1/23/11 - Two of the latest offerings from the Arc'teryx LEAF line are the Sphinx Pant and the Gryphon Pant . Both use a combination of different fabrics, anatomical patterning, and a host of integrated features to offer outstanding versatility across a broad range of weather conditions. I would normally do completely separate writeups for each pair of pants, but it made more sense to compare them to each other at the same time so the differences (some of them subtle) and shared features could be better pointed out. In a nutshell, both are combat pants designed for inclement weather use, with the Gryphon having an edge in water-resistance, and the Sphinx in breathability.

Sphinx Pant

The Sphinx pant is a durable, breathable, wind and weather-resistant combat pant intended for comfort and mobility under inclement conditions. The Sphinx features mechanical-stretch textiles and anatomic patterning, integrated knee pad pockets, reinforced knees and integrated gaiters. Like the Sphinx Halfshell, it utilizes a combination of materials to provide protection in the more exposed areas and more breathability in the less exposed areas.

Material - The Sphinx Pant utilizes two weights of soft shell fabric in its construction (Crocodile shown here):

Tweave® Durastretch 520e for the majority of the pant - 520e is a technical, 4-way stretch woven with 91% nylon and 9% lycra spandex. Durastretch is a durable, abrasion resistant, water and wind resistant, low-bulk, breathable fabric with excellent stretch and recovery properties. The Multi-directional (4-way) permanent-stretch spandex has 100% memory for shape retention. The Tweave Duratretch 520e used for the Sphinx is not laminated to a lining fabric - it is a single layer material. It is designed as a breathable shell material for wind and moisture resistance rather than an insulating material. This means that it can be used in warmer temperatures, and is very packable. It is treated with a DWR (durable water repellant). This is the same fabric used for the Arc'teryx Combat jacket and pants. Note that the DWR (water repellant treatment) will have to be 'renewed' after some time, with a spray-on or wash-in treatment. I prefer the spray-on treatments.

Tweave® Durastretch LT 536n used internally for the pockets, seat lining, gaiters and knee pad pockets - This material is lighter and stretchier than the 520e for freedom of movement, and is actually the same fabric as the LT 520e (lighter weight version of 520e) used on the yoke, shoulders and sleeves of the Chimera Shirt LS. It was just named differently due to a marketing inconsistency. It is a technical 4-way stretch woven with 84% nylon and 16% lycra spandex. It is a durable, abrasion resistant, water and wind resistant, low-bulk, breathable fabric with excellent stretch and recovery properties. The Multi-directional (4-way) permanent-stretch spandex has 100% memory for shape retention.

Front of pant

Inside the waist

Rear, and rear pocket

Hand pocket

• Suspender tabs - There are two suspender tabs in the front and one in the back for use with the Gryphon pant suspenders.
• Articulated knees and seat - The knees and seat are articulated for unrestricted movement.
• Two rear pockets - The two rear seat pockets have angled access and have flaps with velcro closure. The flaps are sewn down on the outside edge so they don't flip up, and stay more secure.
• Two hand pockets - There are two hand pockets with Cordura reinforced panels at the entrance (the darker material in the photo above). Right behind the hand pockets are Cordura reinforced tool pockets. These are only 3" deep on this production version - later ones are deeper.
• Gusseted crotch

Reinforced knees

Knee caps

Knee pad pocket

Gryphon Pant

Like the Gryphon half shell, the Gryphon pants are a combination of hardshell and breathable softshell fabrics that offer versatility across a broad range of weather conditions. Waterproof Gore-Tex is used in high-wear areas like the thighs, knees, shins, seat and cuffs, and 4-way stretch Tweave is used in less exposed areas like the back of the legs and crotch gusset. The use of Gore-Tex gives the Gryphon an edge over the Sphinx in water-resistance.

MI270 Gore-Tex® XCR® for the main pant construction - XCR is a 3 layer fabric with great tear strength and abrasion resistance with a DWR finish for water repellency. It is also the fabric used for the Gryphon Halfshell, Alpha Jacket and Alpha bib, and is engineered to excel in extended/extreme conditions while being tough, breathable, waterproof and wind proof. Gore-Tex® XCR® has 25% less resistance to moisture vapour transmission than Classic Gore-Tex which means that you stay drier inside. The fabric has a DWR finish for water repellency. Note that the DWR (water repellant treatment) will have to be 'renewed' after some time, with a spray-on or wash-in treatment. I prefer the spray-on treatments. The Gore-Tex is used on the more exposed areas of the Gryphon pant; subject to the most moisture.

