rkw2508579

Spent the last month searching out and trying every other lightweight down vest (high fill power/low-medium fill weight/under 10oz) because I wanted to try a brand other than Patagucci. I ended up with this one anyway because it fits better, is made better and just feels better than every other one I tried. Add to that the eco sensitive construction and ironclad warranty and it really is the bomb.

Also, for anyone looking to compare fill weight (as opposed to fill power), the fill weight according to Patagonia customer service is 57 grams/2.01 oz.

This shell isn't just great for the price - it's great, period, and would still be my choice even if it were priced the same as competing shells from Arc Teryx or Patagonia.

Materials: The Bombshell fabric is solid, quiet, supple (compared to Gore-tex Pro Shell), has just enough stretch and has a soft inside lining, and the whole of the inside of the collar has a soft fleece like lining, all of which together make this one of the most comfortable tech shells I've worn. I find a lot of other tech shells have a stiff/boardy feel and a tacky touch on the inside next to the skin if worn with a short sleeve shirt, as a result of which I tend to wear them only when I really need them and take them off the moment I don't in favor of a softshell. This shell, however, feels great on - it's soft next to skin, supple and quiet, and I find myself throwing it and leaving it on even when I could be wearing a softshell.

Features/Design: The angled cuffs are awesome - every shell should have these. Pockets, inside and out, are exactly the right size and placement for me, but I could see how for a lot of people the hand pockets might be too low for use with a pack. The welded seems and watertight zippers are trick and minimize bulk, although the main zipper doesn't engage quite as smoothly as on some other jackets.

Fit: Perfect for wearing with or without layers if you have a lean to mid athletic frame, but too snug to really layer without sizing up if you have a stocky or large athletic frame (if you don't have an athletic frame - look elsewhere). I'm 6'0, 175lbs, have a 31in waist and I'm thicker than average in the arms, shoulders, back and chest (I lift weights regularly, but I'm by no means a muscle bound gym rat), and the large fits me perfectly with lightweight layering. With midweight fleece, it still fits fine and is perfectly comfortable, but is a smidgen snug at the shoulders (which is more visible than it is noticeable in use because of the jacket's stretch). Heavyweight layering is doable, but noticeably and less than ideally snug at the shoulders and armholes.

Weight: With the caveats that I'm not an ultralight backpacker and don't plan on trail running in this jacket, the Stoic is plenty light for me. Yeah, there are some competing jackets that weigh 4-8oz less, but most of them are missing at least 1 or two features of the Stoic (e.g, 4 pockets, 360 degree fuzzy collar liner, soft bamboo carbon lining, tough exterior fabric) that, for me at least, more than make up for those few extra ounces. And to get up on a soapbox for a second, anyone who thinks that they can tell the difference between a 16oz jacket and 22oz jacket once they're loaded up with 40+ pounds of other clothing, gear and a pack is kidding themselves.