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Initial Report: Big Sky Products
Warm-n-Cozy Better-than-Fleece Convertible Sweater and Jacket
Date: April 6, 2006
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
E-mail address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
Three years ago I
made a decision to pursue a long time interest, and started
backpacking. I've progressed from
day-hiking and single overnights my first year to weekend trips last
year. This year it’s finally time for a longer
trip as I begin section hiking the Appalachian Trail in April. I
hike and backpack mainly in the hills and valleys of West Virginia, and
use a
hammock sleeping system. For a two-day trip my typical pack weighs
22-30 lb
(10-14 kg) including consumables, and I’m still trying to lighten that
a bit. |
Product
Information
-
Manufacturer:
Big Sky Products
Year of manufacture: 2006
Date of Delivery: March 31, 2006
Size: Medium Convertible Sweater, Large Jacket
Jacket:
Length of back (measured from collar base to hem bottom): 30 in (76 cm)
Circumference (just below arms): 52 in (132 cm)
Circumference (at hem): 50 in (127 cm)
Advertised Weight: 12.3 oz (349 g) for size Large
Weight as delivered: 12.1 oz (343 g) for
size Large
MSRP: $129.95
US
Convertible Sweater:
Length of back (measured from collar base
to hem bottom): 28.5 in (72 cm)
Circumference (just below arms): 47 in (119 cm)
Circumference (at hem): 46 in (117 cm)
Advertised Weight: 13.4 oz (380 g) for size Large
Weight as delivered: 12.3 oz (349 g) for
size Large
MSRP: $139.95
US
Color: Spruce green
Manufacturer Website: http://www.bigskyproducts.com
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Features -
Jacket
and Convertible Sweater:
(per manufacturer)
More wind and rain resistant than a fleece jacket at about 1/2 the
weight
Lightweight
Synthetic Insulation for warmth even when wet
Full front zipper for temperature regulation
Pertex Microlight shell fabric with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
Primaloft Sport insulation with down-like warmth/weight ratio
YKK zipper
Bottom elastic drawcord
Elastic wrist cuffs
YKK zippered hand warmer pockets
Convertible Sweater only:
Insulated sweater and vest for the price of a jacket
Suitable for a multitude of conditions
Zip-off sleeves
Sleeve zippers usable as 'pit zips' for temperature control
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The Warm-n-Cozy Better-than-Fleece Convertible Sweater and Jacket
arrived packaged together in a plain clear plastic bag. The
convertible sweater has zippers that allow the sleeves to be removed,
converting it to a vest. It is sized to be worn over a base layer
and under the jacket. The jacket is sized to be worn over a base
layer and a sweater or other mid-layer, and under the Big Sky Products
Warm-n-Cozy Epic Jacket. The manufacturer's website has
information on sizing and how each piece is sized to fit, which made it
clear to me what to expect as far as general fit of the sweater and
jacket.
Upon receiving the sweater and jacket, I eagerly pulled them from the
packaging, and was immediately delighted by the feel of softness of
these garments. The fabric is silky smooth and light feeling, and
the insulation also feels very soft - very close to the feel of
down. I find the spruce green exterior color very
attractive. My best description of the color would be dark
teal. The interior of both garments is black.
The sweater and jacket appear to be of good quality materials and
construction, with no flaws or irregularities. Each has a
manufacturer's label sewn into the back inside, right under the collar,
with the company name, logo, and website address, and an additional
small sizing tag at the bottom of the label. An additional label
is sewn to the inside of each garment on the left side that lists the
fabrics (Shell: 100% nylon, Insulation: 100% Polyester, Lining:
100% Nylon), country of manufacture (Made in China), with care
instruction symbols on the reverse side. Like so many other
garments I've purchased lately, the instructions are given only in
symbols, which I find rather irritating, because I don't know what a
triangle or circle with an X through it means! (No climbing
pyramids or running in circles??) I guess I will need to research
the symbols and keep a copy for future reference so I don't end up
ruining this or other clothing by doing the wrong thing. The
manufacturer's physical and website address are printed under the care
instruction symbols. On the outside of the sweater and jacket
near the hem are additional logo tags, and the logo is also embroidered
on the left chest in tan thread.
