Hooded Jacket More Info
This page contains detailed information -- both words and pictures -- about our Hooded Jacket. For the basic info about the Hooded Jacket, or to order, please click here for the main Hooded Jacket Page.
PURPOSE: Warm and comfortable and suitable for woods and field and city. Trim fit with extra-long sleeves so you don't need gloves.
Please click for Reviews and Tester’s Feedback on the Hooded Jacket.
Everything we make at WeatherWool is intended for wear in a wide variety of outdoor settings. But our Hooded Jacket is more of a crossover garment than anything else we make ... Or at least, that is how we think of it. We are really happy with the way our Hooded Jacket has turned out.
Above is an image of the Hooded Jacket in Solid Duff Color at the Train Station.
Below, the Hooded Jacket in Solid Black Color along with WeatherWool Pants in Solid Drab Color
The Hooded Jackets were made in Solid Colors Black, Drab and Duff, as well as LYNX Pattern. Drab and Lynx Pattern Hooded Jackets may be ordered in FullWeight or MidWeight Fabric. More about Fabric Weights and colors on our Fabric page.
Our Hooded Jackets feature (same bullet points as main page):
- Construction of our FullWeight or MidWeight Fabric ... and our Fabric is what we are.
- Two-way, heavy duty full-front zipper. Any garment without a front double zipper is just not serious
- Adjustable Hood that is easy to work even with mittens
- Knitted Cuffs and Ribs (parts of the bottom sweep of the Hooded Jackets) of fine American Merino
- Two large front handwarmer pockets that zipper securely
- One smaller inner pocket behind the handwarmer pocket on the left side, where right-handed people generally prefer it. This inner pocket also zippers shut and will accommodate a large cell phone.
- The sleeves and (pure Merino!) cuffs are extra long on these Hooded Jackets. Most people will be able to curl their hand inside the sleeve and not need to carry gloves. Pure-wool knit cuffs are rare, but well worth the expense. The extra length on the sleeves also keeps the wrists protected when reaching out
When the two pictures above were taken, the temp was about 15F/-9C. The Hooded Jacket, worn over a regular T-Shirt and long-sleeve cotton shirt, was perfectly comfortable for the cold, still air. The MidWeight Pants were enough, without long johns. We'd never wear cotton if there was a possibility of anything serious happening ... these are backyard pictures.
We want our Hooded Jackets to have a very comfortable feel and casual look.
We like the Black a lot ... the most classic Hooded Jacket color. To human eyes, BLACK is pretty conspicuous in the woods. A black black bear (as opposed to the other color phases) is to human eyes pretty conspicuous. But in the Northeast at least, almost all of the blackies are black, and it does not seem to handicap them at all. So I believe that people wanting to disappear in Nature can effectively wear black in a forest setting unless they are trying to avoid human eyes. But I bet other people will have a lot to say about that!
The inside pocket will accommodate even a large cell phone or wallet.
The outside pockets are quite large and the angled entry is very natural and comfortable. The pockets close from the top so you can have them partially closed with your hands resting comfortably inside. In serious cold, partial-closure makes a real difference. Also, most people will be able to put their whole hand inside the sleeve, and then into the pocket. The double-protection can also make a big difference.
Below ... The zipper pull is big enough to work with mittens.
And for people like me, who don't like gloves or mittens, we have made the sleeves extra long so you can pull your hands inside and make a fist. I find this much more comfortable and convenient than carrying gloves or mitts. If you are a runner, you can keep your hands inside the sleeves for the first mile or two, then pop them out once you are cruising. If you haven't tried long sleeves in place of gloves, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. And of course, when you don't have your hands inside, the extra length on the sleeve is not in the way of anything.
Front and side views of a Black Hooded Jacket with relaxed Hood
Above, the Hood is up, but completely relaxed.
I have a strong preference for wearing a Ball Cap when I am wearing any type of Hood. Alex normally doesn't wear a hat under his Hooded Jacket. I can't really say I have much of a reason for wearing the Ball Cap except personal preference. Here, Alex is wearing our Ball Cap in LYNX Pattern.
We tried to strike a balance between peripheral vision and protection from cross winds.
This picture shows the Knitted Ribs at the bottom of each side of the Hooded Jacket. The ribs are either Black or Duff, depending on the color of the Hooded Jacket itself. The ribs are made of the same Merino as the cuffs. Being knitted, the ribs are stretchy, and sized to snug the bottom of the Hooded Jacket, sealing out drafts.
A while back someone saw the above picture and told us he didn't have confidence in a company that would show a picture of a garment with a busted zipper. Two-way zippers are such a big part of what we do it hadn't even occurred to us someone might not realize our main zippers are two-way zippers that can be opened or closed at top and bottom independently. Any garment without a two-way front zipper is just not a serious outdoor garment. Opening the zipper at bottom can be really comfortable when seated or when striding or climbing. Opening the zipper wide at top and bottom at the same time allows venting of a lot of heat without the front of the Hooded Jacket flapping freely ... something that is really nice on a windy day.
Our Solid Colors Drab and Duff seem to change with the lighting. In low or indirect lighting, they are difficult to distinguish from one another (metamers), and that is one of the reasons they disappear in Natural settings. People often perceive DRAB as a shade of gray or green or brown ... which is just what we want. DRAB blends in remarkably well in many natural settings and in social situations is nothing more than a quiet, rich color.
29 August 2020 -- Ralph
