Lightweight Jacket
Mountain Hardwear Super Power Hoody
$125, 13 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: Men’s S-XXL, women’s XS-XL
mountainhardwear.com
Winter and the shoulder seasons of early spring and late autumn are difficult times to be an outdoor athlete—you get hot and sweaty, then your wet clothing makes you cold. For trail running and strenuous hiking in cool to cold temperatures, I’ve rarely found a jacket that breathes well enough and dries quickly enough to handle my body’s rapid temperature shifts—pumping out heat going uphill, then cooling off on the descents—until the Super Power Hoody came along.
I’ve worn it on several trail runs in the Boise Foothills, in temps ranging from just below freezing to the 40s, with just a lightweight long-sleeve base layer underneath; and even when I’m sweating heavily, the jacket has never gotten more than slightly damp and dries quickly when my exertion level drops. The reasons are the Polartec Powerdry fabric’s ability to transport moisture, and the jacket’s design, with stretchy, thinner panels in the sides, underarms, forearms, and hood. The stretchy hood stays put on my head and delivers just a little warmth when needed, like at the start of a run. I also like the extra-long sleeves and thumbholes, positioned so that the sleeves come up over my entire hands (except fingers). The jacket doesn’t have the wind resistance needed for faster activities like skate-skiing or biking, except in milder temps. But for the avid runner-hiker who hits the trails or streets for winter workouts, this hoody is super.
—Michael Lanza