The primary time I stuffed the Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT Hoodie ($235) into my pack, I’ll admit I used to be skeptical. A jacket this mild and compressible appeared nearly too flimsy to supply any actual heat. It felt extra like an emergency layer than one thing I’d belief day in and time out. It virtually disappeared into my bag, taking over much less area than a water bottle.
However the true take a look at got here after I pulled it out throughout a frosty dawn ski tour. As quickly as I zipped it up, I felt the heat unfold immediately, slicing the chilliness with out weighing me down. That second satisfied me this wasn’t only a “just-in-case” piece. It was a critical performer. I wore it on daybreak patrol missions, mellow Nordic laps, late-season bike rides, and chilly mornings at camp.
Every time, it delivered dependable heat that belied its featherlight construct. It blocked sufficient wind to take the sting off ridgeline ascents and saved me snug when the mercury dropped. And since it packs down so small, I by no means hesitated to throw it in my bag.
I knew it might come in useful for every little thing from lengthy excursions to fast errands round city. By the tip of testing, it had earned greater than a everlasting spot in my package. It grew to become the primary jacket I reached for each time the climate turned unpredictable.
In brief: The SuperStrand LT Hoodie is a light-weight, ethereal, and impressively heat artificial jacket that packs down smaller than many down puffies. It’s sturdy, windproof, and waterproof, making it perfect for four-season use. Nonetheless, it comes with two drawbacks: restricted breathability for high-output exercise and a zipper that might use an improve.
Take a look at GearJunkie’s information to the Greatest Artificial Insulated Jackets to match the Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT to others I’ve examined.
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Light-weight & packable -
Sturdy -
Heat for its weight -
Windproof & waterproof
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Poor zipper high quality -
Lacks breathability
Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT Hoodie Evaluation
Consolation, Mobility, and Match
The SuperStrand LT has a clean, quiet really feel the second you slip it on. The material avoids the crinkly stiffness widespread in synthetics, so it layers simply over a base or beneath a shell.
The match is streamlined however by no means restrictive, providing you with full vary of movement for climbing strikes, pole crops, or tucking into a motorcycle descent. It additionally dodges the boxy reduce that plagues many synthetics, sitting cleanly on the waist for environment friendly, low-bulk layering.
Efficiency on the Path and Past
This jacket stands out for its weight-to-warmth ratio. At simply over 10 ounces, it supplies down-like loft and insulation with out the fragility of pure fill.
Throughout sub-zero mornings on the pores and skin observe, it provided the proper stage of heat with out inflicting overheating. On breezy spring Nordic adventures, the windproof cloth reduce the chilliness whereas remaining mild sufficient to stash shortly as soon as the day warmed up.
The SuperStrand LT additionally works properly as a layering piece. On dry, chilly days, it performs as an outer layer, and when the climate turns moist or snowy, it matches neatly beneath a shell. With two inside stuff pockets and two zippered hand pockets, it’s bought simply sufficient storage to maintain necessities like gloves, a beanie, or snacks shut by.
Meet VerticalX SuperStrand Insulation
On the coronary heart of this jacket is Out of doors Analysis’s VerticalX SuperStrand insulation. It’s the model’s lightest, softest, and most compressible artificial, designed to imitate the loft and construction of down whereas nonetheless retaining the reliability of artificial fill.
The insulation is constructed from polyester strands that act like a lattice, holding clusters of heat in place in order that they don’t clump or shift over time. The result’s a lofty, constant heat that feels a lot nearer to down than most synthetics we’ve examined.
How It Compares to Down
Down nonetheless wins the warmth-to-weight crown, however the SuperStrand LT Hoodie makes a powerful case for synthetics. Not like down, it received’t lose its insulating energy when moist, and there’s no fear about clumping, feathers poking out, or uneven pockets of fill.
The clusters mimic the texture of 700-800 fill down, providing you with comparable loft with out the fragility. It’s not fairly as breathable as some hybrids and doesn’t pack down fairly as small as ultralight down jackets just like the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. Nonetheless, it does get smaller than many, together with the Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown, the Patagonia Down Sweater, and the Stio Hometown Down — however the tradeoff is peace of thoughts. Whether or not you’re caught in a moist snowstorm or stuffing it repeatedly into the underside of your pack, this jacket retains performing.
Climate Safety
The material’s windproof qualities set it aside from many different light-weight synthetics. Gusty ridgelines and chilly descents are not any match for its safety, and the waterproof therapy sheds mild snow and drizzle. It’s not a storm shell and received’t substitute a real rain jacket, however for fast-changing mountain climate, it supplies strong insurance coverage.
Breathability
Right here’s the place the SuperStrand LT reveals its limitations. It handles stop-and-go exercise properly. However, throughout steady high-output efforts like huffing and puffing up the boot pack to Teton Move’s Glory Bowl, it could actually really feel clammy.
Sweat builds up sooner than in additional breathable hybrids just like the Black Diamond First Mild Stretch Hoody. This isn’t a dealbreaker in case you use it strategically, nevertheless it’s value noting in case your pursuits lean closely towards nonstop uphill and cardio exercise.
Sturdiness and Packability
Out of doors Analysis constructed this jacket to final. Regardless of its feathery weight, the shell cloth holds up properly in opposition to common abrasion from packs and lightweight brushes with rock. The power to compress it down to only bigger than a Nalgene in case you pack it into its stowable pocket makes it probably the most packable synthetics I’ve examined.
The picture under reveals that the Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT Hoodie holds its personal in packability, compressing almost as small as premium down jackets whereas outperforming most synthetics. That portability makes it particularly interesting as a “simply in case” layer for every little thing from summer season backpacking to winter ski excursions.
Room for Enchancment
One space that wants consideration is the zipper. After a few months of use, the primary zipper enamel separated, and I sidelined the jacket till I acquired a alternative (in a special, brighter colour). Out of doors Analysis took care of the difficulty shortly, however for a jacket at this worth, I’d wish to see a stronger zipper sooner or later.
Breathability is the opposite limitation. It’s not the piece I put on for sustained, high-sweat actions except it’s tremendous chilly (which it’s a lot within the Tetons) or I layer very fastidiously.
Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT Hoodie: Who Is This For?
The Out of doors Analysis SuperStrand LT Hoodie is for individuals who need most heat and weather-resistance within the lightest, most packable bundle artificial attainable. It’s a wonderful alternative for four-season adventurers, whether or not you’re ski touring in January, bikepacking in September, or tenting in July.
For those who’re an out of doors fanatic who values effectivity, preparedness, and heat with out bulk, this jacket deserves a spot in your package. Even when it doesn’t get day by day use, you’ll be stunned how typically you attain for it year-round.
