TerraTex, a thin softshell material, has been a mainstay of Arc’teryx Veilance, including in the Blazer LT. Recently, the brand went for even more of that, with the Veilance Spere LT series – and it added what amounts to a full-on suit.

Spere LT blazer and pants are another take on a suit solution from Veilance after spring/summer 2021’s Haedn LT “capsule” (that also included a short-sleeve shirt).

Two main aspects speak for this approach: material and cuts.

TerraTex, Again

TerraTex, as used here, is a stretch-woven softshell material consisting of 94% polyester and 6% elastane, treated with a DWR, and very, very thin.

I’ve spent summers in Voronoi and Blazer LT made of TerraTex, and it has been one of the best materials for hot (and humid) summers. The look is that of a synthetic, of course, but it is less bad than cheap polyester (jogging) pants or blazers.

I may be repeating this all the time, but Arc’teryx’ description of the TerraTex as made for wind and water is, in my opinion, rather misleading. It will protect a bit, all the more so as long as the DWR works, but the main selling point is that it is very thin and light and therefore very nice to wear in hot conditions.

In spite of its thinness, it is also very durable; the seam tape on my TerraTex Voronoi pants has now started to come off, but the textile still looks fine.

There is a tendency for the TerraTex to crinkle in a curious way, but that’s more part of the charm (and not very visible on dark colors of it) to me. At least I’ll take it over heavier material that becomes unwearable when it’s hot.

The Spere LT blazer also has a new cut from the (TerraTex) Blazer LT which I very much appreciate; the Spere LT pants are cut and constructed in such a way that they are less suit-like, but better suited to summer.

Veilance Spere LT Blazer

The Spere LT blazer brings a different cut to the Veilance selection of blazers.

Indisce (somewhat), Haedn and Haedn LT, Blazer LT all have a rather long cut, two buttons, deeper lapels.

The Spere LT is cut to be boxier, less long, with shorter lapel, fastened by three (snap) buttons.

I can wear the usual Veilance blazers fine; I’m tall and slim as their wearer should be – but for the same reason, I don’t need anything that emphasizes height.

The Spere LT blazer is really nice in that regard, I find.

I like the look of the shorter lapels, the boxier cut (which still goes over the pants, past one’s hips, just fine). In fact, I have liked it so much that I sold most of my Blazer LT. (It helped that those were in light colors I wore too little.)

It can be worn with a real shirt and a tie, if the occasion demands, and the whole Spere LT “suit” outfit just looks sharp.

As usual on Veilance blazers, there are two hand pockets on the outside (with vertical access), and two zippered inner pockets.

On the left, the inner pocket is smaller, just for a wallet or passport. The right inner pocket is longer, sized for items up to the length and width of an airplane ticket.

Spere LT Pants: Cut and Construction

Normally, a suit should go with a belt, but the Spere LT pants don’t even come with belt loops.

Instead, they are constructed with an internal waistband (cord) that can be knotted off left and right to shorten it, tightening the waist as necessary.

The main closure is a slide button, which keeps the pants securely closed; the fly is zippered and the zip is a nice length so it works well to unzip.

The back part of the inside waist is made from elasticized material so that there is some stretch (as long  as you didn’t try to tighten the inner drawcord too much).

For my runner’s legs, the calves are a little tight, as so often with Veilance pants, but not uncomfortably so, nor giving a strange look. Maybe because of that, however, the cuffs often look as if they are drawn tighter, even as they are actually quite wide and nicely loose.

Given this cut and construction, the Spere LT pants fit a lot like some trackpants. Hidden under the blazer, however, they just look like pants.

There are slightly angled front pockets and simple back pockets (without a flap).

All in all, the pants are quite simple, but the look is sufficiently simple for them to come across as pants, not joggers, nor otherwise out of place with a blazer (if not quite the true suit-like look of the Haedn LT pants).

Wearability

The Spere LT blazer (or the whole “suit”) is probably best worn with a shirt that is as thin as possible (as the Cevian, if we want to stick with Veilance).

That way, it is very nice for summer, light and breathable with the touch of potential protection that performance menswear provides – and that I love it for.

Just a bit of a warmer shirt makes it easily too hot for summer, but warm enough for a wider part of the year. In spring, combined with a Metre LS shirt, it was immediately warm enough for me. (The elastane of that shirt is a story in and of itself.)

Once again, I really like how Veilance provides an option to dress up, keep to a style that is sharp, even in warm to hot conditions, with clothing that’s made for such – and wider – conditions.

For more formal occasions and even hotter weather, the Haedn LT “suit” should still be even more comfortable and cool, given its super-thin wool material.

For the “stronger” boxy look, rather more comfortable style, and a material that feels more durable than wool (even if the Haedn LT wool is another ballgame from what you might think of when you hear wool), the Spere LT “suit” is it.

Spere LT Blazer and Spere LT Pants on the Arc’teryx website