Sierra Designs Sonic Outlaw Jacket
March 9, 2012
This jacket wins on name alone. Irene and I got together for a gear testing outing and naturally we picked a miserable weather day – our favorite! Thanks Irene for doing the review way back in the fall when we had those blustery, rainy, windy days. -HG
I had the pleasure and good fortune to try this soft-shell, waterproof/breathable jacket on a day when the winds were forecast at 50 mph, with gusts to 80. What a life saver this jacket was on such a blustery outing, with none other than Head Geargal herself, Jill!!! So I show up with some flimsy wind shell because my Goretex shell’s zipper broke. Jill saved the day by offering me not one, but two Sierra Designs jackets to check out.
We were set to climb up to a pass, so I wondered if I’ll get too hot in this jacket with its brushed polyester fleece lining. A rather silly thought, given the blowing rain/snow and high winds. I was so comfortable wearing this jacket on our outing in the wind. Never once did I feel the need to unzip to cool off, must be the breathability of this coat. Beads of water piled up on the jacket, one shake of my arm and the beads of water went sliding.
Since its debut with me, I have used this jacket a lot. And, I discovered the way cool hood fits over a bike helmet while on one of my last rainy camping adventures with the kids before snow. Fall in Alaska is when you know to expect winds/rains, I was not to be let down on this camping trip. Good thing for a cabin to retreat to, and the Sonic Outlaw Jacket to protect me from the wet, cold, drenching, rains. It never dawned on me just how nice it would be to have a jacket with a hood that fits over a helmet, way clever design. You’re probably wondering how the kids (age 9, 10, and 12) were protected? They wore their winter coats with rain layer and were quite comfy.
There is a removable powder-skirt, I haven’t used it yet, nor have I removed it. I’m afraid to remove it because it will most likely not make its way back to its proper location. It’s not in the way, and I don’t notice it, fits nicely in the jacket.
Now that I have had this jacket for almost 2 months I am so pleased to report how happy I am with it. Today I ventured out for work after yesterdays major windstorm on the Kenai Peninsula. It was still blowing hard; I had a fleece coat on top of 2 other layers, at -5 degrees it just wasn’t working. I took my fleece coat off and put on the SD Soft-shell, totally perfect. And the best part was when I put the hood on to protect my face because I have not added a face mask to my pack yet, (geeze, it’s only November) I felt a very warm, cozy, comfort, as if I just stepped into a heated shelter.
Let me see if I can figure out what it is I’ve been missing via Internet research about this jacket. Oh, RECCO. “The RECCO system consists of two parts: a reflector integrated into clothing, boots, helmets, and body protection worn by skiers and riders; and a detector used by organized rescue teams. The reflector consists of a small, flat capsule, about 1/2″ by 2″ by 1/16″ thick.” Phew, that’s enough for me, part of why this layer is so spendy? Whatever, if I were to venture in Avalanche terrain I would be wearing a beacon and if caught in an avalanche someone else with a beacon could rescue me, or find my body sooner than some person with the RECCO detector could be flown to AK from God knows where. [We actually have them here, Irene, ha! -HG] The RECCO system sounds like another money maker for someone, though they say it’s been around since the 1970’s and apparently some manufacturers are using it. And, never mind about why I would care about reaching over my head and having unrestricted movement, probably another cool thing I just have no clue about? Sometimes the Internet makes it too easy to find out stuff you really don’t care about. Needless to say, I still love this layer despite just learning about those funky little thingies I’m going to now cut out of the pockets.
[Okay, so not everyone loves having RECCO in their gear. It does indeed make it easier for rescuers/recoverers to perhaps find your body if you get buried or lost, so I suppose I'd advise against cutting the little RECCO tabs out. Anyway, here's Irene putting the jacket to use, on her mountain bike with snazzy flowered basket. I just love Irene. -HG]
Sierra Designs Gnar Skirt
January 14, 2012
This one has been on the review list for a while but I had a special request today on Twitter to address the issue of down skirts. Here in Alaska, winter skirts have been fairly popular for a while so I’m not surprised they’re making their way to more mainstream manufacturers. I even saw someone skiing in an ankle-length winter skirt the other day; it’s definitely a common sight here when it gets chilly.
