Columbia G41 Parka
December 25, 2009
Take a gander at that jacket shown above. It’s awesome looking isn’t it? I guarantee you that when you pull out this jacket, it will be greeted by “oooooooooohhhhhh that is COOL!” This is one of the sharpest looking jackets to pass the Geargals’ door. The unique and striking color scheme is sure to garner attention wherever you wear. From what I can tell, there are two options available, the brown/white and a pink/purple/white. For whatever reason (which could probably say a lot about me if one were interested enough to psychoanalyze this little fact) I really prefer earthy colors like grey and brown, so I am really in love with the brown and white version. I think my G41 parka and brown ski pants are my second coolest ski outfit. In the interest of full disclosure, my very coolest ski outfit is my blue pants and red jacket, so you may want to take my color preferences with a grain of salt.
Performance-wise, this jacket seems pretty clearly designed for warm-ish winter conditions and mostly for lift-served skiing. I wore it in single digits (without the liner, see below) and was a tad chilly, but when skiing in wet conditions, the Omni-Tech fabric will keep you warm and dry (and very stylish, natch). The copious pockets are meant for your snacks and gadgets (there is the required iPod pocket, after all) and the styling walks the line between baggy and body-conscious. That’s right – you can rock the slouch vibe while not looking like Charlie Brown in a jacket 5 times too large.
My sample jacket also came with a removable inner liner which I admit to taking out to wear on its own and never putting back in the jacket. It’s a cute little well-cut hooded, thumbholed fleece that provides a little extra insulation while wearing the waterproof outer layer and translates well to apres ski or even a chilly morning run. The fleece even has the iPod pocket so you never have to go without your tunes.
Usually we traditionally hand off tested gear to other wearers, or donate it to a good cause, but all of us are having a hard time letting go of the G41 simply for the fashion factor. There is something for everyone whether you like the flashy pink and purple option or the more stately brown. You even get the bonus fleece liner which in itself is a nice addition to the gear closet, so if you want to stand out in the lift line or in while shredding that always-showoffy run right under the lift, the G41 is a good bet.
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!”
Rab Microlight Jacket
September 27, 2009
Rab gets it right with this piece – which is absolutely zero surprise to me since I’ve been lucky enough to be able to check out a few offerings from Rab. As I mentioned in my review of the Rab Latok Alpine Jacket, Rab is an established company in the UK and is making its way across the pond to the US. It’s still a bit of a rare sight in the US to see someone in Rab gear, and I get a lot of quizzical looks and questions when I wear the Microlight out, especially in Alaska where being ahead of anything involving clothing or fashion is pretty much a lifetime achievement. So yeah, I’ve finally done it – been ahead of the fashion curve. Whatever will I do with my life now…
No matter what I decide to do with all this new-found free time, I will definitely be warm and cozy with the Microlight jacket in my clothing arsenal. Like everything Rab, the Microlight is cut trim and slender with a flattering silhouette, yet still maintains good range of motion for climbing. The many baffles keep the down equally distributed and there’s no reason to fear cold spots just because of the baffles. I have tried a lot of insulated jackets with all different types of baffles, and have never experienced the “cold spot” phenomenon, so just relax about that. This jacket is warm, and the baffles provide uniform warmth AND a snazzy, eye-catching look.
The Microlight, like so many other super lightweight insulated jackets these days, stuffs into a pocket for compression. What makes this jacket stand out in the crowd, though, is that the jacket stuffs into an interior pocket, leaving the outside pockets unfettered by zippers. This might make gadget-carriers cringe in fear, but there’s no need to worry – the pockets are also designed differently than the standard, with a more, er, bucket-like (?) shape (why yes, I AM a professional writer) that keeps items secure and hands toasty warm. The pockets aren’t just diagonal slashes, they are curved at the top so that the opening is 100% above the actual body of the pocket. Got that image? No? Well, you’ll just have to write in with a better way to describe it then.
Okay, so if you’re big on the monkey bars, like to ride the Zipper at the county fair, or commonly engage in the kind of ice climbing that requires one to become inverted (like this guy) you might lose some stuff out of the pockets. Otherwise, you’re golden. And you always have the zippered interior pocket if you really really need to be sure something won’t fall out.
I’ve been consistently impressed with Rab – the fit and quality is top-notch. Sizing is also consistent, and is true to real sizing, and I do mean real – not inflated or deflated; so you better order your ACTUAL size, don’t fight it. Most Rab items are cut trim, so take that into account when choosing your size. Me, I like the body conscious fit, so I stay with my regular size and have had good luck with Rab sizing.
