“Isolated showers are expected to spread in around midday while temperatures for most elevations will remain above freezing, breezy” – from yesterday’s Mount Washington Observatory Higher Summits. Perfect for a follow up look of the updated Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody I recently received. I gave this piece a very detailed positive review back in 2016 and I’m happy to say that the original jacket is still in great condition despite 7 years of regular use!
Light rain and wind from neighboring Mount Washington arrives early afternoon and the Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody comes out…
Black Diamond upgraded the original material to a newer Schoeller Eco-Repel Bio® PFC-free DWR Technology which seemed to shed light rain longer then my original hoody. There’s more stretch in this material which not only allows more freedom of movement but when combined with the new drop hem around the bottom the jacket stays tucked under my harness while making long reaches.
DWR doing what DWR does…
This is one of the best ultralight active shell jackets there is! Weighing around 7 ounces there’s rarely a mission I don’t find it wise to toss this in the pack. While it is a highly water resistent windbreaker I find it even more flexible with my layering system. For example, in summer this has doubled as a sun hoody on hot day as mentioned in my 2016 review. It’s more than enough breathable for higher output activities like mountain biking. For multi-pitch traditional rock climbing this clips to the back of my harness for those mid-climb unexpected changes in weather. As it gets colder it fits well over my Merino wool hoodies. In very cold weather while backcountry touring it is a perfect wind shell piece that fits well under any of my light puffy jackets. For such a quality versatile piece I can’t think of who wouldn’t find a spot for this in their active outdoor clothing system!
The Sierra Designs Cold Canyon Hoodie is a versatile mid-layer that can function as a stand-alone outer layer during high output activities during dry conditions. I’ve been testing on all Fall and I’m ready to share my opinions on the piece. First, the description from the Sierra Designs and the manufacturer specs:
The Cold Canyon Hoodie gives you stretch grid fleece that moves with you and vents heat with ease. Thumb loops allow for easy layering as a mid-layer, while a nylon wind breaker front sustains heat when moving quickly, allowing flow everywhere else.
Features
Heavy weight stretch grid fleece provides breathability and warmth
Thumb loops for easy layering
Nylon windbreak on chest cuts wind while moving and still vents throughout
Fitted hood
2 zippered hand warmer pockets
Materials
Shell: Stretch Grid Fleece
Lining: Nylon
Tech Specs – Size M
Center Back Length: 28.5 in / 72.4 cm
Sleeve Length: 36.87 in / 93.66 cm
Weight: 18.75 oz / 531.55 g
Performance
I tested this jacket in the White Mountains from September to December while hiking a few of the 4,000 footers and rock climbing at Rumney, Cathedral, and in Huntington Ravine. All told I put about a dozen days into getting a feel for this jacket. The grid-fleece is a pretty great fabric. It is soft and brushed on the inside with a denser weave on the outside. The result is it traps a decent amount of heat for such a thin fabric and the outer weave seems to block a little bit of wind without sacrificing any breathability. When the winds do pick up the nylon chest panels provide even more protection. For a fleece mid-layer it seems pretty technical, with thumb loops ,a well sized hood, and a large sized zippered chest pocket.
Fit
I found this jacket to run pretty big. I went for a size large for my 5′ 9″, 180lb build and I think a medium would have been a better fit for me, especially in the sleeves which feel a bit too long, so consider sizing down if you want it to be a less casual fit. If you have particularly long arms you might stick with your regular size.
Summary
The Sierra Designs Cold Canyon Hoodie is definitely a nice addition to an active outdoor wardrobe. Other than running a bit big and weighing a bit more than a less technical fleece there isn’t much to complain about here. The MRSP is right around what I would have guessed in terms of value, and if you can catch it on sale this would be a great choice for a versatile mid-layer. In fact Sierra Designs is running a one-day “flash” sale for the non-hooded version of this jacket, so if you don’t need a hood and are just looking for a solid fleece mid-layer check out the Sierra Designs Cold Canyon Fleece Jacket, which is 40% off today only!
A media sample was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above support the content created at this blog and when you make a purchase through them the author receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
This year Patagonia has released a lighter version of their iconic DAS “Dead Air Space” synthetic parka and after a month of testing the Patagonia DAS Light Hoody I can honestly say it’s a amazing piece! Without a doubt you won’t find a warmer and more bomb-proof synthetic belay jacket under 12 ounces.
