I’ve written in previous gear reviews on the wonders of merino wool for travel wear, specifically for it’s natural anti-odor properties and how smooth it feels against your skin. What I didn’t mention in previous posts about merino wool was how warm it can be, even when it’s wet. Enter the Wool Aire Hoody Jacket.
Ibex, a wool clothing company based in Vermont, introduced their first ever wool insulation jacket this past January at Outdoor Retailer. I spotted it there and was immediately interested to see how the jacket would fair in fall and winter weather. Merino wool makes excellent layering pieces, but to use it as insulation instead of, say, down, is completely new for the outdoor gear market. When down gets wet, it loses its’ warming properties. When merino wool gets wet it will still keep you warm.
The jacket has a semi-fit, ample room in the shoulders and hood but snug around my waist. The design is simple, with two side hand pockets, a chest pocket and a mesh inner stuff pocket to pack the jacket down into. I loved the color, called True Violet, the other options being green, grey and black. The shell of the jacket is made of recycled nylon, very hard to rip, contrary to the thinness of the material. It didn’t snag at all on numerous fall hikes through the forested woods outside of Seattle.
Seattle was a perfect place to test out the jacket due to it’s rainy weather. I often would wear the jacket while running errands around town amidst the rain and drizzle. Even though I would get damp, the merino wool still kept me warm. In this manner warmth to weight ratio was impressive, considering the jacket weighs under 15 ounces, less than a pound.
Being able to throw the jacket in the washing machine is a plus, compared to other down jackets I have. Though I have to say, even though the warmth to weight ratio was excellent, the jacket wasn’t as warm as I would’ve liked. Perhaps it’s me, maybe I just run cold. Sure, for those first chilly evenings of fall and windy sunny afternoons, the jacket suited me perfectly. The hood was a plus for warmth, a feature I used and felt made a worthy addition to the jacket. The price is pretty steep ($325), and so I’d make sure you try on the jacket and test the warmth for yourself before you head to the cash register. Who know, it could be just your temperature.
You can purchase the Ibex Wool Aire Hoody Jacket here on the Ibex website.
OR, if you live in Seattle, you can head to the new Ibex store opening December 6th in University Village and test out the jacket youself!