Lightweight Midlayers: My Favorites

I love gear that impresses me the first time I try it on or use it, and then continues to impress me for the life of the product.  The following jackets are that type of piece:

Marmot Driclime Windshirt-  This jacket has been my most-worn piece of clothing over the last 9 years that I have owned one.  It used to accompany me on almost any trip, summer or winter.  Now, it usually goes with me on late spring, summer, and early fall trips, but I have phased it out of my winter system.  The only complaint I have had about this jacket is that it didn't come in a hooded version.  Marmot fixed that with the Ether Driclime Jacket ($110).  Can't wait to get my hands on one of those!

This is my original Driclime Windshirt.  It's 9 years old and I still wear it often.  It has one napoleon chest pocket.  This one is still my favorite.  Size Medium.

This is my newer Driclime, now about 2 years old.  This is a size large.  Same length as the medium though baggier in the torse and longer in the sleeves.  Not sure if they changed the liner fabric or not, but the liner in my old one is a bit softer than the new one.  I thought that may due to more use, but the newer one has been used a ton in the last couple years and the liner feels the same as when it was new.  I still love this jacket!

This is the Ether Driclime Jacket.  Same jacket essentially as the windshirt, just with a hood and handwarmer pockets.  My life is now a bit closer to complete. 

Struggling to get into the Cirque of the Towers before the mosquitoes do.  Windshirt kept me warm when the wind blew and I didn't overheat when the temperature rose.

NWAlpine Black Spider Light Hoody($90):  Though I haven't had it as long as many other jackets, it has quickly become one of my very favorites.  Initially I thought that NWAlpine had simply copied the R1 Hoody from Patagonia and then were selling it at a cheaper price.  However, as soon as I got my hands on one, I realized that it is a lighter, thinner material and the opening of the hood is a little bigger.  I love the R1, as do most people, but I think this is a more versatile piece.  When Phil and I went climbing a couple days ago, I wore my NWA, he wore his R1.  I was comfortable the whole time, he overheated a little bit.  I'm not saying the NWA Hoody is better than the R1, but the lighter fabric means that it is more versatile in slightly warmer temperatures.  The larger opening in the hood means that the hood fits under your chin instead of over it, like the R1.  I find this works a little better with a helmet strap because you can still zip it up or down without unbuckling the helmet.  The R1 hood is warmer though.

Other features that I love are the thumb-hole cuffs and a deep zipper for venting that also zips up to the side of the chin for comfort.   

There are only two complaints I have with this jacket, and they are very minor.  I wish the hood came down a little lower on the forehead, and I wish the cuffs were a little tighter and thumb holes a little bigger.  Other than that, the jacket is great.  Well worth $90.

Long in the torse and sleeves.  One zip chest pocket.  Hood fits under chin which allows for easy zipping up or down with a helmet on.

Deep zip is very efficient at dumping heat.

Cuffs could be tighter, thumbhole is kinda small

Even though I wear this hoody on almost every outing, this is one of the few pictures I have of it in action.  It is usually layered under another jacket.

There is a new jacket on the market that I predict will be fairly popular among the fast and light crowd.  This jacket is the OR Centrifuge Jacket.  Though I haven't yet had the chance to use it much myself, my brother-in-law has and loves it.  I think it will offer much of the benefits of the NWA Hoody, with some of the wind-resistance of the Driclime Windshirt.

The light blue color in this picture is a non-insulated wind-resistant fabric that is not stretchy.  The dark blue under the arms, on the back and the chin are a light, grid-fleece fabric.  This grid fleece about half the thickness of an R1 and about the same thickness as the NWA Hoody.  Two handwarmer pockets and one chest pocket and thumbloops round out the features. 

Tyson here is about 6' tall and weighs about 160lbs.  The medium fits him quite nicely.  I am 6'2" and 185lbs and it was too small on me.  I would need a large.

Anyway, there are a lot of great offerings out there.  I doubt you can go wrong with any of these jackets.  Heck, if you have the money, you'd probably be happy owning all three.

The Verdict

5 out of 5 stars on the Marmot Driclime Windshirt and the NWA Black Spider Light Hoody.  The fact that the post is titled "My Favorites" should have given that one away.  But the reason why I decided to write a post about these two jackets in particular is because these jackets continue to impress me, even after years of use.  Either of these jackets are well worth the money, in my opinion.