Isis Monashee Jacket
December 28, 2008
Get the Monashee on sale at REI.com – click here!
FINALLY I feel fashionable on the ski hill. This is a jacket made for ladies only. It’s a super warm, waterproof, high-performance shell that also flatters. Because Isis makes gear just for women, the fit and styling is not just a women’s version of a men’s jacket. This jacket is for women who want warmth and performance while not sacrificing mobility – it’s cut just right. I like that shell jackets are moving away from parka styling and more and more of them, like the Monashee, are cut to hipbone length. It helps eliminate bulk and those weird issues you can get from the waist drawstrings on the parka-style jackets. You know, when your mid-layers ride up so that they kind of sit on top of the drawstring? That sucks, looks goofy, and is uncomfortable to boot. I think the longer parka-style with the waist drawstring might have worked well for men, since they typically don’t have to contend with pesky things like waist-hip ratio, but I have long thought that that style did not translate well to women’s jackets. I don’t see much benefit from the longer parka-style, and much prefer the more streamlined shorter cut of the Monashee. It doesn’t do weird things with your base and mid-layers, I can tell you that. Your inner fleece is free to fit just like it’s supposed to. I can even fit a light insulated layer underneath without feeling too stifled, and it’s still easy to access pants pockets since the jacket doesn’t go halfway to one’s knees.
The Monashee gets lots of positive comments on the styling and color. Most of the outdoorswomen I know will wear good gear even if they don’t like the color, but they will indeed complain about it. I think the top complaint I’ve heard from women is that manufacturers offer women’s gear in colors that are, frankly, stupid. You’ve probably seen references in other posts to gear that is the color of flesh, puke, road signs, etc. Not the Monashee – it’s got a nice selection of very agreeable color choices. They still have kind of stupid names (Fire, Lagoon, etc – what is wrong with “orange”, “blue”, “green”?) but the colors themselves are nice and the jacket is awesome. You’ll stay warm, dry, and fashionable. And you will get a little note in the pocket that reminds you that “you are a goddess” which is cute if you’re into that kind of thing I guess. I find it kind of interesting that gear now comes with personal affirmations; it’s very Stuart Smalley and all that. Personally I don’t need to be a goddess, but I do need to be warm and dry, so I’ll toss the little note and take the Monashee out to play.
Isis Peony Crew
December 28, 2008
$53 at backcountry.com. Click here!
It took a while for me to actually test this as an activewear base layer, because, frankly, it’s such a cute shirt that I kept wearing it as a stand-alone piece. I don’t know what’s up with the product photo because the shirt is really cute but the picture is not, so just take my word for it here. It’s soft, silky, and flattering, but I knew that I’d have to actually make a post about its performance so I grudgingly wore it for actual exertion. Because I’m becoming familiar with the Isis base layer line, I was not surprised to find that the Peony Crew performs like the rest of the Peony line – perfectly! The Peony fabric is so smooth that it slides over both your skin and your outer layers, surrounding you in comfort and harmony. There’s nothing to bind, pull, or chafe, and the fabric will wick away moisture, keeping you comfortable and warm. And the shirt is cute enough to wear straight out on the town for aprés ski/climb/run/whatever. Another excellent offering from Isis.
Isis Long Jane
December 18, 2008
Oh, ooooohhhhh the Long Jane. It is a sad day at my house when my Long Janes are too dirty to wear. They are far and away my favorite base layer. So silky smooth, soft, and perfect, they fit under almost anything and are so comfortable you will forget you have them on. They are completely seamless (or so I think, but if they do have a seam, I have yet to notice it) and incredibly comfortable. The legs are long enough and the waist is high, which sounds strange until you actually wear it and realize how awesome it is to have the high waist there to keep your outer pants from chafing your skin. And you know that if I say a high waisted set of pants is good, it must really be good. Trust me, this one time, you WANT the high waist. The waistband itself is essentially just an extension of the pants – no drawstring, no elastic band, nothing to pinch or chafe.
