Gadling Gear Review: Burton’s Sleeper Hoodie

We finally got our hands on the Sleeper Hoodie made by Burton, the zip-up hooded sweatshirt designed for use while jetsetting around the planet. Long-time readers might remember our good friend and editor-at-large Justin Glow fawning over the hoodie several times — and for good reason: it’s kind of sweet.

With the popular zip up chronically out of stock, the Sleeper Hoodie fell off our radars in months past, but by sheer chance and a giant stroke of luck one of the garments landed at Gadling Labs this spring. So we took it out for a test flight.

And how does she ride? Well,the proof is in the details. On first glance, one might shrug the Sleeper Hoodie off as a regular snowboarder’s or skiier’s loose fitting, casual garment. Look closer, however, and the features start to show.

As far as general construction, the Sleeper Hoodie is completely lined with mesh fabric, which serves to both wick sweat and add an extra layer of warmth. On a long, cold redeye, this could be the difference between freezing and sleeping cozily for four long hours.

Outside, draw strings, zippers and other accoutrements are designed in the normal hoodie fashion with the welcome addition of thumb holes for keeping your palms warm when outdoors. Or when holding an ice hold malt beverage.

There’s also a cable eyelet to go from your iPod in your outside pocket in through your warm body and up to your ears. When riding through the back country or moving out doors it’s always nice to have those cables tucked away from snagging branches or passers by.

The biggest trick with this sweatshirt though is the inflatable pillow in the neck. You know those silly “U” shaped pillows that you occasionally see passengers carrying through the airport? An inflatable version of one of these is tucked into a zippered, internal compartment right below the hood. All one has to do is crane a bit to the right to find the valve, huff a few breaths and the pillow is inflated.

%Gallery-89993%Comfort wise, the pillow isn’t as cozy as a regular neck pillow (for whatever that’s worth,) but the added support is definitely useful and when deflated it’s hardly noticeable — so overall it’s nice have around. But for those completely against the concept, it’s easy to remove and discard.

Speaking of the hood, there’s also a visor tucked into the cornice of the hood. This is a great replacement for an eyemask on a fully lit flight, and despite looking kind of ridiculous the better sleep is probably worth it.

Summing things up:

Pros:

  • Built in, inflatable neck pillow
  • Mesh lining
  • Sleep visor
  • In-pocket cable eyelet

Cons

  • At $99 MSRP the hoodie isn’t the cheapest on the market, but for the included features, it’s not too outrageous.

It’s also worth noting that the hoodie is a bit baggy. My lanky 6’3″ frame barely fills the sweat shirt in, and if I were to buy another it would definitely be a medium. On the whole, however, the Sleeper Hoodie is an excellent choice, the perfect balance of form and function. I look forward to trying it out on my next redeye.

Budget summer travel from New York: Burlington, Vermont

Check out that gorgeous sunset vista. With that kind of view and a beautiful body of water nearby, you’d probably guess this was somewhere tropical. The Bahamas? Wrong, try again. San Diego, perhaps? Not that either. This sweet view can only be found in Burlington, Vermont: a little gem of a town nestled in the northern half of the state along the shores of mighty Lake Champlain.

Let’s be honest – unless you’re into winter sports, Vermont is an awfully cold place to visit during the winter. Which is exactly why Summer is when the state of Vermont comes out to shine (pun intended). The state’s beautiful virgin outdoor spaces are green and in bloom, ready to be explored, hiked and camped. Its many picturesque lakes lie cool and still, waiting to be plied by swimmers, kayaks and sailboats. And unique Vermont cities like Burlington offer a surprising wealth of activities, ranging from top-notch food and shopping to cultural attractions galore.

Not only is Burlington the perfect base for some summertime Vermont exploring, it’s also relative easy (and cheap) to get to from the major urban centers of the East Coast, including New York and Boston. Click below and let’s explore Burlington, shall we?
The City Sights
Although Burlington has a population well under 100,000, it packs a big city punch, including plenty of great activities you wouldn’t expect for a town of its size.

Most visitors start their day downtown, home to a picturesque collection of shops, cafes and restaurants. The biggest concentration of stores is along the Church Street Marketplace, a pedestrian-friendly outdoor shopping district fronted by stores representing locally made Vermont products as well as larger national chains. Meal options are also readily available and refreshingly eclectic, ranging from Brazilian to Thai to pizza and burgers.

