LOKI Midi Micro Fleece
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Tester
Information
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| Name:
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David
Wilkes |
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E-Mail:
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amatbrewer@yahoo.net
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Age:
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42 |
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Location:
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Yakima
Washington USA |
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Gender:
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M |
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Height:
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5'11"
(1.80 m) |
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Weight:
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197
lb (89.40 kg) |
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Biography:
I started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions. I have usually only managed
time for 1-3 trips a year averaging 2-5 days, and as many day hikes as
I can. I am currently getting into condition to summit some of the
higher peaks in Washington, Oregon, and California. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me.
My current pack is around 30 lbs (14 kg), not including consumables.
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Product
Information
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Manufacturer:
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LOKI
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Year
of Manufacture:
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2009 |
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Manufacturer’s
Website:
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www.lokigear.com
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MSRP:
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US $89.00 |
| Listed
Weight: |
9 oz / 255 g |
| Measured
Weight: |
14.4 oz / 406 g |
Material:
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100%
Hollow Fiber Polyester Knit |
|
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| Image
courtesy of LOKI |
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Product
Description:
The
LOKI Midi Micro Fleece is a lightweight (100 Wt), ¾ zip, hooded fleece
jacket with a face shield built into the hood and mitts built into the
sleeves.
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Initial
Report
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The
LOKI jacket arrived folded neatly in a plastic bag along with some LOKI
stickers and a “Winter 09-10” product catalog. Attached to the zipper
pull is a hangtag describing the features of LOKI jackets. This looks
to be a generic tag covering the face shield and mitts common to all of
the LOKI jackets. Attached to the back of the hangtag is a sticker with
the specific name “Men’s Midi Fleece”, Style number, size and color of
the product I received.
I was quite surprised about how much
heavier the jacket I received was than what is listed in the product
description on the LOKI web site (see specifications above). Since they
do not specify a size, I can only assume that their listed weight is
for a smaller size than the large I received.
Upon
receiving the jacket, I inspected it fully. All the seams look to be in
good shape, and there are no obvious flaws in the materials. I think
the Camel color is much nicer than it looked on-line. The built-in face
shield is pretty much what I was expecting from the description, and
made from the same soft fleece material as the jacket. The mitts were
also basically what I was expecting, except for the textured plastic
strip extending across the palm to provide grip. This was not mentioned
in any of the descriptions I read, and I did not notice it in the
pictures that I saw. However in looking at the image of the Camel color
jacket on their web page, I do see that this is visible. The YKK zipper
has a two-part all metal zipper pull that looks durable, but maybe a
bit small to handle while wearing gloves. The hood has an elastic cord
with small cord locks on either side.
While
inspecting the jacket I noticed how the mitts were integrated into the
sleeves and wondered about what happens to the jacket if I were to tear
or wear a hole in one of the mitts. It does not look like the mitts can
be replaced. This is something I will have to consider during the
testing.
LOKI offers the standard lifetime warranty for their
products, covering defects in workmanship and materials but not misuse
or normal wear.
Upon
trying the jacket on the first thing I noticed was how
soft the material is. This is probably softer than any other fleece I
have ever owned. As advertised, this is a thin fleece jacket, hence the
'micro' in its name. The weight
of the material seems to be about what I like to use for a mid layer
throughout much of the Fall & Spring especially when I am
expecting to be active, or when I do not anticipate the temperatures
getting too cold, or as an outer layer when I just want something to
keep
the chill off. I have a jacket of similar design and weight and I wear
it often throughout the year. The hood and face shield are easy to
operate. Before receiving the jacket I wondered if the face shield
would be bulky or uncomfortable when not in use, but when I tried it on
I did not notice the face shield at all. The other thing I was
wondering about was if the face shield had any adjustments (it does
not) and if not
how well it would fit. Upon trying it on the first time, I found it to
fit fine, not too tight and not too loose however I will have to check
this again after I replace this one for a larger size (see below).
