ProView – Mountain Hardwear Women’s Super/DS Stretchdown Hooded Jacket

Fall has finally come to the desert. It is a wonderful time of crisp mornings and hot afternoons. The problem is what typically brings fall to Utah is a few days of hard winds, a smattering of snow, and cold, cold nights. Mountain Hardwear has created a dreamy down jacket for climbers that is just as comfortable on route as it is next to a campfire during these tumultuous times

I am a single sport person, which I love. The only downside is that I climb through the winter instead of switching to a traditional winter sport. There just are not a lot of good options for puffys that you can comfortably climb in like there are for skiing.  I found that the Super/DS™ Stretchdown Hybrid Hooded Jacket (that’s a mouthful) fills that need wonderfully.

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Fit/Comfort

First off, this jacket is incredibly cozy. I ordered a large so I could comfortably fit a lot of layers underneath if need be. On milder days, I would have a nice amount of room to move around in. It felt like I was walking around with a fitted down comforter on. Big fan.

Look/Style

I love the matte finish on this jacket. Not only is it stylish, but it is also soft to the touch. No need to walk around looking like a shiny trash bag! Nice! 

Features

The cuffs on the Hybrid Hooded Jacket have a thick strap of elastic that keep them snug high on the wrist, close to the skin. The hip pockets on the outside are touted as being “harness compatible”. I did not find that to be true. I was almost able to put two fingers into the top of the pockets while my harness was on. The only pocket that I could access while climbing was the internal chest pocket. Fortunately, it is quite large so I could put whatever I wanted in it. Of course, the down tech is stellar in this jacket. High quality down meets “revolutionary” stitch-free designs – keeping you warmer than traditional constructions. They decided to not insulate the bottom back of the jacket nor the underarm areas. Contrary to my first impression, I did not notice the lack of down in those areas. 

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Function/Performance

The last few days that I wore this jacket, the morning started in the 30s and got all the way up to balmy mid-40s. The days were cloudy, and they were windy, VERY windy. I was thrilled to have the Hooded Jacket on. The wind never cut through to my core. When I put the hood up and turned my back to the wind, I stayed comfortable and warm, if not a little upset with working in such poor weather. So far, I have not noticed any durability issues -and I have been wearing this jacket every day, either at the crag or around town. 

Friendliness to the Earth

Mountain Hardwear obviously gives a s*** about the earth. Their “sustainable technologies” range from using recycled pieces, having some blue sign certified products, to nixing archaic flame-retardant chemicals; they are obviously putting forth a ton of effort to reduce their impact.

 

The Final Word

I genuinely love this jacket. It is the coziest down jacket that I have ever personally owned. Climbing in it was natural; it kept the wind off; and kept me warm on suboptimal days in the wild. I did not find the hip pockets to be accessible while climbing, but that did not stop it from becoming my daily jacket of choice.

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