Mountain Hardwear Hooded Nitrous Jacket
October 26, 2009
Our newest reviewer wants to be known as the “GrayingGeargal.” She wrote the following review for us to demonstrate to our readers that outdoor gear is not just for epic adventures; even urban adventurers need gear as well. It’s unlikely that GGG is going to climb any 8000 meter peaks (or, honestly, any 1000 meter peaks) but she does get outside when it’s fiercely cold, and, since she’s been wearing the same 25 year old jackets for a loooong time now, can really give some insight into the industry’s dramatic leaps in technology. Oh, she’s also obsessed with the word “ort. She’d be heartbroken if I edited it out, so for those of you who didn’t own the Word of the Day calendar in 1982, here’s the definition: “bit of food leftover on a plate.” -Head Geargal
First, a few confessions. I was raised to clean my plate. I was raised to work hard and to fulfill obligations. Over the numerous years of being a working mother, I developed some time saving habits: wear minimal make-up, wear the same two necklaces to work, and do not spend time shopping for clothes. I usually buy the exact same clothes as the old, worn out ones and definitely buy the same brands year after year. The resulting wardrobe is loose and comfortable; it is definitely not stylish or trendy. Frumpy also comes to mind.
When the teenagers went to college, I learned that I had osteoarthritis and devoted any free time to exercise. (Loosing weight was part of the treatment; however, the clean-your-plate syndrome was impossible to break when there are orts to devour!) Fortunately, frumpy clothing covers everything! Shopping for new clothing was still not part of my plan. Exploring new technology in outdoor wear was not even considered – too time consuming! I added weekly hiking, 6 to 10 miles on bike trails and park trails in addition to daily treadmill exercise. In our unpredictable ever changing climate, I layered clothes in order to survive my lengthy treks away from the car: shirt, sweatshirt, down coat, rain coat with lots of pockets, hat, gloves, ear muffs, fanny pack, umbrella. These items were toted, worn, and carried throughout the day; I actually resorted to a net bag to help carry items not in use at any given moment. The large items of apparel were tied around my waist. I was prepared for everything, but I was packing quite a load of clothing.
When I first tried on the Mountain Hard Ware Nitrous Hooded Jacket, I timidly zipped it to the neck; I expected to immediately feel confined and hot in some snug fitting fabric. First, I was stunned by the lightness. Second, I was amazed that I have full range of motion in my arms and back. I had never before experienced a fitted jacket that did not pull across the back when I reached forward with both arms. Even my dressy blouses feel snug when I reach forward with both arms. Third, I immediately noticed that that the sleeves were amply long. Since I utilize trekking poles when hiking, I swung my arms and discovered that the sleeves moved lightly and easily; my arm movement did not pull the sleeves away from my wrists. I also did not develop a backache from shoulder muscles tired of carrying heavy garments. This jacket is so light that it is an invisible weight.
I have hiked with the Nitrous jacket each week for a month in temperatures ranging from low fifties to 36 degrees. I must admit that I was hesitant to leave everything in the car on the first hike, but I made myself trust in the new technology. I bravely walked with only my trekking poles and fanny pack for gloves, sunglasses, and earmuffs for the entire month. It is amazingly lightweight and comfortable. Using trekking poles is SO much easier than when I wear loose a rain parka with baggy arms. When my ears, cheeks, and hands are cold, my torso and arms are perfectly comfortable: neither too hot nor too cold. I have been wearing a cotton turtleneck under the jacket; I neither overheat nor get chilled as the clouds obscure the sun or as winds modulate throughout the day. Wind does not penetrate this jacket! Having been raised during the period in which warm down coats were three inches thick, I am stunned at how the combination of goose down fill, quilted construction, and EcoSensor Ripstop fabric combine to keep the hiker at a perfect temperature throughout a day of changing weather conditions. I do not have to take off one layer at a time as the hiking day warms up; I do not have to lug a load of clothes around my waist or in my tote bag. In rainy weather, I stayed warm and dry. Rather than a flannel hat, I used the fitted hood to keep dry.
I accidentally tested the EcoSensor Ripstop fabric when I inserted a fistful of keys into a sleeve while rushing out the door. Everyone has heard that sound of fabric catching on solid objects. I searched the inside of the sleeve diligently. There were no snags, runs or pulled threads!
The Nitrous Hooded Jacket is highly recommended by this “GrayingGeargal!”
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