This past January the old man and I made our way down to Silverton for a few days at my favorite Colorado ski resort. This trip has sort of become a father/son ritual over the past few years, and hopefully will remain so for many to come. After Silverton we stopped by Telluride for a day and skied, sort of accidentally, an apparently somewhat notorious slackcountry run. Keep reading…
I managed to rouse a few friends of mine, Brian and David, to get out this past Saturday for what was undoubtedly one of the best weather windows Colorado has seen yet this winter. Temps in the high forties and low wind forecasts were to be enjoyed state-wide. When a weather window like this comes along I usually feel an urge to get out and give something a shot, even if I don’t necessarily have any specific goals in mind. Well this time I didn’t have any specific goals, and neither did Brian. Continue reading…
Like other reviews, this softshell doesn’t have very many bells and whistles. Just a light softshell with a nice, soft lining. Very versatile, can be used in spring or summer, not quite warm enough alone in winter, but athletic fitting enough to use a layer (better off using synthetic or down sweater). Great for skinning in the backcountry or hiking peaks on a colder day in the summer. So breathable and yet slightly waterproof, seems to keep you at just the right body temp throughout the day.
Fit : advertised as “slim”. I’m 5’11 185, 36″ waist and the Large fit me perfectly. Not a ton of room to layer underneath, but I couldn’t ask for a better fit, perfect mix between slim and regular.
Color : I was forced to get an obnoxiously orange color, since thats all REI had in my size at the time (used my REI dividend). I really liked the neutrality of the Alpha Green, just didn’t work out with my budget at the time. I’ve grown to get used to the Orange (clementine) and at the very least, you don’t have to worry about getting shot in hunting season. Truly, a multi-functional piece of gear.
Great, versatile down jacket. Great use for Colorado, being a relatively dry state and all. I’ve used it for summit lounging, for days you don’t plan on skiing thick trees (at it will probably rip) and for the morning walk to work whens its below freezing. If you want something even warmer, look at the Frost Smoke parka from Montbell, not gonna get much better for the price (neither will this one).
Fit : I’m 5’11 185 with a 36″ waist and somewhat broad shoulders and the Large fit me perfect. Enough room for a light fleece and shirt underneath and maybe compressible enough for a roomy shell over it.
Color : I went with the “Terra Cotta” which is a true orange, almost rust orange, darker than the pic on bc.com, but fairly similar to the pic from Montbell’s website.
Material : Its advertised as a 30-denier nylon shell, which seems accurate, specially when compared to other 15-20 denier down sweaters across the board. It could probably survive a branch or two in the woods, but nothing more. Just seems like a well thought out, well constructed apparel.