The
zippers all operate smoothly. They are black in color with a
fabric logo tag attached to the metal zipper pull. At the top of
the collar on each is a small pocket to prevent the zipper pull from
rubbing against neck skin when the garment is zipped all the way
up. The collars stand about 3.5 in (9 cm) high. I have
found in preliminary use that the fabric of the jacket can be caught in
the zipper fairly easily, but it also comes loose fairly easily by
sliding the zipper backwards away from the snag. The pocket
zippers are about 7 in (18 cm) long, and the pocket size seems similar
to that of other insulated jackets I own. I would call them
moderately sized - big enough to hold some gloves, a point and shoot
camera, or a snack, but not large enough for a 0.5 L (1/2 quart) water
bottle.
The sleeve hems are smooth on the front and elasticized on the back and
seem to have about the right degree of tightness, but are not
adjustable. The bottom drawcord for the jacket hem passes through
a small toggle and fastens to a loop of fabric about 2 in (5 cm) above
the toggle, making it easy to find and grasp the cord without having to
look for it. The convertible sleeve zippers work smoothly, making
the sleeves easy to remove or add, although again the fabric can be
caught in the zipper rather easily if I'm not careful.
The sweater and jacket have no real "quilting", although there is a
visible seam going around the top of the chest on the front and at
shoulder level across the back on the outside of the jacket and
sweater, and three horizontal lines of stitches on the inside of each
. Otherwise, other than normal construction seams, the fabric is
smooth and unbroken.
Fit and initial impressions:
The convertible sweater fits me fairly snugly at the hip, but loosely
in the waist, chest, neck, and especially in the shoulder area, which
is fairly common for me when sizing is Unisex. The sleeves are
just a bit long, likely because the shoulder seams extend a bit beyond
my shoulders. The length of the
sleeves isn't really a problem because the elastic in the wrist keeps
them from falling over
my hands, and in fact may be a positive feature, because I can draw my
hands inside for warmth if I want. The jacket fits just right
over the sweater, close enough not to allow excess room in between, but
loose enough not to compress the insulation of either garment.
I'm very happy with the loose fit of the collar, since I hate anything
that feels tight around my neck. The only concern I have is that
the relatively loose fit of both the sweater and the jacket in the
chest/shoulder area might not be
efficient enough to keep my shoulders and upper chest warm. I
guess time and testing will tell. The positive side of this is
that they are generous enough that I can wear more than one base layer
if I need to.
The insulation in each piece is thinner than I am used to in other
jackets, but this should give me great versatility in my clothing
system, since I can wear either alone in moderate conditions and wear
both together for more warmth. Worn together, they feel similar
in weight and bulk to my down jacket. I look forward to testing
to see just what temperatures are optimal for a single layer, and what
range both sweater and jacket combined feel comfortable in.
In addition to the convertible sweater, and the jacket, I am currently
testing the Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy Epic Jacket, and I find it is
a good fit over both these pieces, as Big Sky Products intends.
It will be interesting to see how much versatility using the Epic
jacket with the convertible sweater and jacket adds to my clothing
system.
Testing Plan -
Field
Information:
Next week, the Big Sky Products Convertible Sweater and Jacket will be
my primary insulating layers on an 8 day trip on the Appalachian Trail
in
Georgia. My trip research shows
elevations from about
2500 ft to close to 4500 ft (750 to 1200 m) for the section of the
trail I will
be covering, and temperatures that might possibly run as low as 20 F
(-5 C)
range to as high as 80 F (25 C) range. I
plan to cover over 80 m (129 km) during this trip, with daily mileage
that may
vary from 4 m (6 km) to 16 m (26 km) due to placement of re-supply and
reliable
water sources.
Additional testing of the sweater and jacket will
be on the
trails of West Virginia, most likely in the
mountainous eastern region of the state for weekend backpacking trips
varying from 7-10 m (11-32 km) with elevations from 2500 to over 4000
ft (750 to over 1200 m) and temperatures that may range from lows
around 30 F (0 C) to highs up to 80 F (25 C).
I'll also be using them at
weekend Girl Scout camps in the eastern and
central part of the state,
with elevations from 550 to 1000 ft (150 to 300 m) where temperatures
will likely
be similar to slightly warmer, beginning this weekend. I'll also
be wearing one or the other (or both) for day hikes and everyday use
when temperatures are in appropriate ranges. Traveling
the
Appalachian trail and West Virginia’s mountain trails will involve a
lot of
uphill and downhill hiking from moderate to steep, and at least in West
Virginia, several creek crossings. Days
may vary from bright and sunny to day long rain and
anything in between. From my research
it appears I can expect rain in Georgia in April, and rainfall is
usually ample
in West Virginia, with normal monthly levels ranging from 3-5 inches. Humidity levels during May and June (the
anticipated long range test period) in West Virginia are often high and
preliminary research shows high humidity common in Georgia during April.