The Long Janes are made out of the same material as the Peony Crew, and as I said before it must be some kind of miracle fabric. How that waistband stays in place seems to defy physics, but stay in place it does. I have worn the Long Janes on super cold days with another layer of tights on top, and I can pull on the second set of tights over the Long Janes without the Long Janes riding up or catching. The fabric is smooooooth and stays soft even after washing. The Janes move with your body like a literal second skin. And no, I’m not one of those people who gets “literal” and “figurative” mixed up. These are LITERALLY like a second skin. You will think they are a part of you. They’re awesome. You can tell I really like something when my vocabulary deteriorates into “awesome”. Sometimes it’s harder to find the words to describe something really great, and these are really great. So with “great” and “awesome” I guess I better sign off before I end up writing “Long Janes good. Buy Long Janes. Long Janes keep Geargals warm. Me like Long Janes.”
Isis Bernina Pant
November 4, 2008
I get to try out a lot of pants. Shell pants, soft shell pants, rain pants, ski pants, climbing pants, pants pants pants. So it’s really not too easy to capture my interest with pants design, but Isis has done it with the Bernina pants. Instead of having a front closure, they have side closures, which I was skeptical about at first. Gimmick alert, I thought to myself as I set out to test the pants. All other side-closure pants I’ve tried usually don’t stay closed. Once I even had to climb down from a peak holding my pants up because the stupid side zipper just wouldn’t stay shut. Isis knows what they’re doing though, and after a few excursions in the Berninas, I’m sold on the design.
The lack of front closure makes it more comfortable to carry packs, avalanche transceivers, and radios by eliminating the bulk associated with front closures. Usually a pack waist strap will end up right where the pants closure is, and this usually means the pack waist strap has to be pulled below the pants closure or the pants closure gets pushed below the pack waist strap, and everyone knows where that ends up – Bust-A-Sagville, population: you. The Berninas sport double-snap closures on both sides, ensuring that the side zippers are free from pressure and will therefore stay shut. The full-length side zippers, usually unflattering due to bulk, are virtually unnoticeable but make for easy on/off. Elastic gussets on the back of the waist improve comfort without allowing the pants to shift, and grippy cuffs keep the flying snow on the outside where it belongs. Snap closures on the cuffs ensure defense against precipitation no matter what boots you’re wearing, and they can accommodate ski boots as well as hiking boots.
The Berninas are high-waisted, but the design is so good I actually don’t mind. It’s so nice to not have a front closure competing with my backpack waist strap and my transceiver harness that I don’t even notice the high waist. The elastic on the waist is limited to two gussets on the back, which really seems to be the way to go. It’s functional AND flattering, since the gussets make the back of the waistband fit snug to the, well, waist. Imagine!
The Berninas are tough, too – they’re completely waterproof and resistant to tears and rubs. They feel substantial but not bulky; just perfect for a day of spring skiing or a long day of ridge climbing. As I’ve pointed out in other reviews, Isis makes only women’s gear, and it’s apparent that they have put a lot of thought into their design to expand gear options for women. They even made high-waisted pants that I like – doesn’t that just say it all?
Isis Peony Brief
November 4, 2008
Your most important layer is your base layer, and your base layer starts with your underwear. If your intimates make you uncomfortable, not even good outer layers will make up for it. Isis to the rescue! Gone are the days in which women’s underwear had to be uncomfortable. The Peony brief is made of soft, lightweight, chafeless fabric that wicks moisture and doesn’t dig in. You can barely feel that it’s there, which is really the point of good underwear. The whisperlight fabric and wide waistband make for a great fit, and the cut seems to be wedgie-proof. The waist is a tiny bit high for my taste, but I can live with it because I just can’t get over how great the fabric is. It’s silky soft, incredibly stretchy, and stays dry even during the most strenuous exertions. It’s completely chafe- and dig-in-proof, and did I mention the wide, soft waistband? It won’t pinch or leave marks.
Isis makes gear for women and only gear for women, and it shows in their design and attention to the female form. I know that these are only underwear, but it’s nice to feature a company that makes gear for women its number one priority – you know that they don’t have anything else to do other than make women’s gear better and better.
While I wear a size small in most everything else Isis, I tried a medium in the Peony and it works for me. The fabric is sufficiently stretchy that as long as you get the size kinda right, you’ll be comfortable. Now, what else do they make out of this fabric?
