The Gnar Jacket is light… very light. At a scant 11 oz even the box it was shipped in weighed more. But don’t think that you have to sacrifice warmth for weight. On the trail the Gnar is a superheater. I took it on numerous snowshoeing and dog walking adventures in the Wasatch and never once did I get the standard winter chills. During uphill sections the jacket sometimes got almost too toasty, but as soon as things leveled out the Gnar kept all that heat trapped, meaning I never once thought about trading the trail for the fireplace. The jacket has a DWR (durable water repellant) finish that had no problem fighting off light snowfall, but don’t expect to sub it out for your waterproof shell when the heavy stuff starts coming down. As for compressibility, the Gnar excels again: the jacket stuffs down small enough that you will barely notice it in your pack (it even comes with its own stuff sack, nice touch SD!). The Gnar is truly a great winter hiking companion, but the biggest test was yet to come: the slopes.
Without a doubt my favorite feature on this jacket are the thumb holes… seriously. The thumb holes allow you to pull the sleeves down to act as half-gloves. This won’t seem like such a big deal until the night you forget your gloves for the ride home. A freezing cold steering wheel is a pain in the ass to the un-gloved, but simply pop your thumbs through the holes and just like that you’re ready to roll. Hate it when you bail and snow gets up your sleeves? No longer an issue with these instant glove gaiters. It is attention to detail like this that has made Sierra Designs a trusted name in outdoor gear for over four decades.
Gripes? I really had to nitpick to find a few, but there are flaws. I noticed a lot of loose stitches on the jacket which could become a problem. Through three months of daily use they haven’t led to any trouble, but it does raise some concerns. Another issue was the dreaded chest bubble; the jacket has a tendency to bubble out when your hands aren’t in the pockets, but this could be a sizing issue. If you can, try the jacket on before purchasing to find the perfect fit. As with any lightweight, technical gear this jacket is delicate; yes, you should baby it.
The Gnar Jacket stood up to everything I threw at it. From first chair to last call this micro does it all. It’s light and compressible enough to come along on every backpacking adventure, warm enough for the coldest days on the slopes, and stylish enough to sport it as your daily winter jacket. A competitive price of $200 sweetens the deal. The SD Gnar jacket is available in mens’ and womens’ sizes, and also has a hooded version. Throw this bad boy on and you won’t take it off until the powder turns to springtime corn.
You can purchase the Sierra Designs Gnar Down Jacket at Altrec.com
Hey, greast review. I just published a review of the women’s hoody on my site. You can find the it and photos at GearGuide.