Arc’teryx Summer Trail Running Collection

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Arc’teryx has had a longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and more recently, they took on a new initiative to build worker well-being into the DNA of their production cycle. They have partnered with the global Fair Trade Certified™ program to ensure responsible treatment of workers at every phase of the production process, along with protection of natural resources. The company’s goal is to have 80% of their products meet all Fair Trade Certified™ guidelines by 2025, and all of the items we tested from their summer trail running collection meet these standards.

Women’s Kapta Shorts
These shorts consist of exterior panels made from a lightweight Teslin fabric that has good stretch capacity and is highly breathable, combined with a lightly compressive boxer brief liner which moves moisture from your skin to the exterior fabric. The liner extends just beyond the length of the exterior panels but rides comfortably and stays cooler than we expected in warm conditions. Storage space comes from a stretch pouch on the thigh liner that can fit an average-size smartphone along with a drop-in pocket at the front waist, but there are no pockets on the backside at all. The Kapta shorts have a fitted overall profile but don’t constrict range of motion — even at high speeds.

: Women’s Kapta front drop-in pocket

: Boxer brief liner below exterior panels

: Women’s Kapta top

Women’s Kapta Top
This is an impressively lightweight and breathable top constructed from Arc’teryx’s most breathable mesh fabric that remained comfortable even in 90-degree temps. The Kapta has a regular fit with a slight droptail rear hemline, interconnected sleeves for full movement and soft seams to prevent chafing. The styling of this shirt has a classic aesthetic, with a soft V-neck collar, contoured torso and cap sleeve shoulder coverage combining for a distinctly feminine profile.

Men’s Motus Shorts
Construction of these shorts is very similar to the women’s Kapta shorts, particularly in its use of breathable Teslin stretch fabric for the exterior panels, and a lightweight mesh boxer brief underneath. The Motus shorts have a similar fit as the Kapta, with an inseam length of 6” that sits right between the customary standards of 5” or 7”. Where these shorts differ is in the pocket configuration. There is no pocket on the brief liner, but instead, small envelope pockets on both rear hips and two larger envelope pockets on the front waistband. The rear envelopes are only big enough to hold a gel packet or other small item, while the front pockets can hold a phone. However, the positioning of these front pockets is fairly wide, and when we ran with a phone, there was a bit of discomfort against the hip bone. Otherwise, these shorts proved to be very comfortable for multi-hour outings in warm summer conditions.

Men’s Motus SL Crew
The SL stands for super light, and this shirt does indeed have a very lightweight feel against the skin. It uses an innovative Phasic FL bi-component fabric that is designed to maximize moisture-wicking and ventilation during intermittent, high intensity and lower intensity intervals, such as going up and down long climbs. The Phasic fabric uses a reduced polypropylene yarn that creates a soft interior surface with a smooth outer face. The yarn also has silver ions encapsulated into the fibers for built-in odor control. Another innovation on this shirt is the use of non-PFC durable water repellent (DWR) treatment, providing a bit of water resistance in an environmentally friendly manner. Sizing on this shirt is generous; it’s listed as a regular fit, but we found the width to be quite roomy, to the point of sizing down if you’re between sizes.