If you’re in the mood for dessert, stop by the Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop on Church. The now-famous ice cream franchise got its start in Burlington back in the 1970’s. Ice cream junkies can arrange tours of the company factory in nearby Waterbury. Church Street is also a great spot for people watching – Burlington is home to the University of Vermont, ensuring a cosmopolitan mix of students, tie-dyed hippies, urban professionals, outdoor lovers and out-of-town visitors passing by. Snowboard aficionados should also make a pilgrimage to Burton Snowboard Flagship Store. The now famous snowboard and apparel manufacturer is another homegrown Burlington favorite.

During the Summer, Burlington weekends are also packed with all manner of local festivals. The first two weeks of June bring Burlington’s annual Discover Jazz Festival, featuring big-name Jazz artists like Branford Marsalis. Come July, beer lovers congregate at the Vermont Brewers Festival, featuring sud samples from 30 craft brewers located across New England. In August it’s time for the annual Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival, pitting local teams in a friendly race for charity.



The Great Outdoors

Chances are if you’re coming to Vermont, you’ve heard about the state’s legendary natural beauty and want to experience it firsthand. Thankfully, Burlington makes a great base for exploring all manner of natural Vermont landscapes, all within easy driving distance.

Before jumping in your car however, spend some time along the shores of nearby Lake Champlain. Burlington is situated along the edge of one of the Northeastern United States’ biggest lakes, covering more than 430 square miles filled with unspoiled islands, hiking and wildlife. Any sunny Summer day will find the lake dotted with a mass of tiny sails – want to try yourself? Visitors can rent a sailboat to ply the lake’s scenic shores. If you’re feeling less ambitious, consider hiring a charter sailboat captain or renting a kayak for some mellow paddling around the calm waters. The Burlington Department of Parks and Recreation also has plenty of information about nearby campgrounds, hiking, swimming and other great summertime activities.

Just an hour south of Burlington is the unspoiled enclave of Green Mountain National Forest, situated on more than 400,000 acres of pristine wilderness, waterfalls and mountain trails. The park has activities to match just about any interest, ranging from horseback riding to hiking to camping and fishing. Make sure to stop in at nearby Middlebury, Vermont on your way back for some small-town Vermont charm.

Where to Stay
Burlington has all kinds of accommodation options, ranging from the small and quaint to the traditional brand-name hotel chains. Thrifty travelers should check out the Burlington Sheraton, well-situated between both the airport and city’s downtown. Though you’ll need to drive to most attractions, the hotel typically offers some good deals, starting at around $120 per night. Guests also speak highly of the Doubletree Burlington, located a few miles away in South Burlington with rates starting as low as $118 per night.

Those looking for the quintessential Vermont Bed & Breakfast experience should check out smaller properties like Lang House, located in an 1880’s era Victorian mansion, or the Willard Street Inn. Though the rooms at both B&B’s are a bit pricier (starting at $145 per night), the unique old world atmosphere will more than makes up for the difference for some travelers.

Daily deal – Burton Entourage Insulated Jacket for $99

Still freezing your backside off? Unless that damn Groundhog tells us that winter will be over within the next week, my deal for today could come in quite handy for those in cold climates (or those that enjoy wintersports).

The Burton Entourage Insulated Jacket is currently on clearance at REI.com for just $99.93. The jacket is available in 3 sizes, and 3 different colors.

The jacket has a long list of features, including a “jacket to pants interface”, which is a snazzy way of saying it has a neat way of keeping snow out of your butt when you fall off your board.

If you live near an REI store, then you can select free site to store shipping, otherwise you’ll pay $10 for shipping to your house.

While you are there, check out some of the other deals on the REI site, especially now winter is (very) slowly coming to an end, you’ll start seeing more and more winter gear go on sale. As always with deals like this, the longer you wait, the less inventory will be left, so don’t wait too long.

Gadling Gear: Burton’s Sleeper Hoodie v2.0

One of my favorite ways to pass time on my regular 6AM flights out of New York City is by boarding early, cashing out and sleeping until touchdown in Detroit. I’ve even got a favorite hoodie for the occasion, this brown zipup I bought in Sweden that I can stuff my hands into, pull up the hood and promptly start snoring in. What a waste of a first class seat.

Looks like the folks at Burton smell what I’m cooking and have designed a sweatshirt specifically for this task. We covered last year’s model with all of it’s nifty features, including a built-in inflatable pillow, ear plug and passport pockets and light shield over the hood. This year, they’ve also integrated a travel toothbrush into the mix. It looks like the total package for anyone wanting to integrate comfort and efficiency into one piece of drool-friendly apparel.

Good lucking finding one of these gems on the white market though. Burton and all of their distributors have sold out completely and they’re going on Ebay for upwards of 200$.

Meantime you can check out specs and some images of the hoodie directly from Burton.com.