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Hoping C-D's collective wisdom won't let me freeze during my next trip.
I'm looking for something that:
- Would fit a sorta-athletic-looking male (5 ft 7, 160 lbs) in a size S (most Ms in my experience have sleeves that are way too long, but a lot of Ss are also made for people 20 lbs slimmer)
- Is lightweight (can be packed away in a backpack when walking around a city for multiple hours)
- Is warm enough to wear over two a long-sleeve t-shirt or a microfleece 1/4 zip with a tank top underneath, but not so that I'm already sweaty after a half an hour of walking
- Windproof and at least water-resistant, so a light rain wouldn't soak it clear through
- Softshell (with a fleece inside layer) or quilted - not yet sure which is best, leaning towards the former, but am willing to be persuaded otherwise
- Can be found on sale under $200
So far I've looked at the Adidas Terrex range (haven't tried anything on, though), R2 from Patagonia (I have one - not waterproof enough and a bit too thin to be warm enough), North Face Apex Bionic (too narrow in the shoulders) and Thermoball (would be ideal, but too slim a fit). Have a North Face Camden and Tekware hoodies coming (suspect Tekware will be similar to the R2), as well as a pretty simple Costco Weatherproof jacket. Anything else I should be looking at?
Is there an REI near you?
I would go there, and try on all the options they offer.
Their salespeople are very knowledgable!
There is one, yeah. I actually went over there and didn't have a ton of luck. That was where I discovered the Tekware line, though, and my requirements were a little different at the time, so maybe it's worth another drive over.
I'm an athletic 5'10" guy, 170 lbs and lean/hard vs. bulky. Runner. Trim / slim fit everything. I am a big-time outdoors person only with products that function well in technical environments.
Soft shell: Arc'teryx Trino SL or similar. If it still exists. Higher output hiking and running. Not lined.
- Athletic (M is trim fit and fits me well). Thinking you need an S.
- Lightweight but not super thin.
- Windproof.
- Breathes well.
- Softshell, so water resistant but not waterproof (gives up after a couple hrs. of rain).
Excellent light hiking jacket if you need something that breaths in cool or cold weather, high output activities. If you need something that actually repels rain better, a Sabre LT, Beta LT, or Beta AR are good alternatives. I wouldn't wear any of those during high output activities, 99% of what I do (road and trail running).
There are a couple guys who do Arc'teryx "which jacket do I need" matrices online. Problem: they are not on sale under $200 usually: spendy stuff that lasts. Posh or similar sometimes has used but they tend to hold value there too.
Other option: Lululemon Warp Light jacket. Caught one on closeout the other week for $119. Meets your price point and most of the above. Not Gore-Tex and nothing I'd take into too much rain. I rinsed it off recently and noted it dried much more slowly than the Trino SL (which is Gore-Tex). Based on your "waterproof" comments, last few sentences, might not serve your purposes.
I'm an athletic 5'10" guy, 170 lbs and lean/hard vs. bulky. Runner. Trim / slim fit everything. I am a big-time outdoors person only with products that function well in technical environments.
Soft shell: Arc'teryx Trino SL or similar. If it still exists. Higher output hiking and running. Not lined.
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Other option: Lululemon Warp Light jacket. Caught one on closeout the other week for $119. Meets your price point and most of the above. Not Gore-Tex and nothing I'd take into too much rain. I rinsed it off recently and noted it dried much more slowly than the Trino SL (which is Gore-Tex). Based on your "waterproof" comments, last few sentences, might not serve your purposes.
Thank you! I'll look these up (although the "not lined" bit about the Arc'teryx one is giving me pause, but I am going to look at the brand overall). Lulu hadn't even crossed my mind (water-resistant is enough, doesn't have to be waterproof). We've actually got an outlet store of theirs within a 30-min drive (North Face too, but that store is horrible). Might give that a go.
Any opinion on this thing? And on Tekware? (I grabbed one of the latter on the BF sale at TNF.)
Unfortunately, most of the stuff they make doesn't work for me. The Smalls are most often too small while the Mediums have sleeves for people at least 6 ft tall. The R2 was an exception, but even it is a bit too tight.
Quote:
Feel free to ask a salesperson if they like the item. They usually know which ones are top sellers.
I would never trust the word of a salesperson and wouldn't advise that anyone do, either. They may know what sells well, but "top seller" doesn't necessarily mean "best item for the described scenario".
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