Tweave® Durastretch 520e for the waist, upper butt, side cargo and calf pockets, back of the legs and crotch gusset - See Sphinx description for fabric details. The Tweave panels are used in the less exposed areas, and offer more stretch and breathability than the Gore-Tex panels.

Tweave® Durastretch LT 536n for the pocket liners, gaiters and knee pad pocket - See Sphinx description for fabric details. It is only used internally in the Gryphon. It's a lightweight but strong fabric, and is perfect for the pockets.

Here's a summary of the features on the Gryphon half shell pant (size medium shown here in crocodile):

• Hardshell/Softshell hybrid - Breathable fabric sections on backs of legs and in gusseted crotch panels. In the photo below on the right, the softshell fabric sections are highlighted in red.
• Anatomical shaping and articulated patterning for fit, comfot, and mobility.
• Zipper fly with dual snap closures.
• Soft, lined waist band - the waist band is lined with the same, soft brushed fabric used to line the collars of some of Arc'teryx's tops. It's comfortable, and also helps keep tops tucked in.
• 2-1/4" belt loops - Five extra wide belt loops to accommodate the weight of a loaded belt.

Front and side

Soft shell panels (shaded red)

• Suspender tabs - There are two suspender tabs in the front and one in the back for use with the Gryphon pant suspenders.
• Suspenders - Low profile elastic Y-suspenders come with the Gryphon pants, made of 3/4" wide black elastic. They attach and detach quickly via stainless steel hooks to the suspender tabs.
• Articulated knees and seat - The knees and seat are articulated for unrestricted movement.
• Two hand pockets - There are two hand pockets at the front of the pant with zippered openings. The zipper pulls are heat-shrink tubing covered. To the outside of the hand pockets are Cordura reinforced tool loops.
• Gusseted crotch

Waist detail

Detachable suspenders

Side view

Thigh cargo pocket

Calf pocket flap

M4 mag in calf pocket

• Two thigh cargo pockets - There are two 9" tall x 8" wide cargo pockets with bellows at the rear for expansion, located on the side of each thigh - same design as on the Sphinx pant. The entrance is covered by a velcro-secured flap, with the single velcro patch in the middle, and the flap sewn down at both ends.
• Calf pockets - On each calf is the same pocket as on the Sphinx, sized to fit a USGI 30-round M4 magazine. It's a snug fit as the pocket is a bit short; I think they'd work better if they were about 1.5" deeper for mags with magpuls or taller mags like Pmags or ARC mags. They were designed for quick magazine access while seated in a vehicle, but can obviously be used for other items. The pocket itself is 5" tall with a 2" gap from the opening to the flap. The flap doubles as a strap loop when the knee caps are worn.
• Padded knees and integrated knee pad pockets - The knees don't have the webbing reinforcement on the outside like the Sphinx pant, but instead are lightly padded with laminated foam inside. The foam feels to be about 1/8" thick. What this does is reduce abrasion from stones and rocks by providing some 'give' behind the outer shell fabric, so that sharp objects aren't pressed as hard against it, reducing the chance of them piercing through. Inside the knee is a knee pad pocket sized for the Arc'Teryx knee caps or Crye combat/field pant knee pads (not included). The knee pad pocket has a velcro-secured opening at the bottom and a flap that folds up and retains the knee pad. There are also four knee cap strap slots, through which the knee cap straps are passed through. The flap of the calf pocket goes over the bottom knee cap strap. The knee pad pocket is light weight Tweave 536n.
• Adjustable pant cuff and integrated gaiter - The bottom of the pant cuff is adjustable via the elastic drawcord and cord lock in the integrated gaiter. The end of the shock cord has a plastic pull on it, and can be tucked inside the gaiter. The gaiter is to be used over the boots to help keep out bugs and debris.
• Stirrup grommets - There is a small grommet on each side of the cuff for using 550 cord as stirrups, to prevent the cuff from riding up the leg and from snow entering the boot.
• Weight 1 lb 4 oz

Padded knees

Knee cap

Knee cap installed

Crye knee pad

Inside of knee

Integrated gaiter

Gaiter cinched up

Sizing, fit etc - Arc'Teryx pants usually fit a bit tight in the waist for me, like the Alpha and Bravo pants, but the Sphinx and Gryphon are a bit more relaxed. I believe that both the Sphinx and Gryphon have the same fit and cut as they both fit me just the same; although they're made up of differently shaped panels. There might be a slight bit of difference in the butt, though. Arc'Teryx pants (especially the hardshells) always seem to look a bit funny in the seat on me, as theyo have a bit more material there to facilitate squatting and moving. This seems to be true with the Gryphon, with the hardshell-covered seat. It looks a tad bit roomier on me than the Sphinx, since the Sphinx's seat is made of stretch fabric. Functionally, both are unrestrictive and comfortable.