During my 8-day Appalachian Trail hike I
anticipate carrying between 30-35 lb (13-16 kg) with consumables. In
addition to my Appalachian Trail adventure, I
have two
weekend backpacking trips planned in May, for
which I would anticipate carrying a lighter load of
around
25-30 lb (11-14 kg) over rugged terrain with some creek crossings of
varied size.
Test
Strategy:
Over the course of the test, I will be looking at
the following issues:
Fabric –Does the Pertex fabric breathe and wick
perspiration
away if I sweat in it, or do I end up over heated and damp? Does it feel nice against my skin in
different temperatures and humidity levels?
Is it soft, or stiff? Does it
ever feel sticky, clammy, cold, or stiff?
Is there any condensation apparent as I wear the jacket? Does it seem wind resistant as claimed? Do base layers move smoothly against the
fabric when I wear the jacket, or is there friction or a tendency to
cling? How water resistant is the
fabric? Will it withstand a lengthy
drizzle or a hard fast shower without wetting out?
Does it dry quickly if it does get wet? Does it really keep me
warm even if it is wet? Will I need an
extra waterproof jacket for protection from rain? If
dirt or dust gets on the fabric does it wipe off easily or
does the fabric become soiled in appearance?
Does it require special washing?
Fit – Do the sweater and jacket fit comfortably as
I move about? Does the hip area feel too
snug or do I get cold from the loose fit of the chest/shoulder area? Does the fit of the
sleeves allow freedom of movement? Does
the slightly long fit of the sleeves prove to be more of a problem than
it appears it will be during my initial assessment?
Do the sleeves pull up a lot if I raise my arms?
Are there seams that feel uncomfortable
when I carry my
pack? Do the
collars and zippers feel
comfortable against my neck and chin or are they rough, scratchy, or
otherwise irritating
to my skin in that area? Do both garments fit smoothly in the hip area without
bunching up when I wear them (either alone or together),
especially under a pack waist belt?
Do the elastic draw cords hold both sweater and jacket tight at
the bottom? Are they easy to put on and
take
off? Even in the confines of my hammock
when I get cold (or hot) during the middle of the night?
Does the fit of the convertible sweater as
a vest work equally as well as the jacket fit? Do underarm seams
rub
when it is used as a vest, especially in the zipper area?
Do the armholes allow freedom of movement without
gaps that might let cold air in?
Quality of construction/durability – Do any flaws
in
the fabric or construction of the sweater or jacket become apparent
over the course of the test?
Do any seams come apart or does the fabric fray anywhere during
the test
period? Have either developed a pilled or
picked surface, lumpy spots, or gaps in the insulation?
Any holes, tears or excessively worn
areas? Do the zippers function
adequately over the entire test period?
Packability – How small does each stuff? Is it convenient to slip one or both in the
top of my
pack to keep them readily accessible? Is
it easy to store the sleeves away when I want to wear the convertible
sweater as a vest?
Design – Do I find the zippered, removable sleeves
of the convertible sweater useful
for venting to prevent overheating? Can
they be unzipped with the jacket on? If
so, how easy or difficult is it? Can I
unzip them while wearing a pack? Are the
hand warmer pockets positioned in a practical and comfortable manner? Do they hold the items I want to keep
handy? Are the zipper pulls easy to
operate under various conditions, such as in wet weather, or with
gloves on?
Performance and personal impressions – How
versatile does this system of jacket and convertible sweater prove to
be? Are they wind
resistant in addition to being water resistant? Are they
easy to clean? How well do I like each
piece overall separately and together? How well
does the Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy jacket work with these pieces on
backpacking trips? Do I plan to continue wearing the
sweater and jacket on all or
most backpacking trips, or will I retire them to casual wear after the
test
period?
Preliminary Likes
–
Attractive color
Light weight
Feels soft
Preliminary Concerns –
Will the somewhat loose fit
of the sweater and the jacket in the shoulder and upper chest area
prevent efficient heat retention
in that area?
Thanks to Big Sky Products and BackpackGearTest
for
the
opportunity to test the Warm-n-Cozy Better-than-Fleece Convertible
Sweater and Jacket.
Read more reviews of Big Sky International gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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