I like being the only one wearing Rab locally, but I’m a fan of the company so I look forward to seeing the logo out and about. Rab keeps setting a high bar with each new item, and I think it’s only going to keep getting better.
Mountain Hardwear Quark Jacket
May 27, 2009
Anyone who has gone anywhere with me in the past year knows how obsessed I am with my MHW Stimulus Jacket. I wear it everywhere, on hike trips, bike trips, ski trips, you name it. I have serious Stimulus love. I even bought a second one just in case something tragic happens to the first one. So naturally I was stoked to try the Quark, which is the hooded version of the Stimulus, kinda. It’s much the same; with the same ultrathin, ultralight material, same basic styling, and same ability-to-be-stuffed-into-its-own-pocket, but there are a few differences. First, the fit is much more relaxed. I really think this is meant to accommodate the pit zips, which the Stimulus doesn’t have. If you like pit zips, you will like this modification. Personally, I despise pit zips. If you need that much ventilation, take your jacket off! Put on a different layer. Just leave the jacket in one piece. That way, all jackets can be more streamlined and pretty. As it is, I feel like this jacket has a bit too much extra fabric everywhere. Too baggy, even though it’s the same size as my venerated Stimulus.
It also seems a bit longer than the Stimulus, just a tad. It could be just an illusion because of the bagginess, but it does seem as if there’s a little extra length, but no extra width to go along with it. Since it hits a little lower than hip bones, being slightly too snug in that area creates still more bagginess, since the hem of the jacket is bound to ride up a little. Sigh. Perhaps this is one for the taller ladies. One more design difference – the Quark has rip-and-stick (otherwise known as Velcro) cuffs. My instant dislike of most things Velcro makes me think this is a major step down from the Stimulus’s elastic cuffs. Again, just a preference thing – but I don’t really get the appeal of Velcro cuffs on a lightweight jacket. You’re not likely to be wearing gloves or mittens so you don’t need a cuff that can snug down over the cuffs of your gloves, do you? Who knows, maybe you do, but I don’t.
The hood is OK, if you like hoods. I suppose that’s the whole point of the Quark, having a hood, so there you have it. I got to use the hood as a mosquito shield yesterday, and I was darn glad to have it, so I can tell you that it works well for that, anyway. I know I sound as if I’m being really negative about this piece, so don’t get me wrong, it’s a great jacket and will keep you warm and dry in all kinds of conditions, and is superlight and super compressible to boot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this jacket, other than that it has pit zips and I don’t particularly like pit zips. It has Velcro cuffs and I don’t like Velcro. Therefore, I am biased – but let me fall back on that little caveat of opinion. With the pit zips, it’s just not as good as the Stimulus, or so I think now, while it’s not raining out. I guarantee you that the first time I’m out in pouring rain in the hoodless Stimulus, I will be thinking, “hmm, wish I’d brought the Quark instead.”
Patagonia Stretch Ascent Jacket
May 22, 2009
Patagonia was kind of a sleeper for me. I know that all the cool kids wear it, people who can’t afford it call it “Patagucci”, it’s the gear of choice for many serious climbers, etc. etc. But I never really got into Patagonia until they very wisely sent me a pile of stuff to check out for Geargals. Now I’m a convert.
Their latest offering to Geargals, the Stretch Ascent jacket, is a great follow up from our last love, the Ice Field Jacket. The Stretch Ascent is a non-insulated shell; perfect for varied weather days and shoulder seasons. It’s got the Patagonia Magic Pockets – oh, doesn’t anyone else call them that? – that can pack an immense amount of gear but somehow don’t add bulk to the jacket. It was my favorite feature of the Ice Field and the Stretch Ascent has the same portals to other dimensions behind the pocket zippers. It’s cut much the same way as other Patagonia jackets, with a little more room in the waistline and with a mid-hip length. It’s not as body-conscious as other jackets, but now that I think about it, that is probably the secret to the Mystical Pockets.
Since climbing is not my first avocation, I get a little tired of the giant hoods on everything; they’re meant to fit over climbing helmets which for climbers I’m sure is just fabulous. I kind of prefer a more head-size hood on a jacket or two, but I can live with it. Of course, “helmet-size” doesn’t mean ALL helmets; I gave my ski partners a good laugh as I struggled to pull the hood of the Stretch Ascent over my ski helmet. No, incidentally, it did not work. But for everything else involving helmets smaller than ski ones, the Stretch Ascent is a great companion. It packs down pretty well so there’s no reason not to tuck it in your pack just in case the weather goes south. Its H2NO fabric repels all precipitation and cuts the wind, too. Paired with light layers, it’s a formidable shield from the elements.
