Ok, i'm in the process of actually posting my 3-season gear list and stumped myself.

This relates to only my torso clothing and weights are not necessary. Here's my setup:

Worn:

Shirt: IceBreaker 150 Half zip

Carried:

Insulation: Mont-bell Thermawrap Parka
Wind: GoLite Ether
Rain: Marmot Mica
Shirt: Icebreaker SS 150 or Half Zip

I got to thinking about everyone's BPL Hoodies and Patagonia R1's and thought "where's mine?"

Then i thought again, do i need one?

From my experience i'm ok hiking in my setup and use the thermawrap in camp.

What gives? What am i missing? Where does this layer fit in? Am i having a brain fart and already know the answer?

Since the BPL Hoodies are seemingly never returning, i would buy an R1 Hoody if it turns out to be helpful. Plus, it has thumbholes and those are sweet! :)

- Dana

FWIW, I bought a womans XL R1/2 hoody at the outlet a few years ago, and modified it a bit (mainly taking in the waist) to fit me (I usually wear a M in Patagonia). I find the hood and thumb loops, and the weight of the garment in general, to be great for cold weather. My below 25 or so BC skiing rig this winter has been a sleeveless baselater, R1/2 shirt, and a Patagonia Traverse pullover. The hood and thumb loops seal out drafts and snow very well (for those mandatory powder face plants).

I also carry the R1/2 as a layer for canyoneering and kayaking (under a drysuit), and as a camp layer for summer hiking. All of which is a round about way of saying that I can't see wearing something like an R1 hiking unless it was a decent bit below freezing.

I have been thinking that a no zip, hooded version of a lightweight capilene or Icebreaker 150 shirt might be handy.

I find the R1 hoody to be great for cold weather snow shoeing. It's great for the slow going of breaking trail. Also for xc skiing. Just the R1 with a wind shirt and I'm fine. The deep zip allows for plenty of venting, and the hood is really nice. The fabric wicks and dries fast. It's a great stop and start piece, when you don't want to throw on a jacket every time you stop for 5-10 minutes. It'll keep you warm for that long before you start to chill. I really like it alot.

But any time I've tried wearing it in weather over 45*, I've found it too warm while active. At 11oz in large, it's about the same as the thermawrap parka, not as warm stand-alone while around camp and costs about as much, so unless you think you'd wear it as part of your hiking set-up I think you're fine with your thermawrap parka. (I have a OR Fraction parka - slightly heavier than the thermawrap, with 20g less insulation, but otherwise a pretty close comparison - and I'm basing the above on this.)

Dave,

Thanks for the insight.

I think you've just convinced yourself into believing in the mythical BPL Hoodie Ryan Jordan posted a few pictures of recently.

James,

I think your reiteration of snow use for the R1 has me convinced that i'm fine with the thermawrap. Your experience with both the R1 and a similar insulating layer is exactly what i was hoping to find out. Thanks for the reassurance.

Plus, if i do get really cold on the trail, I can always throw on my Thermawrap since it's synthetic. Or as an alternative, bump up to my 200wt half zips.

Thanks guys!

- Dana

I don't have a Hoody and I'm warm and comfortable enough.

I'm reminded of the old addage:

I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

But the light version instead:

If I don't have it I don't need it.

Dana, I use a very similar system to you in a similar climate and I concur with the previous posters, the R1 only comes out to suppliment the Thermawrap in freezing temps when sitting around. It is great to hike in with a light weight shirt under in sub freezing weather but is probably overkill for most three season kits.

I've been eyeing the R1 hoody ever since I say them introduce it. And I sprang for one just a month ago. I do have to say that the main use I will get out of it is to sleep in it, i.e. I purchased it to be pajamas if you look at it that way. I sleep cold like a freshly harvested icicle, so I need something like this along with my bag. If you are active at all wearing this, it better be cold. Especially if you have the hood on along with a shell. But I am a cold and not especially active sleeper. It will serve nicely on windy mountaintops also, I am sure.

Edited by trebisky on 03/30/2009 19:05:41 MDT.

"It is great to hike in with a light weight shirt under in sub freezing weather but is probably overkill for most three season kits."

I'd agree, Andrew. It's too heavy and you can get more insulation bang for the buck with a Cocoon, or Thermawrap, etc. In sub freezing weather, I've found the R1 Hoody, combined with a windproof vest and beanie if it's windy, to be ideal for snowshoeing down to the low 20's. My next step would be to add a light base layer underneath. At rest stops, either a wind shirt or WPB shell gets thrown over the lot. A great piece of gear, but not for 3 season kit, IMO/IME.

