Arc’teryx Veilance Survey Jacket Review

Introduction

The Survey Jacket was introduced in the fall/winter collection of 2012 and was marketed as a non-GTX alternative to the then mainstay item of the Veilance collection, the Field Jacket. Both items share design elements such as slanted chest pockets, top-access hand pockets, and textured face fabrics; however, the similarities largely end there. One could argue that the Survey’s design is more reminiscent of a heritage wear blazer, compared to the more militarized M65-design of the Field.

The Survey came in Black as well as the color “Lead” which is a dark brown color, that in a certain light almost gives off red undertones, which we find to be a super unique and dynamic colorway that lends itself well to this style of jacket.

It’s a bit hard to find exact pricing info of this jacket since no cached site exists, but the best guess is that the official MSRP was between $750-850 based on currency conversion from the pricing of overseas retailers at the time. This pricing was very similar (and even slightly below) the Field Jacket during that time, which makes sense considering how the jacket was marketed.

Rumor was that Arcteryx had supply issues with this particular fabric package resulting in very few units of the Lead colorway being produced, making this already rare garment exceedingly more hard to find on the second hand market today.

Editors note: As we did not find a Lead colored jacket, we requested permission to use Arc’teryx’s e-comm pictures available on their site. As such; this review features their own photography.

Design & construction

As previously mentioned, the Survey features a blazer-like design that merges the design cues from the Field with a novel fabric package, combined with the unique look of the single chest pocket, and the angled flap hand pockets.

Other details that are most commonly found on blazers include the curved hem on either side below the front zipper. Apart from that the most obvious aspect is the ability for the wearer to only zip the jacket to chest level, naturally creating two lapels with the zipper exposed on the left side.

A subtle detail that reinforces the blazer-like impression is the tailored contour along the lower back. This feeling is probably the result of some clever patterning, combined with the very structured feel of the fabric. This is especially pronounced when bike commuting, when the wearer is in a semi-hunched position. You could also draw some design parallels to the Field Jacket here, with the integrated waist cinch present in the older Field shells as well as the IS (insulated) version.

In terms of construction this jacket takes no shortcuts in true Veilance fashion. The underarms are gusseted as is the case with most Veilance jackets, and the sleeves have a distinct elbow bend due to the spiral sleeve design that Veilance was known to utilize, most notably in the various iterations of the Node and Isogon jackets.

The patterning is as usual quite complex, with the back being composed of several different panels. The geometric lines created by intricate shoulder and neck patterning are nothing new for Veilance, a brand built on architectural principles that continue to inform its designs, albeit to a lesser degree today than during its inception.

What’s new here is that the panels composing the shoulder and upper back is not connected to the neck area (thus creating a raglan sleeve effect) as we have seen from newer designs, such as the Range or Lerus IS jackets, instead opting for separate panels which would in theory result in a more complicated production process.

The sleeve openings on the Survey are also a bit wider than other Veilance jackets due to this being a blazer-like jacket and any visible cinches or any sharp taper here would likely deviate too much from that concept.

Material analysis

The Survey’s main feature is the fabric package, which is not always the case with Veilance jackets. As far as we know, this fabric was in very low supply and was only used for this exact jacket. The copy states:

“Reassessing protection and fit, the Survey Jacket uses an advanced textile that pairs a WINDSTOPPER® membrane with a cotton/polyester twill on the face and cotton polyester blended jersey on the inside.”

This combination produces a beautifully melanged fabric with a canvas-like hand feel, yet a smoother, more refined surface. It shares similarities with something you would expect to find on a vintage Carhartt chore coat, but less rough and more pliable. The inner liner is smooth to touch and is reminiscent of the flannel backers used in various workwear jackets.

We’ve handled many different fabrics used by Veilance over the years but this one is without a doubt the most impressive we’ve handled and just adds another layer of refinement and sense of luxury to this jacket that would be lost by using a more conventional nylon-based 3L fabric.

While the fabric certainly has its flaws compared to the more conventional choices Veilance utilized in the past in terms of breathability, stretch and bulkiness the jacket would lose a lot of its charm without it. The fabric does handle wind very well, and if layered properly it can handle milder temperatures too but rain and snow is certainly not its strong suit, nor do we think it was intended for that application.

Features

The Survey, as with many other older Veilance jackets, can be styled in different manners resulting in a different look depending on the wearer's preference, or perhaps what the weather conditions necessitates.

As mentioned above, the main configuration of the jacket would be to wear it blazer-style, with the main zipper only being closed to chest level, thus creating two lapels that can be worn up. One unintended (or perhaps intended?) feature of this configuration is that the opening at the chest lets in some amount of wind when bike commuting, allowing the incoming air to cool down the chest and armpit area, which can be a lifesaver with a jacket that has a rather sturdy and thick material such as this one.