For insulation Patagonia used 65 grams of down-like “PlumaFill”. This 100% recycled insulation truly feels as warm as high quality down yet has the advantage of still retaining heat should it get wet. You’ll have to go out of your way to get it wet though thanks to the almost seamless Pertex® Quantum Pro fabric with both a PU dry coating and a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. That’s about as close to waterproof as you can get while still having functional breath-ability and makes this jacket stand above the Micro and Nano Puff jackets with their sewn through quilted patterns.
A two way zipper for easy access to your belay loop, size-able chest pocket, helmet friendly hood, and two handwarmer pockets round out the features. The cut of the jacket is roomy, closer to a true belay jacket than a typical “light puffy”. I went with a size large for my 5′ 9″ 180lb frame and there was plenty of room to layer under it but it didn’t feel to baggy. My only suggestion is the left hand pocket that can be turned inside out to stuff the jacket needs to be a little bigger, it’s a bit of a challenge trying to get the jacket to stuff into that pocket.
Here’s a quick video review I did on the jacket:
Summary/Who is this for?
The Patagonia DAS Light Hoody is a pretty versatile piece. It’s an excellent choice for a fast & light ice climber/alpinist belay jacket if conditions are typical. It’s a great insurance piece for the back-country skier or rider who doesn’t plan to stop moving but wants to be prepared for any contingency and winter hikers will find it an excellent addition to their gear closet. If you’re looking for some cold weather protection this is a jacket you should be looking at!
Disclaimer: A media sample was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above support the content created on this blog at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
I’ve been wearing the Black Diamond Alpine Softshell pants almost daily for the last 5 months and have been really happy with their performance. A true three season pant I’ve worn them on sunny low 70’s days rock climbing on Whitehorse Ledge, blustery Mount Washington ascents (including my two hour car to car of Pinnacle), late season ice climbing, and summer alpine climbing in the Cascades. These were the only pant I wore for successful summits of Mount Shuksan, Forbidden Peak, and Mount Rainier. All told they have seen over 200 miles of hiking and 30,000 feet of climbing and still look and perform great! Let’s take a look at why these are suitable for such a wide variety of adventures!
Probably the best feature of these pants is how they have a very large range of temperature comfort. This is primarily achieved by Black Diamond’s proprietary four-way stretch fabric (88% nylon, 12% elastane) with a DWR finish. The material is soft enough on the inside that it feels great on bare legs and so breath-able that I could wear them on high humidity warm days during bug season without any discomfort. I actually found myself not climbing in shorts this season because I liked the added protection of a full pant like this pretty much every time I headed into the woods. Despite being so comfortable in warm and humid conditions the DWR treatment and weight of the material offered enough protection for them to be perfect in blustery alpine climbing conditions. I wore them exclusively for all three summits mentioned above and they were perfect even for our 1 AM below freezing alpine starts. A lightweight or mid-weight long underwear pant can easily expand the cold weather capabilities of these though I would pack a hard-shell to zip on over them in extreme cold/windchill/wet conditions.
Author wearing the pants at 11,000 feet on the Ingraham Glacier during crevasse rescue practice- photo by Alexandra Roberts
Comfort- Sizing/Fit
The second best feature of these pants is how well they fit. For reference I am 5′ 9″, 180 pounds, with a 34 inch waist and 32 inch inseam. I went with a size medium and they fit me quite well. They may be an inch long in the inseam but that is only noticeable if I am wearing flip-flops. Once I have trail shoes or boots on they do not feel too long at all and the stretchy material makes rolling them up around the calves for rock climbing super easy. The stretchy material also stays in place around the calf while I am climbing while other pants sometimes un-roll on me mid-pitch if I don’t fuss with a good “tight-roll”. There is also a hem-cord at the ankles that can help keep them tight around your boot or calf with just one pull.
These offer protection in quite a few ways. They are light enough to serve as bug/poison ivy/pricker protection in warm weather. They are durable enough to protect bare legs from rock abrasion while scrambling and climbing. They are virtually wind proof to guard from wind-chill (though I would add a hard-shell pant to my pack if looking at a wind chill advisory). They are water-resistant enough thanks to the DWR coating to deal with light precipitation and when they do get wet they are super quick drying. If glissading on Spring snow is on the agenda I would also add a hard-shell to the kit.
