The Holy Grail of backcountry ski jackets is the perfect balance between warmth and breathability. Stio may have concocted the secret sauce with their Second Light Alpha Jacket. When ascending in the skin track, body heat red-lines and sweat is inevitable, so the jacket must breathe as heavy as an elephant running a marathon. But when the mercury dips way below freezing, the same jacket must insulate. Does such a jacket exist? Can it be found in the Second Light Alpha Jacket? First the details.
The Stio Second Light Alpha Jacket features:
- Meridian™ AP Stretch Mini-Ripstop, 100% Nylon, 20 denier, 49 g/m2 with 80/20 DWR
- Polartec® Alpha® 60g active insulation
- Reversible design
- Fixed Hood with elastic binding
- YKK® reversible zipper at center front
- YKK® semilocking zippers with custom Stio® slider
- Zippered back stash pocket
- Gripper elastic inside back pocket
- Fully adjustable hem
- Weight: 12 oz.
I’ve been wearing the Stio Second Light Alpha Jacket on backcountry ski tours around the Wasatch and I have to say I am impressed. Hiking up the skin track, I tend to burn very warm, often wearing nothing but my base layer even when it’s below freezing. Almost all of my jackets and shell are too warm and not breathable enough. But on a recent day in Mill D North Fork, with the thermometer reading 13-degrees in the parking lot, this jacket rocked my world.
At the start of the tour I was very cold, especially my head as I prefer to wear trucker hats in the backcountry. With stinging ears, I put on the hood and bam! It was like my body heat was immediately reflected back on me. It felt like I had a furnace on my noggin.
As we ascended the skintrack up Short Swing, I started to warm up and sweat. But in this jacket, I could really tell how it was breathing. My back stayed sweaty due to the pack I was wearing, but everywhere else felt very comfortable – dry and warm. Considering that this is an insulative layer and not a shell, I am a bit blown away at how well it regulates body temperature.
I also dig the cut and materials used in the Second Light Alpha Jacket. It is very soft and supple, like wearing a super-technical yet cozy sweater. The jacket is also reversible so if you feel snazzy, the bright-colored side is tops. In my case, I rocked the lime green. For a more subdued look, black is the go-to.
The jacket is packed with nice features like hand-warmer and Napoleon pockets, adjustable hem, and semi-locking zippers. But what really struck me is how well this jacket would work for not just backcountry skiing, but any cold-weather active pursuit. Runners would love this jacket as it has a zippered stash pocket on the back for things like energy gels or gloves, and it acts as a stuff sack. Plus there are reflective tabs on the sides for nighttime safety. The fixed hood is also a very runner-friendly design.
The Good: Impressive warmth/breathability ratio. Soft and cozy materials. packed with features for multi-sport use.
The Bad: You still need to bring a shell along to block wind or heavy precipitation.
Final Word: The Stio Second Light Alpha Jacket is probably the best mid-layer insulating piece I’ve found that breathes and keeps the user warm during high-output activity during cold weather.