The jacket can of course also be worn fully zipped, creating a more regular spread collar look. And if the wearer requires more weather protection the collar can also be flipped up, creating more of a mandarin collar vibe, although compared to later Veilance designs this jacket has no built-in Cobrax fastenings to hold the collar in place, this is not much of an issue however due to the inherent rigidness of this fabric since the collar holds it shape well when worn up.

Then there’s the chest and hand pockets. While the former only holds small and flat items and is therefore mostly a design choice rather than a practical one, the latter does hold a fair amount of stuff without ruining the silhouette of the jacket. Since these pockets are top-access only, they are wholly inadequate to act as hand warmers and are therefore reserved for storage only which we think is a fine trade off for a jacket like this.

Apart from this, there’s also two internal pockets commonly found on most Veilance jackets. You get a larger one that can easily hold any of the extra large smartphones available today, whilst the smaller one is perfect for something slim such as the Casing Card Wallet from Veilance. These pockets provide the extra utility needed to make this jacket a daily driver, without having to rely on your pant pockets or any other form of carry item.

Fit & wearability

The copy states:

“This trim fitting design can be worn on its own or can be layered to provide wind protection under another coat, while the dynamic visual elements give momentum to a quiet sense of classicism. A wealth of inner and outer pockets ensure that this jacket can protect personal effects as well as the wearer.”

Whilst this is an elegantly worded paragraph by Arc’teryx marketing team this jacket is not very suitable as a midlayer, however it does work (and look) very good over a simple button-up, as well as with sweaters with a higher collar such as half-zips and turtlenecks. Due to the length, it also works well to put over a Blazer LT or any suit made from a thinner fabric.

It could theoretically also work to layer under a larger topcoat such as the Partition or even a Monitor, but in our opinion there are other jackets more suitable for this purpose, mainly due to the rigidity and length of this jacket. We suspect it also could lead to some clammyness stuffed under a shell since it doesn’t breathe too well in and of itself.

Apart from that we believe this jacket can be worn with a multitude of different styles, for tech-forward clothing as well as with more refined heritage or workwear brands. For example it would not look too out of place with a pair of Align MX or even with corduroy pants to add some contrast.

We believe this versatility is (and was) a selling point of the jacket, since not all Veilance garments had the same look going for them.

While the point for Veilance was to blend seamlessly into urban environments the reality is that the brand has always been very tech-forward and it would always pair well within a modern and utilitarian wardrobe. Due to the Survey having a more vintage-looking style than other jackets from the brand's history, we believe it’s suitable to be in a unique category of jackets from that perspective.

Care & durability

This jacket, while made from an unusual fabric, is quite easy to care for. The washing process is the same as for any other GTX shell or softshell jacket, namely a cold (30C) cycle combined with some tech-wash.

However, reapplying DWR and drying the jacket is another question entirely. Due to the cotton content this could in theory lead to delamination so one should be quite wary of attempting this. This jacket is primarily suited for dry shoulder season weather, so one should not expect it to replace a shell or handle any kind of sustained downpour. For that reason we recommend the proper way of caring for this jacket should be a simple wash cycle and hanging it to dry.

Verdict

The Survey is indeed a relic of its time, and a good representation of what we and many fans consider ‘the golden era’ of Veilance. Like many designs from this period in the brand’s history the Survey was and remains to this day a novel design, whilst incorporating several elements from the brand’s other offerings at the time. This may give a potential buyer looking to buy this jacket an added sense of visual cohesion, perhaps as a more dressed up option to the Field Jacket.

While there have been no real comparisons in terms of material choice to the Survey in the subsequent seasons that came after it leading up to present day, one could argue that the current Spere blazer (not to be confused with the LT model) is the closest comparison one could make in recent times, sans the ability to zip up the jacket fully and having no visible pockets, which could be a pro or con depending on one’s preference.

One other aspect to consider here is that due to the unique aspect of this fabric package, the Survey is almost entirely quiet due to its cotton content, which is somewhat of a rarity in the brand’s lineup where their outerwear offerings up to this point were almost entirely composed of various GTX and softshell materials that will make that swishing sound as you go by.

Apart from the other points we’ve made about this jacket, this feature alone could be a selling point for someone who appreciates the design and craftsmanship of Veilance but doesn’t want to sound like they’re wearing a jacket made of plastic in a professional environment.

9/10

Ultimately, this jacket epitomizes a bygone era of Veilance - one unlikely to return. The craftsmanship, tailored and trim fit and unique fabric choices combined make for a truly great jacket with the understated details that Veilance became known for. Therefore we can highly recommend someone reading this to seriously consider picking up this jacket if they are fortunate enough to find one on the second hand market.

Note that pre-2021 Veilance fits a lot trimmer than their current offerings.

If you’re interested in other ‘classic’ Veilance items, be sure to check out our review of the Gabrel Jacket.

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