The cuffs are the same half-elasticized-half-not that we saw on the Outdoor Research Helium II, but Arc'teryx takes it to another level, the way the cuffs lie is just perfect - I promise you won't miss velcro. The Houdini has the same design of cuffs, but they aren't quite as perfectly contoured - they won't bother you, but they aren't unnoticeable.

Arc'teryx talks about their "composite construction" with much pride, but in reality all it means is that they put mesh under the arms for breathability. Don't get me wrong, it's a great feature and one of the reasons I wanted to look at this jacket as an alternative to the Houdini, but I don't know that it deserves it's own buzzword.

There are a number of reflective panels and logos, and the helmet compatible hood (on a running jacket?) is well shaped but has no draw cords at all. The Houdini lacks the reflective bits, but gains a draw cord for the hood.

Pockets. The Patagonia Houdini has a chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack and nothing else. The Incendo has a super awkwardly placed 'media player' pocket right on the hem that does stuff sack duty. The result is a zipper right in the hip belt zone and depending on your body could be a deal breaker right there. Even as a running jacket this location sucks because it's hard to access and bounces all over the place. Oh, and that is the Incendo's only pocket. Single chest pocket is the way to go.

Performance

The mesh panels in the Arc'teryx Incendo are awesome. They are big enough to dump heat and moisture during a run but tucked away enough to protect you from wind at your belay stance on a climb. This is not like pit zips that collapse closed when you unzip them (especially if wearing a pack which is basically always). They are permanently open and don't get choked shut by your pack.