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.
Patagonia Ice Field Jacket
December 12, 2008
My new favorite jacket. Boy, am I fickle. But the Ice Field won me over immediately with its cozy-warm insulation and waterproof-breathable outer shell. I’m almost not really sure what to write, here, because I think it would be hard to go wrong with this piece. It has tons and tons of high-capacity pockets, which is a major bonus for me because I like to keep all my stuff separate in the pockets, you know, like when you keep all your food separate on your plate so that it doesn’t touch? Oh, it’s only me that does that? Well, someone else must do that too; who else would think of all these pockets?
So, it’s got pockets. It also has purposefully long sleeves, which some reviewers complain about but are admittedly nice to have when you’re climbing (fine, or driving) and you have to raise your arms up a lot. Normal length sleeves will pull up above your wrists when you do this, but the Ice Field, like most things Patagonia, is designed for motion. It’s also designed for cold weather, and it’s just perfect for exertion in temperatures from single digits to low twenties, and for standing around in weather warmer than that. The outer shell is H2NO (again: hee!) waterproof fabric, which is great because being wet sucks, at least when it’s 15 degrees out.
Fit is going to be kind of up to you on this one. The size small (my usual) fits me fine, but I heard some grumblings from my medium-size testers that they didn’t like the fit because it just seemed as if the jacket were a proportionally larger version of a small, which doesn’t work because a 5′8″ woman is not just a proportionally larger version of a 5′2″ woman. It’s called the Law of Similitude, or something. Anyway, so this jacket violates that law, allegedly. I can see how that could happen, because there is not a lot of extra room in the “upper torso” of the Ice Field. It works fine for me, but more, er, “blessed” women might find the chest too binding and the waist too large. So, just give it a shot and hope it works for you, because if it doesn’t, you’re missing out. The other thing I wasn’t crazy about is the SUPER high collar. It seriously comes up to my nose and took some getting used to. I know it’s supposed to help keep out the elements, but if I really need the elements to stay THAT far out, I probably will not be outside. Call me a sissy, whatever. It’s recreation, not suffering. But now I can not-suffer in even more types of weather, because the Ice Field Jacket is so awesome.
Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor Jacket
November 18, 2008
I already told you how much I liked the Compressor, so I felt a little guilty asking for a Hooded Compressor to test. I thought it would be pretty much the same only with a hood. Once I tried it, though, I no longer felt guilty because I was too busy giddily gloating over how awesome the jacket is and how totally cute I look in it. Hmm, perhaps I don’t need to pour out my entire personality into these reviews….I’m very nice, sweet, and humble, honest! I just have to tell you the jacket is cute because I pledge to post honest reviews. See, I wouldn’t gloat if I didn’t have to in order to maintain my integrity as a reviewer.
I like it EVEN BETTER than the regular Compressor (even though I still love the regular Compressor, I really do!) and wear it more. Which is almost kind of strange because I’m not a big hood user. This jacket just works. It’s warm, not bulky, perfectly sized for me, and comes in colors that are different from the norm but still attractive. It’s just long enough to hit slightly below my hipbones, which is just perfect as far as I’m concerned.
The Hooded Compressor, like most other things Mountain Hardwear, works really well with, well, other things Mountain Hardwear. They really have their system down. This jacket with a MHW hard shell over it is pretty darn warm, and without the hard shell it’s nice for moderately cold days or really cold days combined with exertion. The minimalist styling wins points from the Geargals, and the one added bit of flair is a bicep pocket which I find very convenient for storing my cell phone – I mean, my GPS and packet of Gu, brah. Well, there is one more wee bit of flair in the form of an embroidered flower on the inside, which is unobtrusive but still kind of funny. I’m glad it’s not visible on the outside of the jacket, but it’s kind of whimsical to have it on the inside. I’d have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that board meeting – the battle for whether the flower stays or goes, culminating in the groundbreaking compromise “it’s a go on the flower, but we’ll put it on the inside.” Now THAT is the way to keep peace in the workplace, and, it turns out, in the marketplace too.
$170.96 at Backcountry.com. Click here!
Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Hooded Jacket
November 11, 2008
I really do have the greatest job in the world. I get boxes of new outdoor stuff and I get to go outside and play with it all day. It’s pretty sweet. Except when it’s so cold outside that even new gear is not enough to tempt me out to play – then it kind of sucks, because it seems more like, well, a job. But, as one of the Geargals always says, “there is no bad weather, just bad clothes.” And with the Sub Zero jacket, there are no more “bad clothes” excuses. This jacket will keep you warm in all but the most inconceivably cold weather (and I don’t want to get a bunch of comments with Princess Bride quotes, now, people). It really fits well, too, which can’t have been easy to design when dealing with the big puffy insulation. I am telling you, whoever is doing the Mountain Hardwear jacket designing lately is really hitting the mark. The length is perfect and the proportions exact. Well, they are exactly like my own proportions, at least. Three cheers for “true to size” designs!
The two front pockets are cavernous and lined with soft fuzzy hand-soothing microfleece. The Sub Zero has a hood for those who like hoods, but the hood zips off for those who don’t. Yay! Something for everyone. The jacket also packs into one of its own pockets. It’s got one inside pouch-type pocket and one interior zip pocket as well. A chest pocket would be a good addition, and I think some of the other jackets from the Sub Zero line do have the chest pocket, but this particular jacket doesn’t have one. It’s fairly light for such a warm piece, but it seems reasonably tough as well. I wouldn’t want to poke it with sharp objects, but it’s not so delicate that I constantly worry that it will implode if touched. The elbows are lined with an extra abrasion guard fabric, just in case.
Now, it’s important to note the specifics of this particular jacket. This is the Sub Zero Hooded Jacket, as opposed to the Sub Zero Parka or the Sub Zero SL Hooded Jacket. The features of each are slightly different, but the warmth factor is the same, and the technique of non-sewed-through baffles eliminates cold spots and insulation compression. This is the version without the extra waterproofing of the fabric (SL), and WITH the zip-off hood, as opposed to the other Sub Zero Hooded Jacket which has a hood that doesn’t zip off. Confused yet? Me too. I’m not even sure if the picture above is exactly the jacket I’m testing, but it looks mostly like it and you can’t tell in the picture if the hood zips off. So, pretend that the hood in the picture zips off, and there you have this jacket.
So I’m back to happily playing outside with my gear all day, because I know that my good clothes are no match for the bad weather. If you think the mercury is too low to go outside, get yourself a MHW Sub Zero Jacket (or MHW Sub Zero SL Hooded Jacket, or a MHW Sub Zero Parka, take your pick) and go laugh at the cold.
$224.96 at backcountry.com! Click here!
Mountain Hardwear Typhoon Jacket
September 30, 2008
As you all know, the Geargals are from Alaska. Therefore we’re used to our rain gear being made of rubber, shaped like it belongs on an episode of Deadliest Catch, and bright orange in color. Mountain Hardwear to the rescue! The Typhoon (which must have been named after the summer of 2008 in Alaska, boy did we have a lot of rain) is my new favorite piece for drizzly and just plain downpour days. Truly, honest-to-pete waterproof, the Typhoon seals out the rain without the dreaded “sack look” that our favorite fishing heroes sport.
The Typhoon does have pit zips, which, as you all know, aren’t my favorite feature, but as we all also know, I am an anomaly. So you all get your precious pit zips and I get to think grumpily “If only this jacket didn’t have pit zips.” Such is life. But speaking of favorite feature, the hood on this jacket has got to be some kind of gift from another dimension. I am not a big fan of hoods because they are usually too big and bulky, and don’t allow much peripheral visibility. I know they’re usually sized to fit over helmets, which is great, but when you’re not wearing a helmet it really sucks to turn your head to look at something and find yourself staring at the inside of your jacket hood. With those hoods, you have to ratchet down all the straps so that the hood fits your head, not a nonexistent helmet. The Typhoon’s hood solves that problem with its automatic shrink-wrap resizing microchip, which alters the shape of the hood to each user’s individual head, allowing the user full head mobility without the hood shifting, bunching, binding, or otherwise restricting motion. OK, OK, the jacket does not have that microchip thingy – but the hood fits so well it may as well have. This little wonder just snugs right around my face and moves with me so that I don’t have to push it out of the way if I want to look around. The hem is about hipbone-length so that the wearer can pull on rain pants without double-bagging her lower torso. That’s a really nice feature when it’s just rainy and not cold out – doubling up on waterproof layers can make things get too steamy under there. And now that we’ve entered the “innuendo section” of the review….
Moving on, the Typhoon is so lightweight that there’s no excuse to not bring it along, and it’s so effective that I see it making itself useful even as the mercury drops up here in the soon-to-be frozen north. I think I’ll be hard-pressed to find a rain jacket that performs and fits as well as this piece. It’s earned a permanent place in my gear stash, and it’s a rare spate of precipitation that doesn’t result in the Typhoon seeing some action.
