Note: Integral Designs list the Dolomitti as 21 oz (595 gm) without the hood, and 24 oz (680 gm) with the hood. Assuming these are measurements of the size medium that most manufacturers use to list weights, I believe the weights of my Dolomitti are in line with what an XXL should weigh. This works out to about 1.6 oz (45 gm) weight gain per size. For the weights of other sized Dolomitti jackets, take a look at the other testers' reviews.

Loft of Jacket at Chest: 1 7/8 in to 2 1/8 in (4.8 cm to 5.4 cm)

2. Integral Designs Dolomitti Jacket Initial Observations

The Integral Designs Dolomitti Jacket is a synthetic insulation cold weather jacket made for mountain environments where cold weather is encountered but light pack weight is desired. Shelled and lined in Pertex ripstop nylon and filled with Primaloft Sport insulation, the Dolomitti represents the current cutting edge in materials for this type of jacket. The product I received appears identical to the jackets featured on the Integral Designs website. Included in the package was the Dolomitti jacket, the optional zip-on hood, a silnylon stuff sack, and a current Integral Designs catalog. Here are my initial impressions and observations:

Features

The Dolomitti Jacket does not have a lot of extra features, which in my opinion is a good thing. This keeps things simple and focuses on function above all else. Standard on the jacket are a two-way main zipper, two zip-closure hand warmer pockets, and one internal pocket. The two-way zipper is ideal and makes this a wonderful candidate for a belay jacket. Being able to zip up from the bottom allows easy access when wearing a climbing harness and quick venting when needed. The hand warmer pockets are good for storage with their zip closures and certainly are buried deep enough in the insulation to keep hands warm, but I have found them to be a bit small. Granted, I have larger hands than most people, but it's a tighter fit than I would prefer and limits their use to small things. I would be hard pressed to stuff a fleece cap and mittens with overmitts in the pockets, which are items I'd like to keep handy when not actively being used. The internal pocket is pretty basic - just a standard fabric pocket for securing important items or re-warming gloves or frozen water bottles. I haven't yet checked to make sure all of my water containers will fit in this pocket, but will definitely find out for future reports.

The hood is surely a stand out feature, primarily due to its size. This is one huge hood. I have a big head, and I'm swimming in this hood. This is a definite asset in my opinion. This allows wearing of baseball caps, stocking caps, or helmets while staying warm. I lose the majority of my body heat through my head and neck, so a big warm hood is more than welcome. It does not have multiple adjustments, however, and in early testing on cold nights, the hood is proving difficult to see out of. In a cold camp or low-activity situation, this hood should be fine. In more intense situations where the weather warrants a hood, but sure vision is required, it could prove less ideal. Field testing will surely reveal the full usefulness of the hood. It does zip on and off quite easily, and leaving the 3.5 ozs (101 gms) at home on spring and fall trips will be nice.

The silnylon stuff sack fits the entire jacket and hood, even in size XXL, without unnecessary crushing of the insulation and without extra space. Long and narrow, it resembles the shape of most sleeping bag stuff sacks, but quite a bit thinner.

Materials

The materials used in the Dolomitti are quite impressive. Using Primaloft Sport insulation and Pertex ultralight ripstop nylon shell and lining, the Dolomitti utilizes the current standards for top quality materials. The Primaloft is 5.0 oz/sq/yd (170 gm/sq/m), which is about as thick as any commercial jackets available. Integral Designs claims the loft is equivalent to 3 layers of 200-weight Polartec. It has a much more silky feel to it than other synthetic insulations I have used, including the various Polarguards, Lite Loft, Microloft, and others. It also feels much finer, which I believe allows it to conform to my body better, much like down. The Pertex shell and lining are incredibly lightweight, which offers the Primaloft the opportunity to reach its full loft potential. This is a great marriage of materials. Because both are lighter and more fragile than many similar materials, durability is a real concern. This is something I will watch closely during testing.

Fit and Cut

The Dolomitti is a jacket, not a parka. Backcountry enthusiasts looking for an insulation piece to cover their butts should look elsewhere for a cold weather insulator. The Dolomitti is a waist length jacket built for mobility and light weight. As someone who spends time in weather cold enough that insulation is sometimes worn during activity, I appreciate the design of the Dolomitti. There is a shockcord drawstring waist that can be cinched up tight to seal out cold drafts. In addition, the wrist cuffs are long and tight, making it unlikely cold will sneak in that way. In fact, if anything, the cuffs are too tight. They are nice when reaching up for something because they keep the arms from slipping down, but they are awfully snug and make reading a watch or pushing up the sleeves a bit nearly impossible. Field use will determine whether or not this is a potentially frustrating feature of the Dolomitti.