Another nod for the R1 in winter and fringe season only. I beat the hell out of mine this winter and found it fantastic in conditions from 45F to -10 (coldest tested this winter). But when it gets warmer more consistently, it's staying home in favor of a Capilene 1 LS.

If you're just hiking or moving quickly it probably doesn't fit in with most normal weather 3 season gearlists. If you're going above treeline extensively or climbing it might find a home in a 3 season list. I wore mind while climbing in Lumpy a couple weeks ago and it was oh so nice. Any time the wind kicked up at belays I tucked into the hood and thumb loops. Also for summer 14ers I often wear the old Smartwool hoody when the weather looks less than perfect. I rarely find myself too hot on a mellow hike but hate to get chilly.

The R1's are sooooo nice. I broke down and added a red medium to my closet this winter along with the black small I already had. Now I can layer under the medium quite a bit for winter climbing.

Alot of times i think i can run gearlists without my R1, but I rarely do
1. Moving insulation in the morning is VITAL for me. I get out of my sleeping bag, cook, brush teeth, and pack, woah now im a little chilled. I've used a micropuff for this and i overheat quicker than the R1.
2. Don't underestimate the feel of fleece, puffys are warm, but skin on nylon is pretty lame, and I feel it leaves a lot of air as well as a bellows effect for me, channeling my joules away. R1 is nice and tight and cozy and can be worn without a base, try that with your Mica, windshell, or parka.
3. Between the thumbholes, hood and huuuge zipper you get incredible venting and you can button up like your wearing gloves and a balaclava. This is my pick for multipitch climbing below T shirt weather, and for ski touring, and any other time i feel I have the potential to get chilled. I can't explain the magic, but it definatly is also harder to get a real bad flash evaporative cooling moment compared to my midweight smartwool top, when i freeze after i stop.

I'd buy the R1 any day, and I'll probably get one again when i get tired of the piles in mine. I wear it almost every day I can for good reasons.

I'm sitting at 8500 feet writing this -- and wearing my R1 hoodie - it is 38 degrees outside, and blowing a 25 mph wind. I'm inside (I work at an observatory), but I am glad to have this thing - it is not much warmer inside! This is one of my favorite pieces of gear. Adding a balclava hood to the R1 is a work of genius, and with the long front zipper, this is amazingly versatile. It is astounding how much warmth I gain by putting on the hood and zipping up. Since I get cold easy, and as I previously wrote I love to sleep in this, I expect to carry it on anything but a scorching summer trip. This now may well be my favorite mid layer, replacing the R1 zip I used to carry as my main "warmth layer".

> "I think you've just convinced yourself into believing in the mythical BPL Hoodie Ryan Jordan posted a few pictures of recently."

Yeah, no kidding! I have learned that if I see something that I really like for sale here at BPL, I have to buy it QUICK! I couldn't stand the wait for a Bushbuddy any more, so I bought a Ti-Tri Caldera Cone instead. IF the BPL Merino Hoody ever appears again, I'm going to snatch one up instantaneously. If one isn't available by the end of the summer I'm getting an R1.

I regret not snapping one up myself. I would also love to see a Patagonia Traverse softshell jacket in a hoody. I have the jacket but not the pullover. Its almost like a Schoeller Dynamic fabric just a little bit thinner. I would love to get my hands on an old Cloudveil Schoeller hoody like they used to make.

For me what makes the R1 Hoody so great is the fit. Patagonia goes a bit crazy with the "relaxed", "regular", and "slim" fit but their R1 Hoody and Traverse jacket are perfect.

Edited by FatTexan on 04/03/2009 14:25:42 MDT.

Hey Chris
Check out the OR ferosi?? hoody, it looks like a scholler dynamic type hoody. I've used the Exo's pants, which are basicly like dynamic by touch, but they pile (not sure if dynamic does any better). But the Ferosi is a little lighter weight, may be what your looking for.

I do have to say, companies that run softshells are very smart. They get us interested with either a lightweight softshell like dynamic or patagonia traverse like stuff, or the heavier stuff like patagonia alpine guide/ascensionist/dryskin, and now you want what everyone else is having!

Edited by hotrhoddudeguy on 04/04/2009 22:13:01 MDT.