Wonderful Jacket

By Forrest Ranked #1459 - Men's Softshell Jackets November 17, 2009

I bought this jacket after getting soaked kayaking early in the spring; it was so warm, and I was wet and freezing. On rare winter days when the sun is out, I paddle in a tee-shirt to feel the sun on my arms; when the shirt is saturated and the sun goes down, I take the wet shirt off and wear the Griffon jacket against my skin, with a Theta AR shell over it. This works beautifully.

The jacket is very soft on the inside. The lining feels like it could be made from cotton balls, and feels wonderful against the skin. ( The neck is lined as well, so warm and soft. ) It’s quite warm, which is a little surprising because it’s so breathable, and because a cold wind cuts right through it. I wear this hiking and cycling when it’s not raining, and every time, I’m shocked at how well I’m able to regulate my temperature. Normally I sweat too much when I exert myself for long periods, especially in the cold.

The Griffon fits wonderfully under the Theta shell, and they move very smoothly like this. My company gave everybody branded jackets, which don’t have this quality, so the difference is striking. *However* this arrangement gets too hot for me unless I’m standing still, and the two of them together don’t breathe as well as either alone. The hem drawstring doesn’t appear to do all that much.

I wore this jacket cycling in the heavy rain one day. It took an hour or two for it to soak through to the point that I felt the water against my skin; this happened first on the arms around the elbows, then it began to spread. So while it’s neither windproof or waterproof, it works pretty well in a pinch. Still, these days I wear the GoreTex shell whenever there’s rain on the horizon.

Bottom line: I love the jacket so much I’d really like to have a second one. It works beautifully when biking, kayaking, hiking, etc, but it’s also very stylish, and works equally well around town.

View Details: Arc'teryx Griffon Jacket - Men's

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