Technical Outerwear

[Distorbiant]

Aren't you pretty active while skiing though

 

[SuEd]



Aren't you pretty active while skiing though

pretty inactive while waiting for the ski lift...

 

[Distorbiant]

pretty inactive while waiting for the ski lift...

Nice counterpoint you big jerk.


Now how much does one of these jackets cost?

 

[BostonHedonist]



What specifically makes it so versatile in terms of temperature?


It just seems kind of impossible that a jacket like that can handle single digit tempz without heavy layering.

It does require a layering strategy, of course. It's not like a big puffer that you can rock over a tee shirt and be toasty. But I prefer it, because that makes it more versatile in different types of weather. On the coldest days id wear something like a thermal Henley and a chunky wool sweater or my stark (with my trapper hat). On 25 degree and above days it'd usually be an Oxford and merino v neck. Above freezing, anything light is fine. I think the fact that it is wind proof prevents excess warmth leakage and the new generation goretex membrane hits on just the right level of breathability to let out excess warmth. It does have to be pretty cold to wear it with my thickest wool sweater though, it gets pretty hot otherwise.

 

[Fuuma]



looking for a basic 3/4 length hooded spring/summer weight parka (no or lightly insulated) in black with no fur trim. of everything I've come across, this ace hotel x alpha industries jam seems closest to what I'm looking for, but want it in black.

have done quite a bit of searching, but nothing quite hit the mark. any recs?

Junya released a great one with some plaid in the back, looks quite nice if you can find it.

 

[Tsujigiri]

Hey guys, got my first piece of techwear that I'm now wearing on a trip to Norcal (actually I don't know if it qualifies as techwear, but it's at least from a techwear company). It's the Isaora M65 "warlord." Thought I might write a quick review on it since I couldn't find any info when I bought it. This one is the navy camo version; it's also available in black. I don't usually like camo, but this one is nice and subtle but still interesting. The navy camo version is made of "memory nylon," while the black version uses a more water resistant nylon. The insulation is Primaloft One and the lining is Pertex. It's got the standard 4 pockets plus one internal zip pocket, the retractable hood, a waterproof center zip, drawstrings to tighten the waist, and snap cuffs.

I really like the way they cut this jacket; it seems like a nice play on the classic M65 to me. The angled pockets and cuffs look interesting and are more ergonomic to use. The top two pockets are very deep, enough to provide ample space for a pair of sunglasses, or if you're into EDC a 3xCR123A flashlight or Taser C2. All four external pockets have one two snap buttons, although only one shows through. The snaps throughout the jacket seem very high quality. All the buttons have the Isaora logo on the inner snap button. There appears to be little rhyme or reason dictating which snaps have the logo on the outer button. The zipper is also nice, although I'm not sure why they needed both a buttoned wind flap and a waterproof zipper (perhaps I'm missing something here). Also, the zip is on the left side, which feels weird to me. The jacket overall is very lightweight, but insulates pretty well (can't comment on its suitability for a real, non-California winter, though).

Now onto a few bad things. First, the top two pockets have a gap at the outer edge that is not covered by the flap (4th pic). I can't for the life of me understand why they would make a pocket to keep your belongings dry, but leave a space for water to run into. However, I did wear this jacket in a downpour and the pockets stayed dry, so this might not be an issue. Second, the cuffs are damn wide. You can cinch them down a little, but they really should have been cut smaller. Third, the waist cinches are attached inside by a contraption of frayed strings that just looks sloppy. And fourth, my biggest complaint, is that it's not water resistant like they claim. The fabric can hold water just fine, but the stitching is anything but waterproof. I doubt that the black version of the jacket is any better since it's not a fabric issue. After walking around in the rain a little, my shoulders were wet from water seeping through the jacket. The shoulder does have a lot of seams on it, so this probably exacerbates the problem. Really, I don't know what they were thinking with this.

The jacket retailed for $1400, which is ridiculous for this piece even if it did keep the water out. Recently it's been on clearance, dipping into the TAD gear price range. I'll bet that TAD's outerwear wouldn't have the same problems, but then their stuff looks like fancy sweatshirts. This jacket is a little more versatile and looks better. Fortunately it rarely rains where I live, so I can wear this most of the time. And because of that, I do like the jacket despite its glaring problems.

 

[ceoceo]



I wore it skiing in Vermont at -13C with just an Icebreaker tshirt and Heattech long sleeve t underneath.

