Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy Epic Jacket > Pam Wyant > Initial Report

Initial Report: Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy Epic Jacket

The fabric feels incredibly light, so light that the zippers seem to be the heaviest part of the jacket when I pick it up.

The zippers  have a plastic-like coating on the top, and a more normal appearing fabric on the back.  The underarm zippers are approximately 15 in (38 cm) long.  The hand warmer pockets zip open vertically for about 8 in (20 cm), are mesh lined, and double as extra ventilation when open.  They are generously sized at approximately 9.5 in wide x 12 in tall (24 x 35 cm).  The waist cinches with an elastic draw cord near the bottom of the pockets.  The draw cord passes through a toggle to allow the adjustment to be secured as desired, and is attached to the jacket approximately 3 in (8 cm) below the toggle, creating a loop making it easy to find and grasp the cord.  This allows me to easily cinch the waist without having to look for the cord - I can just reach inside the jacket and easily find the loop.  There are a couple of small metal grommets on the left side inside the hem, the purpose of which I am unaware.

The zipper feels a bit stiff when I operate it, especially as it nears the top of the neck opening, but doesn't seem to catch on the adjacent fabric.  The double zipper pull allows the jacket to be opened from either the top or the bottom.  The wrist openings are elasticized on the top, and have a hook and loop adjustment on the inside of the wrist, allowing adjustment of the opening from about 7 to 12 in (18 to 30 cm).  The hood is shaped, with two vertical seams and one horizontal seam at the rear, and features a small bill.  The bill is soft, but not droopy.  A hook and loop strip about 4 in (10 cm) long is located on the bottom rear of the hood, and a small tab with corresponding hook and loop fastener allows the back of the hood to be shortened to fit.  Although no instructions were included, lengthening the tab makes the hood deeper (for more protection from weather) and shortening it makes the hood shallower, increasing side visibility.  Two small square hook and loop fasteners at the front bottom of the hood allow it to be secured snugly under my chin.  The draw cord has small toggles on each side which serve to secure the desired adjustment in place.  The ends of the hood draw cord are not knotted or secured in any way, which would allow the toggle to slip off if pulled down too far, so I plan to knot the ends in order to prevent accidentally losing a toggle.  The draw cord passes through one metal grommet on each side of the hood, and

  The hood can be folded neatly inside the collar, with three small square hook and loop fasteners holding it in place, one in the center back, and two approximately 4 in (10 cm) from the front.  This does allow a gap near the front, letting the hood droop down a bit from the collar in that area.  The collar looks slightly padded, but not lumpy, when the hood is stored inside.

The seams of the jacket appear well constructed with double stitching and bound edges.  However, the finish around the zippers is not as good, with the fabric in this area having raw edges, and the stitching being more irregular.  The fabric around the zippers is already fraying and losing some threads, especially in the area of the underarm zippers.  The hems at the bottom of the jacket and sleeves are of turned under construction, approximately 1 in (3 cm) deep, and appear well sewn, with fairly even stitching.

The jacket packs easily inside either pocket by just turning the pocket inside out and stuffing the rest of the fabric inside.  When packed in the left side pocket, there is a small ribbon loop which would allow the stored jacket to be fastened to a pack strap by a carabiner, or looped through a belt.  The zipper doesn't reverse to completely close the pocket when the jacket is stuffed, but it can be zipped most of the way shut with a little effort.  Stored this way, the jacket makes a package about 12 x 9 x 3 in (35 x 23 x 8 cm).  This package can be folded or rolled to compress smaller (just a bit larger than a half liter bottle of water when rolled).  The pocket is large enough that the Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy pants can also be tucked inside for storage, although this of course makes the package thicker and less compressible, but very convenient for keeping jacket and pants together.

Testing Plan -

Field Information:
I will be testing the Big Sky Products Warm-N-Cozy Epic Jacket mainly in West Virginia, on trails varying from the mountainous eastern region of the state with elevations from 2500 to over 4000 feet (700 to over 1200 meters), to the river valley corridors in the eastern, western and central part of the state, with elevations from 550 to 1000 feet (150 to 300 meters).  Temperatures may range anywhere from lows in the 0 F (-20 C) range to highs that could range into the 80 F (30 C) range on abnormally warm days, of which we usually get a few.  Lots of rainfall, occasional sleet, and some snow can be expected.  Most of my use for this time of year will be day hiking, although I hope to fit in a backpacking trip or two, depending on weather conditions.  Many of my backpacking trips and hiking trips are carried out near rivers or streams, and moisture laden air is often a side effect in these areas creating dampness in colder weather and high humidity in warmer weather.  I day hike nearly every weekend and often a couple of days during the week, and I will also use the jacket during work, which entails being outdoors for part of most days, so the jacket should see plenty of use during the test period.

I will wear the jacket in different weather conditions and temperatures and observe how it handles the various conditions.  Key characteristics that I will be testing for include waterproofness, windproofness, warmth, and durability.  For backpacking trips, my pack weight will likely vary between 25-35 lb (11-16 kg), depending on weather and duration.  During day hikes I will likely be carrying a wide variety of weight from just a water bottle to a fanny pack, to a larger daypack.  My plan is to use the jacket as my only upper body rain gear for work and play.  Considering the material is described as water resistant, not waterproof, will this be possible, or will I need to resort to carrying an additional waterproof layer in order to be sure of staying dry?

Preliminary Likes –

Preliminary Concerns –

Thanks to Big Sky Products and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test the Warm-n-Cozy Jacket.

NOTE:  Shortly after my Field Test Report was written, Big Sky Products recalled the Warm-n-Cozy Jacket for examination and ultimately replacement of the zippers which were determined to be defective.  My Long Term Report reflects use of the jacket with the replaced zippers.

Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Big Sky Products Warm-n-Cozy Epic Jacket > Pam Wyant > Initial Report