I'm 5' 7" with a short 30" inseam and 32" waist, and the medium pants fit me just fine. They're regular length, with a 30-1/2" inseam. A little extra length is not a bad thing for wet weather pants. The cuffs on all the Arc'Teryx pants are normally a bit wider than BDU pants, and the cuffs for both the Sphinx and Gryphon measure 10". This is because they're designed to fit over any boots; including plastic mountaineering and ski boots.

General notes and observations - For the Sphinx and Gryphon garment design criteria, the Arc'Teryx LEAF team was given a worst case scenario of a helo or HAHO insert followed by 10-15k movement to target in mountainous terrain, in a winter storm; followed by CQB and 5-15k movement to a LZ for extraction, all in a single period of darkness. To accomplish this, the users needed to wear a full CQB load out plus full mountaineering kit; hence the feature set.

Quality and construction is typical Arc'Teryx; outstanding. Same tiny stitches and micro bartacks as seen on the Alpha garments. The Tweave 520e fabric is more durable than I initially thought, after using it on various Arc'Teryx garments. Its stretch qualities let it 'give' some when snagged or rubbed, so that it's less likely to tear. I wore the Sphinx pant out on a desert trip in the 50's and low 60's, scrambling over rocks, running around and shooting from various positions (prone, kneeling etc) to see how they felt. I used them with and without the Arc'Teryx Knee Caps installed. I like the fact that the knee caps are inside the pant, rather than outside, as I can keep the straps relatively loose without the caps sliding down. The soft layer of Tweave LT536n between the inside of the knee cap and your knee keeps it comfortable. The knee caps make a big difference when kneeling, but the webbing on the knees without the knee caps installed isn't too bad either. The brief drizzle out in the desert that day wasn't enough to dampen the pants.

Gaiter close-up

I didn't get the chance to wear the Gryphon out in the 'field' as it arrived a couple of weeks after I went out with the Sphinx. At the first opportunity, I will. However, we had some uncharacteristically heavy rains this winter, so it took the opportunity to wear both the Sphinx and Gryphon pants out in the wet whenever I could. Like the Gryphon top, the Gore-Tex panels provide better water resistance than the Tweave 520e, so the Gryphon will keep you dry longer under the same conditions. As neither are water proof, but water resistant, and without taped seams, the Gryphon and Sphinx pants will get wet in some areas eventually, and that will depend on how heavy the rain is, and the duration spent in the wet. During the heavy rains, I was dealing with some roof and wall leaks in my house and spent a lot of time outside trying to find the sources and manage the water while it was raining. The Gryphon performed very well - I was in heavy rain, climbing up and down a ladder (not on the roof - just on the side of the house), wearing an Alpha LT jacket over the Atom LT jacket as it was chilly (in the low 40s), and my legs stayed dry. The shell fabric did eventually 'wet out' in a couple of areas after more than half an hour but I didn't detect any dampness on the inside. When I came back inside the house, the pants dried very quickly. The Sphinx also performed well in the rain, shedding most of it. I did feel a bit of dampness in the cargo pocket area after being out in the rain for a while but it wasn't uncomfortable. If I were to wear either pant in colder weather, I'd probably wear a very light wicking base layer underneath for additional warmth and comfort if condensation inside the pants make them feel clammy to the skin. If more rain protection is needed, there's always the Alpha pant or bib.

The calves on the Gryphon are Gore-Tex, they do have a nylon 'swish' sound when I walk. I asked a friend about whether nylon 'swish' is a concern under combat conditions, and he said 'not really', since the it'd be used under rainy/bad weather conditions and if you're that close to the enemy to hear that, you've got other things to worry about. The Tweave calves on the Sphinx pants are quieter. As far as breathability goes, the Sphinx should be more breathable than the Gryphon, but honestly I didn't notice a difference when I wore them; they were both comfortable under all the conditions I wore them (temps ranged from the 40s to the 60s). Like most of the other Arc'Teryx LEAF garments, the Sphinx and Gryphon pants aren't cheap, but that's not surprising when it comes to specialized equipment tailored to certain users' needs and missions.