It seems that people’s first reaction to insulated skirts is either intrigue or ridicule. I’d heard enough positives about them that I was eager to try one so when Sierra Designs offered to send one of their new Gnar down miniskirts, I just had to agree. One of the reasons I wanted to try one is that I’ve found that that the myth of body fat being an insulator is just that – a myth. My most ample assets are the ones that get cold the fastest. My core is always toasty but my booty and upper arms seem to be where the chill settles. I realize that this probably brings to mind a mental image of me looking like some bastardized female Popeye, but come on. My picture is on this site, you know I look normal. But I can tell where my body fat is because those are the parts that get cold. There’s body fat on my ass, so there you have it.
Gnar skirt to the rescue. You’d think that there would be no way an open-ended garment could keep one warm, but really – your jacket is open at the bottom too and it still keeps you warm. Further, I’ll bet some of you wear long trench-style coats and why? Because they’re warmer. The Gnar skirt is just like adding an extender onto your coat; it’s the same idea.
I like wearing the Gnar when I’m out riding my fat bike in really cold temps. It adds just a little extra insulation and keeps me warm on the bike. Last time I wore it while riding, it was only about zero degrees out and I had to take the skirt off because I was too warm. I wear it over softshell pants for hikes when I need that extra kick of warmth.
There are a few design flaws in this particular iteration. The snap closures in the front are problematic because they come undone really easily. I mostly wear all but two or three open anyway, so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but having the waist also close with a snap is annoying. It should be a buckle, for security’s sake. What would really fix this is having some elastic in the skirt. As it is, if you leave the snaps buttoned, it’s too hard to walk at more than a city-girl pace. Having a stretchy down skirt, now that would be awesome.
I would also like to see more realistic sizing. I’m usually a size small but couldn’t get the S size skirt around me! The medium fits OK but I have to cut down on the doughnuts if I want to be sure I can wear it all year. Anyone bigger than a size 6 would have to bump up into the large unless they have particularly slim hips.
The tags said that the skirt has two interior pockets but mine doesn’t – those would be a welcome addition. Could be just a sample goof – that happens sometimes.
And how does it look? I have no idea. I put it on to stay warm and I don’t actually own a full length mirror. I can imagine that a few stylin’ chicas could pull it off as a fashion look; I’m not sure I would try. Well, maybe – I think it’s got potential to be pretty cute. Anyone got insight?
All in all I like the concept and I find this to be a pretty helpful piece. I would like it to be more secure and allow for more freedom of movement. Maybe even a little longer?
Sierra Designs Rad Jacket
January 4, 2012
[Irene tested this jacket on the soggy Kenai Peninsula last fall - that'll put any waterproof-breathable to the test for certain. -HG]
I like this shell made of their 3 layer Hurricane fabric. Our fall weather in Alaska did not disappoint me for what to expect is to be expected, RAIN, RAIN, and tons more RAIN! This shell was a perfect topping over a couple layers early in the fall. I tend to sweat a lot on my outings, probably should go a little slower and smell the um, mud and moisture in the air at this time of year. Which leads me to another favorite part of this shell, it has under arm zips, and I love this feature, really does help to get a little ventilation when you start getting warm but it’s pouring rain. The helmet compatible hood (means it fits nicely over a bike, or ski helmet) is way cool, literally not making me cool from rain going down my neck. When not wearing a helmet, there are little string adjusters to tighten this hood to keep the elements out. The added visor on the hood also helps keep the pounding rain off your face, lots of fun little features that make a tremendous difference when you are in some rad conditions, thus, such an appropriate name for this jacket.
So just what is Hurricane fabric? Beats me, let’s look it up. Oops, big mistake, now it says has an outer Tropozone layer. Oh well, I’ll leave it up to those who are really into their gear. All’s I know is that it is most definitely waterproof, and breathable. And, now I know what hard-shell means. Interesting what lingo I’m learning writing these reviews. Hard shells like this one are made with laminates that are applied to the fabric used to make jackets and pants as opposed to a soft shell that uses sophisticated stretch woven fabrics with tight layered weaves and durable water repellent (DWR) treatments to guard against wind, rain, and snow in all but the most severe weather conditions.
Sierra Designs calls this a winter layer, yes it could be if you buy the next size larger. Pockets are small, but I guess that’s not too much of an issue because when you need a layer like this one you are usually on an outing with a pack in which to store bulkier gloves, hats, and snacks. An adjustable cinch at the waist lets you further snug the shell tighter if needed. I like the fit very well, I am growing so fond of my women specific clothing that I am no longer looking in the men’s department because I can’t stand the thought of going back to baggy clothing, even though the selection for women isn’t nearly what it should be. Manufacturers, get moving if you wanna make the big bucks.