While
trying the jacket on I noticed instructions on determining the correct
fit. It states to engage (the term LOKI uses for putting on the mitts)
both mitts and rest both arms at your side. It states that there should
be enough room so that the shoulder of the jacket is not pulling too
tight. When I tried this, I noticed that my fingers were jammed against
the ends of the mitts and the material along the shoulders was
stretched rather tight. I followed the sizing chart when I chose the
size of this jacket, in hindsight I see their sizing chart is not
entirely clear when it comes to the sleeve length. With most jackets, I
tend to be between a Large and X-Large. For outer layers I normally
find going up a size allows me to wear a layer under if necessary, and
for mid layers I normally go with the Large so it will not be too bulky
to fit under an outer layer when necessary. When the mitts are not
engaged I found the sleeves to be rather long (LOKI says on their web
site that the sleeves are 3.5 in (9 cm) longer than standard for a
proper fit of the mitts, but otherwise the jacket fits all right.
However due to the tight fit when using the mitts, I contacted LOKI to
arraigned getting the Large replaced with an XL. I talked to Eric who
was very helpful and provided me with a Return Authorization number and
an address to send it to. He said that upon receiving the jacket, as
long as it was still in good condition with its original tag, he would
gladly send me one of the XL’s he had in stock (he said he had 2 XL’s
in Camel on-hand). Since I do not expect to receive the replacement
prior to this Initial Report’s due date I will comment on the speed and
accuracy of this exchange in my Field Report.
In the sizing
chart (accessed via a small, easy to miss, link on the bottom right of
their web page) it states a sleeve length and inseam, but with the
caveat about them being longer than standard. After reading this and
trying the jacket on their sizing is still not entirely clear. For
example I measured my arm length (shoulder to finger tip) to be 32 in
(81 cm) and by the way I read their chart a large should be adequate
for me.
I think it might be a good idea if they specified a maximum
length for a proper fit (e.g. measurement from collarbone to finger
tip, or something similar?)
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Field
Report
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Field Report usage summary:
- A
few walks around the neighbor hood and local parks
- 2
short runs
- 1
short solo backpacking trip (slept in the LOKI)
- Daily
wear (home & work at least 3 days a week since receiving the
garment)
- 3
‘all nighters’, working on exposed ridge tops till the wee hours of the
morning
- 2
bicycle rides (road and trail)
- 2
day hikes on local trails
- 7
day car camp/hike/backpack trip (Bishop California)
- 15hrs
of driving there (more on the way back due to missing an exit…by 2hrs!)
- Two
nights driving/sleeping in my truck
- One
overnight hike near Lake George 10,400 ft
(3170 m) – High: 72 F (22
C)/ Low: below freezing
- One
night at a campground
- One
abbreviated day hike
WARM WASH
TUMBLE DRY
LOW
DO NOT USE
BLEACH
IRON LOW
This is
followed by the normal (and highly cryptic to me) symbols for these
instructions.
My
first outing with the
jacket was a walk to a nearby park with my kids. The temperature was
about 45 deg (7 C), with chilly and
gusty winds. The first thing I noticed was how well the garment
resisted the wind. Being fleece, it is not windproof, and being so
thin, I did not expect it to be very effective against wind. However,
it did a much better job at stopping the wind than I expected. Soon
after starting out on our walk I engaged the mitts. They worked well,
but I noticed that the seams in the thumbs and cuffs (inside the mitts
when they are engaged) are a bit annoying. I found I was able to
operate my cell phone and MP-3 player with the mitts on, but only after
I shifted the material such that the seams were behind my thumbs.
(Having the seams sewn flat would be really nice.) I quickly found that
when engaged, the mitts openings made convenient
pockets and I kept my cell phone in one for much of the walk. While at
the park, my 6 year old
daughter who was riding her bike forgot her gloves complained that her
hands hurt from being cold. My
hands however were quite comfortable (this says something about
the LOKI mitts, but not about my chances for receiving “Father of the Year”).
To
accommodate the length needed for the mitts the sleeves run long (3.5
in / 9 cm longer than normal according to LOKI). While I despise
sleeves that are too short, ones that are too long can be quite
annoying. The LOKI MIDI sleeves are quite long, but they have elastic
cuffs that prevent the sleeve from extending past my wrists, and so
they mostly stay out of the way. The mitts when not in use are on the
inside of the wearer’s wrist, and I found the bulk of the material
along with the bunching of the excess sleeve length took some getting
used to.
