Arc’teryx Partners With Gore-Tex For New Waterproof Membrane

The new Arc’teryx Beta AR jacket with a fresh take on waterproofing with the introduction of the Gore-Tex Pro ePE membrane.

Arc’teryx

Arc’teryx has partnered with Gore-Tex since 1995. Now, 30 years in, the collaboration has resulted in a new waterproof and breathable membrane that Arc’teryx calls lighter, more durable and more responsive than any before it. The Gore-Tex Pro ePE fabric makes its debut in the Arc’teryx Beta AR jacket, a 25-year-old silhouette that has helped define the Canadian brand.

Calling it the toughest and more durable jacket in the Beta family, the redesigned Beta AR features the new Gore-Tex Pro ePE membrane, along with enhanced fabric lamination, new cord locks for increased durability and pack-friendly pockets with easier access.

In 2024, Arc’teryx updated its lineup of shells with the Gore-Tex ePE technology, a waterproof membrane free of intentionally added chemicals, and with half the thickness and lighter than previous membranes. In 2025, Arc’teryx shows off its latest collaboration with Gore-Tex, having led the development of the Gore-Tex Pro ePE. The new fabric features a membrane, a backer underneath and a face fabric on the top. Both the ePE and Pro ePE features the same membrane but differ in the backers and face fabrics.

“The next generation Gore-Tex Pro technology is a major leap forward,” Sara Ellis, global Gore-Tex Pro product specialist and materials engineer, tells me. “It provides the same trusted waterproof, windproof, breathable performance—now lighter, made without intentionally added per- and polyfluorinated substances and utilizing recycled textile content.”

Ellis says the new product is a “milestone in merging pinnacle durability with a lower environmental footprint,” which opens new design possibilities.

To make it through the Gore-Tex process, every membrane and laminate was subjected to a bevy of testing. Lab testing included the Gore-Tex Rain Room in the brand’s Delaware headquarters. To simulate the harshest conditions, the rain room sends three inches of rain per hour in hurricane-level wind and rain to dump six gallons of rain per minutes for 30 minutes. Only if a design can pass that test is it sent out to the field for real-world testing.

Lab testing features plenty of durability tests, including ruggedness testing to check a fabric against rips, tears and abrasions while ensuring it retains its waterproofness. The Martindale machine functions as a key simulator, mimicking abrasions by “stamping” material repeatedly. The Gore-Tex ePE had to handle 5,000 repetitions, while the new Gore-Tex Pro ePE takes on 20,000 “stamps.”

The Beta AR launched in 2000 and has enjoyed eight updates since. In 2004, Arc’teryx reduced the width of the seam tape to 13mm to increase the flexibility and added a drop hem, laminated the internal chest pocket and reinforced the elbow and shoulder areas while dropping the overall weight to 540 grams. In 2007, the brand introduced a Gore-Tex Pro Shell that was lighter with more breathability while streamlining the seams for improved ability to withstand weather. The 2010 update featured more water-tight zipper designs and in 2013 a new lightweight Gore-Tex fabric with a woven nylon backer helped increase durability while reducing weight to 440 grams. The waterproof protection in the zippers and hood improved in 2018, the fabric got an upgrade in 2020 and the brand’s StormHood was introduced in 2023.

“Twenty-five years ago, the original Beta AR revolutionized the outdoor industry,” says Tanya Hall, Arc’teryx design expert for advanced concepts. “Its innovative DropHood, hand pockets and essential pit zippers quickly made it one of the most coveted hardshell—and it was this very DNA that inspired some of the first guide jackets we developed for mountain professionals in the early days.”

The 2025 version now features regular, articulated fit to allow for layering, roughly 15 stitches per inch for durability, glove-friendly cuffs to help seal out weather, two zippered hand pockets, a DropHood, a reflector in the hood brim, internal cord locks, pit zippers for temperature regulation and an adjustable hem drawcord. And it all comes with the latest in waterproof breathability from the Arc’teryx Gore-Tex collaboration.

The updated Beta AR design saves over 1.5 miles worth of material annually thanks to newly optimized fabric patterns. “We also,” says Amber Heath, Arc’teryx senior designer for women’s hike, “dedicated significant attention to the precise placement of pit zips and pockets on our women’s styles, enhancing both functionality and fit.”

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