Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Versalayer Ability Softshell > Jennifer Pope > Initial Report

Initial Impressions & Product Description (back to top)

I was impressed with this jacket from the moment I took it out of the box. Initially I was a little skeptical about what the jacket quality might be like from a brand new company with only one product. When I pulled the jacket out I found my reservations were baseless. The jacket seems very well constructed and the materials feel sturdy and well put together. The jacket feels like a warm winter coat- which makes me curious about how well it will do in warmer weather.

The jacket is advertised as an athletic fit. For me, my usual size provided me with this 'athletic fit'. This just means that there's not a lot of extra bulk on the sides of the jacket and in the arms. In my living room this gave me more freedom to move around- I'll test this in the field as well. Since I'm a woman and this jacket is a men's size, it's a little on the snug size in the hips. I can still zip the jacket and it's not cutting off any circulation but it is a little snug. The jacket zipper can also be unzipped from the bottom when it's zipped up so I can give myself a little wiggle room by unzipping it slightly.

The jacket is cut a little on the long size so it covers my entire torso. It's also cut longer in the back so it just covers my whole tush. There's a drawcord with a cord lock on one side along the bottom edge of the jacket- but like I said this area is already snug on me. As I mentioned before, the torso area is cut slim but not tight at all. The sleeves are a little long on me but I actually prefer this so, for me, the fit is just right.

The collar is fairly tall and it lays very flat on my collar bone. I really like this. The hood stows inside the large collar and closes with hook and loop fasteners. As shown in the picture at the top of this report, this is a full hood with a bill and draw cords and cord locks. The hood feels comfortable and there was enough room in it for me to have my hair in a ponytail- a definite plus.

The inside of the jacket feels very comfortable against my bare skin. The fabric is comfortable and not itchy or uncomfortable in any way. I like that the material on the inside of the jacket doesn't have a satin feel like many jackets I've worn. I hate putting on a jacket and having it be cold on the inside- this jacket doesn't do that. There's also a mesh panel along the back panel.

The VersaLayer system is what makes this jacket stand out from an ordinary jacket. This system allows the user to compress all the insulating material in the torso of the jacket in order to cool down and then to decompress the insulation to warm up. The jacket accomplishes this with two sets of pull cords tucked inside the jacket. These cords can be accessed through zippered pockets near the sides of the jacket. The cords are color-coded and the tabs on the end are coded with an 'H' and a 'C'. To cool down I pull on the blue cords with the 'C' and to heat back up again I pull the red cords with the 'H'. For me these cords are still easy to get confused, at first I was thinking that you pulled the cord based on the outside temperature- i.e. it's hot outside so I pull the red cord.

In addition to the features I've already mentioned the jacket has pockets galore. This is a real plus for me because I often carry lots of little items that I like to have on my person (lip balm, snacks, pocket survival kit, and other odds and ends). There are two hand warmer pockets on the front of the jacket near the zipper- these are placed rather high so I'll test how well I like this position. There are also two pockets on the inside of the jacket. One of these pockets has a hook and loop fastener and the other has a zipper closure.

There are several logos on the jacket in various places (as can be seen in many of the pictures in this report). I find the logos to be tastefully done and add to the overall look of the jacket. They don't appear to be merely there for advertising.

Summary (back to top)

The jacket is heavier than expected and may not be ideal for the type of weather I will experience in the next four months. Only testing will prove this one way or the other though. The jacket seems very well made and of high quality materials.

Future Test Plans (back to top)

I will be wearing this jacket in a couple capacities. I'll use it hiking, backpacking, biking, and for casual weekend wear. This means that I'll be wearing the jacket from sea level up to over 10,000 ft (3,050 m) - give or take depending on where my summer hikes take me. I'll be under diverse conditions which may include beach sand, the rocky mountains of the Sierras, forested areas, shrubby chaparral and probably more. I may encounter rain (light or thunderstorms), wind, cool temperatures (in the 30s F/~15 C), hot temperatures (up to the 90s F/50s C), etc. Though I don't expect to be wearing the jacket up to the upper limit of that temperature range.

I plan to evaluate how well this jacket works during the spring and early summer months. This jacket is designed to be worn in a wide range of temperatures and I plan to find out if a jacket can really manage that. I will evaluate how well the jacket ventilates to keep me cool and dry when it's warm and I'm exerting myself. I will also report on how well it works with just a thin base layer and with a base layer and a mid layer when it's cooler outside. I hope to encounter temperatures cool enough to test both ends of the spectrum. I plan to evaluate how well the VersaLayer system works keeping me warm and cool as well as how it works functionally in the field.

In addition to performance, I will also report on the durability of the jacket over the 4-month test period. I'll report on whether it tears or fades over time. As well as how easy it is to keep clean and if it holds on to odors and dirt. I'll also report on how easy it is to pack and whether is holds up to being packed on the outside of my pack.

I want to thank BackpackGearTest.org and VersaLayer for giving me the opportunity to test this item.

Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Versalayer Ability Softshell > Jennifer Pope > Initial Report