWR label on the tag and the shape of the hood; I didn't touch the fabric.
This is not a comparison made by wearing them side by side; it is from memory and numbers. The Squamish fabric is taut and a little thicker, and it was somewhat rustly. The Houdini weighs about 100 g as measured, is thin, and is quieter. Since I did not wear them side by side, I cannot state the difference in the hood shape or the length of the body.
In spring 2025 I didn't own a wind shell. On windy days I made do with a thin synthetic jacket and rain gear, and even after trying on the previous model, I felt JPY 33,000 was too much for just a windbreaker, so I passed. I bought the Houdini in March 2026 and wore it 12 times in total: 1 in March, 3 in April, 3 in May, 1 in June, 1 in September and 3 in October. I put it on in the wind on 10 of those; on the other 2 I wore it on windless mornings for a little extra warmth.
What gave me trouble with the Houdini was in early April 2026, on a ridge in the 2,000 m class in Japan, at 3°C with an 8 m/s wind: after stopping for 10 minutes, my back got cold. Adding a thin fleece got me through the rest. The Squamish is only 35 g heavier and its fabric is about as thin, so I don't think it would solve the wind chill. Adding a fleece works better.
In the shop I did not fold it up. My own Houdini folds to about the size of a fist (roughly one apple) and fits in the chest pocket. I go by the maker's figures for the folded size of the Squamish.
On rain: in May 2026, when I was caught in light rain for 15 minutes in the 1,500 m class in Japan, the Houdini started to get damp at the shoulders after about 10 minutes, and after 15 minutes the inside of the shoulders felt cold, so I changed into a rain jacket. The Squamish isn't waterproof either, so I think it can't be used in rain in the same way.
What I want you to know before buying is that if you only need to block wind, the Houdini (16,500 yen) is enough. The Squamish costs 33,000 yen, is 35 g heavier, and letting rain soak in is not something I can praise. I only saw the new model in a shop, so my sense of how it feels rests on the try-on of the previous model.
Strengths and watch-outs
Strengths: it weighs 140 g, packs into the chest pocket, and has a helmet-compatible hood. The stretch fabric keeps you moving when you reach out.
Watch-outs: it is not waterproof, and its price per gram is higher than the Houdini's. Its warmth is as small as its thin fabric, so on days with long stops you make up for it with what you wear underneath.
Who is it for?
It suits people who want a light layer they can throw on quickly on windy ridges and rock. If you want to keep the cost down or put lightness first, the Houdini is another way to choose. If you are torn, take the Squamish: it combines a stretch fabric and a helmet-compatible hood in just 140 g.
The ridges in the 3,000 m class in Japan that I walk have many sections with rock scrambling, and I wear a helmet there. I don't own any other Arc'teryx items. I only saw the Atom SL in a shop and have never worn it, so I don't compare it here, and write only the numeric difference from the Houdini.
How to choose the Squamish Hoody, and my conclusion
I use 3 criteria: 1) weight (140g or 105g), 2) ease of movement (stretch fabric and hood), 3) price (JPY 33,000 or JPY 16,500).
Conclusion: if you want a wind layer that doesn't pull when you raise your arms on a ridge with some scrambling, get the Squamish Hoody. If you put weight and price first, pick the Houdini.
Price and where to buy
The price is JPY 33,000, as in the table. With the Houdini, I put it on in the wind 10 times over about 8 months, from March to October. If I wear it 10 times a year, JPY 33,000 comes to about JPY 3,300 each time. Divide by how often you'd wear it and check whether it feels worth it.
About the writer and sources
I'm a gear nerd who climbs both in Japan and abroad and collects gear. I re-read the numbers on the Arc'teryx official online store on Oct 29.
Published 2026-10-29 / Updated 2026-11-05. I checked the numbers on 2026/11/3. The source for each number is listed right below the table it appears in.
FAQ
How much does the Squamish Hoody weigh?
The men's version is 140 g. It packs into its chest pocket.
How much is the Squamish Hoody?
The official online store lists it at ¥33,000 including tax.
Can you wear the Squamish Hoody in the rain?
It is not waterproof. The water-repellent finish only sheds light rain, so use a waterproof shell on rainy days.
What is the Squamish Hoody made of?
Tyono 30 is a thin all-nylon ripstop at 51gsm. It stretches and has an FC0 DWR water-repellent finish.
Gear in this article
Ad · Images: Rakuten IchibaSources
Read next
- To compare within the same brand, read this too.Arc'teryx Atom Hoody Review
- For another pick from the same line, read this.Arc'teryx Atom SL Hoody Review
- To widen the choice within the brand, read this.Arc'teryx Atom SV Hoody Review