The sizing is accurate for what I expect an XXL to be. It's certainly not baggy, and layering much underneath would be constricting, but wearing a simple synthetic t-shirt underneath provides a comfortable fit without feeling too cavernous or restrictive. I wear an XXL in almost every brand of outdoor clothing I own, and Integral Designs' sizing appears to fall in line with accepted industry standards. I do prefer tall sizes when available, which they rarely are, but the Dolomitti fits me just fine in both the arms and torso. I'm quite pleased with this, as cold wrists and navels are not much fun when there's nothing but snow and ice to keep me company.

Initial High Points

Highest quality materials and construction
Good fit and feel
One of the biggest and warmest hoods I've worn

Initial Concerns

Durability of shell fabric
Longevity of insulation loft
Functionality of hood when vision is required

3. Testing Plan and Location

The vast majority of my usage of the Dolomitti Jacket will be in the Central and North Cascades. Weather is quite changeable in this range, especially in the fall and winter, and many opportunities to use the Dolomitti Jacket will be available. This test should run into the heart of the Cascade ski season, and I will use the Dolomitti in the Cascades a couple of times a week during this period. I will also have a couple of chances to test the jacket in colder, drier conditions, as I usually make one or two backpacking trips to the Central Washington Steppe during the winter. Single digit temperatures (minus teens C) and crisp air are common on that side of the Cascades, which would present a nice contrast to Seattle's stormy and wet fall and winter.

Western Washington is probably the most appropriate place in the nation, excepting parts of Alaska, perhaps, for synthetic outer insulation. Constant drizzle, wet snow, and good old-fashioned rain conspire to create the perfect recipe for hypothermia. In fact, I recently learned that Washington has the most deaths by hypothermia in the nation! This was interesting to find out, as I grew up in Minnesota where -20F (-29C) temperatures were no big deal. The +20F (+7C) temperatures with moist air that are common here have an entirely different kind of chill, however, so this statistic isn't all too surprising. The fear of wet down is a real concern here, not an unlikely worst-case scenario as it is in many parts of the country during winter. Synthetic makes sense in this climate, and this product appears to have been made with the Pacific Northwest in mind.

I'll be testing the Integral Designs' Dolomitti jacket with a focus on the following questions:

1) Does it keep me warm? This is the bottom line, really. In conditions ranging from bitterly cold and dry to near freezing and rainy, can the Dolomitti keep the chills at bay?

2) Does it fit? My measurements are almost exactly the dimensions that Integral Designs indicates for their XXL size. Does this transfer to the real world person? Is it comfortable when moving around and raising arms and bending over, or is it just good for standing around?

3) Is it durable? With normal use, including exposure to foul weather and stuffing in the provided stuff sack, does the jacket lose loft? Is the loss significant? Does the loss of loft, if any, affect the warmth of the jacket over time?

4) Are the features functional and necessary? Are the pockets useable? Is the hood made for use with a beanie, baseball cap, or climbing helmet on? Is the zipper useable with mittens on? Does the jacket have too many unnecessary features that just add weight?

5) Perhaps most importantly, does it do a relatively decent job of insulating in moist conditions? I wouldn't expect any jacket to be comfortable in a saturated state, but the ability to stay reasonably warm during drizzle and wet snow is a claim that insulation makes over down. Is it true? Is it enough to warrant the weight difference between synthetic and down? Ultimately, is it safe to rely on a jacket like this in wet backcountry conditions?

4. Contact and Background Information:

Review by Curt Peterson:

Age: 32
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3" (1.91 m)
Weight: 270 (122 kg)

I live in Seattle and do the vast majority of my outdoor activities in Washington State. During the summer I try to head to the backcountry at least every other week, averaging 3 to 5 multi-day trips in July and August. In the fall and early winter, I usually do a couple day hikes a month and probably one overnight per month. In the winter, I ski 1 to 2 days per week, and backpack in the Central Washington steppe 1 to 2 times over the season. Spring and early summer I usually climb, most often on the Cascade volcanoes. I usually go to the coast in Olympic National Park at least once a year, and try to summit at least one big volcano a year, so the range of locations that I test gear is pretty broad. I also do a 3-mile (4.8 km) walk each day with my dog, no matter what the conditions are, and I often evaluate gear during that time.

I played football in college, and have been pretty active my entire life. I have been camping and backpacking as long as I can remember. First in Utah as a child, in Minnesota until I finished college, and here in Washington ever since. I served on the Product Test Committee for Seattle's biggest outdoor gear retailer for a two-year term in the mid-90s, then guided backpacking tours with my wife in Olympic National Park for a few summers. I've been interested in the most recent shift to lightweight thinking for the past few years and really enjoy checking out new ideas and approaches to backpacking.

Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Curt Peterson

Initial Report

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