New Mid-Layers from Triple Aught Design

by Pam Mandel on

Can you have too much polar fleece? I’m struggling with the answer to that question as I eye the gear that’s coming out for fall. I’ve got a lot of it, some of it quite old, as it seems to last longer than I expected it too. Even while I’m switching out a lot of my wardrobe for natural fibers, I’m looking at new polar fleece mid-layers with much better design than my old stuff.

I’ve been trying out hoodies from Triple Aught Design; one fleece, one wool. Packing a hoody is essential for this traveler; it’s perfect airplane wear and you need some kind of warm, versatile mid-layer when you travel.

The fleece version is the Valkyrie. It retails for over $200.00, a steep price tag when you’re used to getting your fleece as corporate swag like I am. It’s made from Polartec Wind Pro — that’s their breathable wind stop fabric. You’ll need a rain shell if it’s really wet, but for a little damp weather, it’s just fine.

The Valkyrie is covered in pockets — hand warmer pockets at the waist, biceps pockets on each side for your mp3 player or phone (with pass-throughs for your headset cables), and a key or lift ticket pocket on the left lower arm. There’s a pass through pocket in the back, too, There’s no interior wallet pocket, though — that’s what I’d add.

There’s a fitted hood — the shape is great and there’s some heavier weight stuff around the outside to help it keep that shape. When the zipper is all the way up, the tab tucks into a finished slot so it doesn’t scratch your face; a nice details. The underarms are vented with button holes rather than zips; kind of a nice change to the usual pit zips, plus, because the pockets are mesh lined on the inside, you can open them for venting. There’s a drawstring at the waist to keep the wind out.The truth? It’s a really nice mid-weight moderate weather sweater-type layer. It’s made in the US, and how many companies can you say that about? I’m struggling with the price tag, though, American made apparel or no. I did a little comparison shopping; the prices are comparable with other similar items made out of the same material. My sticker shock might be due to the fact that my older wind-stop fleece jacket is office swag.

I’m less stressed by the 159.00 price tag on the Artemis hoody, a streamlined merino wool version of the classic sweatshirt hoody. This thing looks great and feels great. The cut is super stylish, fitting, with a soft draping hood and thumb loops in the sleeves. You can absolutely wear this as a base layer in the outdoors, but it’s great on its own too. It comes in black or gray, so it’s appropriate as your evening formal hoody though you’ll be perfectly happy wearing it with those flannel jammies while you wander around with a cup of coffee in hand. The sweater bears a “Made in China” tag, that may explain the more mid-range pricing.

Triple Aught Design has a full line of outdoor gear — if the stuff I’ve been trying out is any indication, their clothing is cut quite nicely and they’ve got a keen eye for materials and detail. I kind of like their travel porn inspired Flickr feed, especially this one featuring their packs.

Want your own Triple Aught Design gear? Check their website.

Images courtesy of Triple Aught Design.

Gadling Gear Review: Burton’s Sleeper Hoodie

by Grant Martin on

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.

Gadling gear review: Arc’teryx Gamma MX Hoody

by Mike Barish on

Many people turn to a single jacket when winter weather rolls in. They have a go-to parka that keeps them warm and dry. If your winter activities are limited to commuting to work and running errands, then one such warm coat probably is all you need from November through February. But if you are as active in the winter as you are in the summer, then you know that aerobic activity can often keep you warmer than any amount of down filler can. As such, you need a coat that is breathable, water-resistant and allows for an active lifestyle.

That’s why I was excited to test out the Arc’teryx Gamma MX Hoody. Arc’teryx is known for making outdoor gear with sleek lines and durable construction. The Gamma MVX Hoody is made for alpine conditions, and, as such, provides flexibility and warmth while remaining breathable. I brought the Gamma MX Hoody to Newfoundland, Canada for some adventure activities to see if it lived up to the Arc’teryx reputation.First, the nitty gritty. The Arc’teryx MX Hoody has the stretch necessary to allow for a full range of motion. With two chest pockets, two hand pockets and one sleeve pocket, there is ample storage space. It does, however, lack an interior pocket. It is well-sealed, water-resistant and immaculately constructed. You get the impression that you could fall off of a mountain, hit every rock on the way down and the jacket would be in perfect condition (even if your body wasn’t).

The fleece lining in the Gamma MX Hoody provides ample warmth provided it is supplemented with aerobic activity to generate additional heat in your core. It is not meant to replace a solid winter coat for when you’re walking the dog or waiting in line for a movie in sub-freezing temperatures. But, if you’re snowshoeing, mountain climbing or hiking, you’ll be more than comfortable in the jacket.

The warmth and resistance to the elements come from the Polartec Power Shield softshell fabric that makes the jacket both durable and breathable. It also allows for that full-range of motion that an outdoor athlete needs.

Like almost all other Arc’teryx gear, the Gamma MX Hoody features a very slim cut. I wear a medium in virtually every other coat that I’ve worn (ranging in manufacturers from Cloudveil to Patagonia to Mountain Hardwear). Arc’teryx gear is taut and constrictive on me in anything less than a large. However, in the proper size – in this case, a large – the Gamma MX Hoody fit snugly while still allowing for several base layers to be worn comfortably.

The snug fit did pose a problem in the cuffs. Many winter coats provide Velcro straps on the cuffs to allow for adjustment in the tightness around gloves. The Gamma MX Hoody lacks these tabs. As such, the cuffs on the Gamma MX Hoody are tight, which makes taking the jacket on and off more challenging than it should be. Adjustable straps would solve this problem simply.

As you can imagine from the name, the Gamma MX Hoody comes with an attached hood. It does not retract into a pocket, so, regardless of the conditions, the hood will be hanging off of your collar. Since I much prefer a coat that allows for rolling the hood into a zipped pocket in the collar, it took some getting used to when I would find my hood uncomfortably wedged beneath my backpack. The hood is made to fit over a helmet, which is necessary considering that the jacket is intended for alpine use. However, despite being able to tighten the hood, I still found it comically large when I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Despite attempts to tighten it fully, the hood often billowed over my head and would fall off as I walked. This would expose my neck and face to snow and rain.

As always, I like to boil things down to the basics:

Pros

  • Outstanding construction and incredible durability
  • Flexibility allows for full range of motion
  • Plenty of pockets
  • Water-resistant and well-sealed
  • Fleece lining provides warmth to supplement aerobic heat

Cons

  • Slim cut may create a tighter fit than expected
  • Tight cuffs with no adjustable straps
  • Hood is large and does not retract into the collar

Overall, this is a fantastic coat if you maintain an active lifestyle in cold weather. While it is not a replacement for a heavy parka, it is an excellent addition to the gear collection of any winter adventurer. The jacket provides ample warmth once you start your activities and is built to last. However, I strongly recommend that you try it on in person, as Arc’teryx products are cut much slimmer than other outdoor gear brands.

You can purchase the Gamma MX Hoody directly from the Arc’tery website for $379.00. The durability of the coat will surely ensure that it pays for itself over years of aggressive use.

Gadling Gear: Burton’s Sleeper Hoodie v2.0

by Grant Martin on

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.