I really like the integrated adjustable web belt and have not had any need to wear an additional belt but low profile belt loops are included anyways. The pant fits great underneath the two harnesses I used with it, the Petzl Sitta (reviewed here) and the Petzl Altitude (review coming). Two zippered hand pockets are perfectly positioned and a zippered right thigh pocket is large enough for my iPhone 6s Plus in its Hitcase Shield waterproof case <- great iPhone case by the way! There is also a zippered right rear pocket to round out the features of this pant.
Summit of Mount Rainier, July 27th, 2017- photo by @cfphotography
The author on some late season ice last March begins testing the Black Diamond Alpine Softshell Pants- photo by @cfphotography
Summary
While I wore these for almost 5 months it was the two weeks that I lived in them in the Cascades that really won me over. Light enough to sleep in yet rugged enough to handle thousands of feet of alpine scrambling. I will likely be wearing these regularly for the rest of the New England Fall climbing season and they will probably go out on some fair weather ice climbing days this winter, though I have a couple heavier soft-shell pants that need to be reviewed this season as well. If you are in need of a versatile climbing pant backed by a great company this model deserves a very close look!
Disclaimer: This product was provided to the reviewer for purpose of review and all opinions expressed are genuine. All product links above are affiliate links. Using those links to make a purchase supports Northeast Alpine Start at no additional cost to you.
The Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody is another great addition to the growing market of sun hoodies. This category has become a year-round staple of my outdoor wardrobe, especially as we enter the Northeast black fly season. Having a sun hoody means you can go lighter on both bug repellent and sunscreen and if you haven’t tried one yet I strongly recommend you pick one up!
Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody – photo from blackdiamondequipment.com
A technical fit paired with a highly protective fabric, the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody offers coverage on desert multi pitches, high-alpine approaches and hot crag sessions. With 50-UPF and moisture wicking fabric, you can add a layer of protection to your arsenal, and an under-the-helmet hood and pullover design add comfort.
50-UPF sun protection
Underam gussets
Under-the-helmet hood
Fit: Slim
Size: S-XL
Comfort
The Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody is made with a very thin polyester stretch material ((140 gsm, 91% polyester, 9% elastane). It feels great on bare skin and I’ve worn it over a thin synthetic t-shirt, a medium weight collared Black Diamond Technician Shirt, and by itself all with equal comfort. The material is so light and breathable it truly feels cooler in the sun with this on then just wearing a t-shirt. When combined with my Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody that I reviewed here my torso is covered for about 90% of the weather I find myself climbing in from May through August.
The author testing the Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody on Whitehorse Ledge- photo by @alexandraroberts
Fit
While Black Diamond claims this has a “slim” fit I found it a bit bulky. For reference I am 5’9″ 180 lbs and I went with the size large based on my chest size of 42 inches. I think a medium would fit me better but the large works. The forearms are snugger than other models I’ve tested in this category and I prefer that style for rock climbing. Black Diamond also claims this has a “under-the-helmet-hood” but it is sized rather roomy and can easily fit over or under my helmet. Over a bare head the hood feels a little to large but felt comfortable if I had on a ball-cap. I would wear the hood under my helmet when the bugs are biting and over my helmet for slightly better airflow on really hot and humid days.
Hood options- Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody Review
Versatility
The Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoody only weights 240 grams (8.5 ounces). When I combine it with my Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody that I reviewed here the total package is about one pound but covers the vast majority of weather and bug conditions I climb in. At a combined weight of one pound there is no reason not to bring these two pieces of added protection even when the forecast is for comfortable climbing conditions. It’s just cheap insurance for when the crag is a bit windier than you expected or you find yourself still out at dusk and the mosquitos decide to feast. And if you’ve never tried a sun hoody your will be quite impressed the first hot day you pull it on and realize it is cooler than not wearing one!
Convenience
One feature not mentioned in the manufacturer description is the fact that the material has been treated with Polygiene which basically eliminates odor and reduces the amount of washing’s this piece needs. I personally do not wash my high end outdoor clothes with every use as washing will reduce the lifespan of your outdoor clothing. Other than under garments (which do get washed almost every use) I typically wear items like this 7-10 hard use days between washing. I’ve worn this piece for 8 days straight and it is has not picked up any noticeable odor. You can read more about how this technology works here.
Summary
A sun hoody should be on every climber’s wish list. From cragging to alpine, sport to trad, and even casual hikes and trail runs, this is a super versatile piece and a must have staple to every outdoor wardrobe. Black Diamond has entered the market with a solid contribution to the style with the Alpenglow Sun Hoody and you should check it out!
