ProView – BlackYak Niata Jacket

Puffy coat selection is very personal. Some coats pack down well but lack the necessary fill or features for real winter conditions. Some coats are loftier with more fill, but lack the ability to compress and weigh too much. I took this coat backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, and put it to the real test- just standing around waiting to start skiing while reading the avalanche forecast. I also took it out for a weekend in snow caves teaching winter survival skills. All trips were taken in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.  

   

When testing this coat, I first took it for a dawn patrol backcountry ski day. A six am start in the dark and trailhead preparations were plenty warm. After shedding the coat we skinned up and performed some snow stability tests. Weather that day was cold to start (10°) with low clouds, brisk winds, and humid (frost on my beard was a great indicator of the humidity). Digging pits in the cold with the low fog was cold and wet. The coat did the job. Wind stayed out, I stayed warm, and the coat fit and flexed well while I was digging. As an avalanche awareness instructor, I always bring a puffy to dig pits, to run avalanche beacon drills, and for emergencies. The coat worked like a charm. It packs down much smaller than expected.

Test number 2 came on a February weekend out in snow caves teaching winter survival and skills. Sunrise temperatures were 5°. Evening and morning cooking and teaching were easy. I let students try on my coat as well so they could see the difference between puffies that not all are created equally. Coat was great even when sitting around in camp and being inactive. Only lets through minimal amounts of wind. As a teacher in an Outdoor Recreation Management degree program, I am out a lot with my students and I am always abusing gear professionally in the backcountry. Our program hosts over 5000 student field days per year. 

Fit

The coat fits a bit small, especially across the chest and the forearms for me. I did really enjoy all of the included stretch panels on the back. The coat stretches well while digging or working, and the hood fits well but doesn’t accommodate a helmet inside it very well and has a hard time articulating with your head as you rotate. I did like the soft inside material around the face and that the waist had internal silicone so the coat didn’t ride up with use or when sitting.

Look/Style

As far as look and style, the coat is very nice. The stitching is very clean, the sippers are nice, and the baffles don’t give the coat a look like you are wearing small tires. The coat I tested was in a great shade of red with black accents which was super nice and clean looking. The coat was long enough to cover longer torsos as well. 

Features

Features on the coat included two large sized external sewn pockets that had down outside of them to stay warm. There was also an internal zip pocket and two other large pockets that worked well for warming fuel canisters and held lots of items securely. For me, the stretch zone panels across the back by the shoulders were the nicest feature. The coat articulated well in spite of the narrower fit when shoveling, setting up, or cooking.

Weight

The weight of the coat was comparable to other basecamp types of coats I own, but the packability in a compression stuff sack was surprisingly small. The coat stuffs down to roughly a Nalgene size in spite of the down fill weight and the synthetic insulation also used in the coat.

Durability

As for durability and construction, I probably used the coat for at least 45 days and packed it around all over in a compression stuff sack. The coat showed no signs of wear, did not have any pilling or zipper issues, maintained DWR treatment, and didn’t shed a feather. All of the seams stayed as new and the coat looks as good as the day it arrived. Not even the internal fleece around the face pilled.      

The Final Word

I really loved the stretch zones and surprising packability of this coat, as well as the pockets and warmth. It packs and wears surprisingly well for a bigger basecamp type coat. The coat fit is my only concern, as it is a narrow fit in both the shoulders and the arms. I would have liked a bit more chest room especially for layering in winter and felt narrow through the arms and forearms.

I would give this coat a 4 out of 5 stars, but if you have a skinnier/leaner body you may give it 4.5 or 5 stars. Being a “manbrick”, fit is often difficult for me with outerwear that has a slimmer or athletic fit. That said, it kept me warm, didn’t ride up, kept the wind out, and maintained it’s quality in spite of use and compression. It is a bit big and heavy for quick or ultralight trips, but works great as a basecamp coat and winter belay coat, and if you are not an ounce counter, can be used on more trips.        

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