I could probably walk outside in -13c with just an Icebreaker and a Heattech.

 

[BuffaloWang]

Going to be in Cincinnati, Ohio. Any college budget wardrobe suggestions for the cold winters?

<$400-500 on outerwear [used okay]
<$30-50 shirts/bases

 

[Grove]

I also have the insulated field jacket and I love it. It's an excellent town/fashion jacket and suprisingly warm but IMO gore-pro without venting options just isn't breathable enough for all day use or outdoor activities. Also the hood fit isn't great and although OK for emergency use it would annoy me to fck if used on the hills.

 

[Grove]

New Maharishi

Love the Lunar Bonsai DPM.

 

[irbe]



Hey guys, got my first piece of techwear that I'm now wearing on a trip to Norcal (actually I don't know if it qualifies as techwear, but it's at least from a techwear company). It's the Isaora M65 "warlord." Thought I might write a quick review on it since I couldn't find any info when I bought it. This one is the navy camo version; it's also available in black. I don't usually like camo, but this one is nice and subtle but still interesting. The navy camo version is made of "memory nylon," while the black version uses a more water resistant nylon. The insulation is Primaloft One and the lining is Pertex. It's got the standard 4 pockets plus one internal zip pocket, the retractable hood, a waterproof center zip, drawstrings to tighten the waist, and snap cuffs. I really like the way they cut this jacket; it seems like a nice play on the classic M65 to me. The angled pockets and cuffs look interesting and are more ergonomic to use. The top two pockets are very deep, enough to provide ample space for a pair of sunglasses, or if you're into EDC a 3xCR123A flashlight or Taser C2. All four external pockets have one two snap buttons, although only one shows through. The snaps throughout the jacket seem very high quality. All the buttons have the Isaora logo on the inner snap button. There appears to be little rhyme or reason dictating which snaps have the logo on the outer button. The zipper is also nice, although I'm not sure why they needed both a buttoned wind flap and a waterproof zipper (perhaps I'm missing something here). Also, the zip is on the left side, which feels weird to me. The jacket overall is very lightweight, but insulates pretty well (can't comment on its suitability for a real, non-California winter, though). Now onto a few bad things. First, the top two pockets have a gap at the outer edge that is not covered by the flap (4th pic). I can't for the life of me understand why they would make a pocket to keep your belongings dry, but leave a space for water to run into. However, I did wear this jacket in a downpour and the pockets stayed dry, so this might not be an issue. Second, the cuffs are damn wide. You can cinch them down a little, but they really should have been cut smaller. Third, the waist cinches are attached inside by a contraption of frayed strings that just looks sloppy. And fourth, my biggest complaint, is that it's not water resistant like they claim. The fabric can hold water just fine, but the stitching is anything but waterproof. I doubt that the black version of the jacket is any better since it's not a fabric issue. After walking around in the rain a little, my shoulders were wet from water seeping through the jacket. The shoulder does have a lot of seams on it, so this probably exacerbates the problem. Really, I don't know what they were thinking with this. The jacket retailed for $1400, which is ridiculous for this piece even if it did keep the water out. Recently it's been on clearance, dipping into the TAD gear price range. I'll bet that TAD's outerwear wouldn't have the same problems, but then their stuff looks like fancy sweatshirts. This jacket is a little more versatile and looks better. Fortunately it rarely rains where I live, so I can wear this most of the time. And because of that, I do like the jacket despite its glaring problems.

Thanks for the review. We need more review like this.

 

[malcb33]

I thought this was extremely well done....

http://blog.arcteryx.com/global-growth-prompts-rebrand

 

[R300]

read on sufu that isaora is **** quality regarding the price point. jus' sayin'

that print bomber up there is nice though..

 

[ceoceo]

The guys are very helpful and you can pretty much get anything for -50%.

Now if they actually found a mid-point where they drop the retail price a little and start focus on consistency..

 

[OccultaVexillum]

The guys are very helpful and you can pretty much get anything for -50%.

Now if they actually found a mid-point where they drop the retail price a little and start focus on consistency..

They are currently in the same mentorship/support program thing that Public School was/is in. So, that, along with their move to web-store only and the gang of surverys they've sent out recently (incidentally giving you a further 20% off anything in the web store) seems pretty clear that they are focused on working out any issues they have/had.