During
this walk, I also used the hood, but not the face shield. I noticed I
could feel the face shield against the back of my neck and that when I
turned my head it would rub against the back of my ears. Otherwise the
hood is large but comfortable.
On
my second outing with the jacket I went for a 2.5 mi (4 km) run at a
nearby track. The conditions were the same as above (45 F / 7 C and
some wind). Soon into the run, my hands began to sweat and I had to
disengage the mitts. The LOKI was maybe a bit warm for this activity
but I wanted to see how it managed perspiration. I did get a bit
sweaty, but between my synthetic shirt and the LOKI, it never got out
of hand. In addition, after my run, while walking to cool down, I was
not chilled in the slightest.
One
day at work I ended up swapping a fleece pullover I had been wearing
with the LOKI. I soon noticed that the LOKI was noticeably warmer than
the one I had been wearing, despite them being of similar weight and
both being ¾ zip pullovers.
On
another outing, I went for a hike up Umptanum creek. It was 40 F (4 C)
with a light wind when I started out and by the time I returned it was
50 F (10 C) and raining lightly. I engaged the mitts and hood right
away.
I took a bit of shifting to get the straps from my trekking poles over
the mitts and comfortable. After a few miles, I had to remove my hands
from the mitts and remove the hood as I was beginning to overheat. I
did a bit of bushwhacking along with some scrambling up loose shifting
mud and talus slopes and some short climbs up some rock while exploring
a few of the side canyons. The LOKI did a good job at blocking the
light wind and seemed to handle perspiration well. I stopped for a bit
on one rock outcrop to enjoy the view. I could feel a bit of a chill
due to being sweaty but this dried quickly and did not become a
problem. I also used the face shield while sitting there to protect my
face from the light wind. With it covering my nose it caused my
sunglasses to fog. While finding my way through some brush I was
surprised at how little the material snagged on the brush. The only
snag I felt was when I brushed against a branch covered with small
thorns.
For
day to day wear the length of the sleeves and the bulk of the mitts
when not in use I find a bit annoying. I have worn the jacket to work
and around the house in the evenings, and I find that the sleeves/mitts
get in the way when typing on the computer or attempting to cook or
wash (hands, dishes, etc).
My
next significant outing was a short overnight trip where I would try
out hammock camping and test some gear. I hiked into a local canyon,
set up camp in a stand of trees and spent the evening exploring up and
down the stream. It was a warm sunny spring day and so I did not put on
the LOKI until after I had set up camp. The night turned out a bit
colder than I expected and I ended up sleeping in all my clothes
including the LOKI. I slept with the hood on and the face shield
covering my mouth. I did not sleep with the mitts on only because I was
having some difficulties with my hammock and needed to be able to unzip
my sleeping bag quickly. It was a cold night and I did not get much
sleep (kept having to move to avoid cold spots and then would start to
slip out of the hammock), but the LOKI was very comfortable.
On
3 occasions I had to work throughout the night on local ridges (about
2000 ft / 2100 m) in windy cold weather. On first occasion, I ended up
putting a light wind shell over the LOKI and the combination worked
quite well. I used the hood/face shield and mitts both times, and was
quite comfortable.
During
my trip to Bishop I slept in the LOKI 4 nights (once
on the trail, once
while car camping at a campground and twice in my truck while in
transit). I camped just short of reaching Lake George. I had to stop
due to deep soft snow. I put on the LOKI soon after setting up camp.
During the night I got a bit warm and had to remove the hood, mitts,
and partially unzip my Bivi. While sleeping in my hammock at a
campground (at about 7000 ft
/ 2100 m) it got a bit
below the comfort level
of my hammock and I was a bit chilled most of the night and so kept the
hood/face shield on all night. I did not use the mitts as I needed to
occasionally readjust the hammock, and needed more dexterity than the
mitts allow. During the abbreviated day hike, my father-in-law
slipped into an icy stream (air temp around 45 F/ 7 C). I was wearing
the LOKI, but since he was wet from head to toe I insisted he remove
his wet jacket and use the LOKI until we were able to get to a lower
elevation and some warmer conditions.
I
have worn the jacket at least 3 days a week since receiving it. I have
worn it around the house and yard, I slept in it on my basement couch
twice (the LOKI is incredibly comfortable), and I have worn it to the
office. I have worn the LOKI on 2 bike rides, once to the office and
back and once on a combination of road and trail. I have also worn it
to coach my daughter’s soccer team a few times (the field is quite
exposed and has been windy and cold).
Field
Report Summary
 I
really love the LOKI MIDI micro-fleece jacket! It is by far my favorite
garment and I think my wife is getting tired of how often I wear it.
When it comes to outdoor products I put a high emphasis on items that
serve multiple purposes and/or work in a wide range of conditions. The
LOKI is a good example of what I look for. It is far more wind
resistant than any of my other fleece garments. It allows sweat to
escape while still being warm, making it comfortable in a wide range of
temperatures and conditions. It is comfortable enough to sleep in. The
face shield and mitts are very
handy and convenient. However, the long sleeves and bulk of the mitts
when not in use take a bit of getting used to. The
long sleeves can get in the
way when doing things like washing my hands or cleaning up the dishes.
The only things I can think of that might make the product even better
may not even be possible. I would love it if the seams in the mitts
were flat (but is that possible while still retaining the elastic
cuffs?) and if the face shield could be adjustable (removable?) it
would make an already great garment slightly better.
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Long
Term Report
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Usage during the long term
reporting period:
• Overnight backpacking trip to Umptanum
Falls with my 6-year-old daughter (her first backpacking trip!)
• 3 day family camping at Bumping Lake
Washington
• Day hike into the Goat Rocks Wilderness
from White Pass
During the long term testing period it has been quite warm, and as such
I have not worn the LOKI Micro Fleece as much as I had been previously.
I still wear it around the house some nights when the basement is cold,
and while I took it with me on one additional backpacking trip, the
temperatures were way too warm to wear it.
I wore the jacket two evenings while camping with my family. The
evenings and mornings were a bit chilly and the mosquitoes were
ferocious! The jacket did a good job at keeping the chill as well as
the mosquitoes off. The weather was warm enough for me to sleep in my
hammock on the second night. I wore the LOKI all night allowing me to
leave my sleeping bag unzipped and mostly open. I also kept the hood
on, but only to keep the bug netting from lying directly on my skin.
On the last day of the test period I headed into the mountains in
search of some rain, since I am also testing a pair of rain gators. The
weather has been so hot lately that I only brought the LOKI as an
afterthought, never expecting to wear it. As it turned out by the time
I reached the ridge top I was in dense fog (some freezing fog), with
temperatures around 35 F (1.6 C) and a strong wind that was chilling me
through my rain gear. So I put the LOKI under my rain jacket, put the
face shield over my mouth and nose, cinched the hood around my face,
and engaged the mitts. The rest of the time I was up there I was quite
warm and comfortable. Comfortable enough in fact, to stop and eat my
lunch while enjoying the seclusion of a foggy mountain ridge despite
the wind and damp. Sadly, my camera did not fare so well and the lenses
was so fogged that I was unable to get any usable pictures. During this
last trip I slipped on some soft snow and ended up grabbing
some muddy rocks. The fleece picked up some of the mud, but this was
easily rubbed off. It made me think that the mitts might be made a bit
more durable if the area over the fingertips was covered with the same
material as used on the palms. But that is just nit picking.
 Conclusion
The Loki Micro Fleece quickly became my favorite jacket for home, work,
and trail. I have found it comfortable for a wide range of temperatures
and so comfortable that I enjoy sleeping in it. And that is saying
something since I prefer to sleep in as little as possible! In going
over the garment again, I see very little indication of wear. It seems
very durable. I still wish the face shield was adjustable (elastic
along the top maybe?), and worry what happens when (if?) I wear a hole
in the mitts (I tend to wear out the fingertips of most of my fleece
gloves). But since I can find no visible sign of wear yet, this may take a
long time.
I fully intend to continue to wear the LOKI (often) after the
conclusion of this test and have recommended the garment to a number of
friends and family.
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This concludes my Report.
I would like to thank the folks at LOKI
and BackpackGearTest.org
for the opportunity to test this fine product.
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