Patagonia
Slopestyle Hoody Review
An
assessment of one of the more versatile winter apparel items
on the market today.
By
AJ Johnson
These days there is clothing for every type of activity from
running, biking, paddling and even “relaxing”. While
in some ways specialization is good, it also means a lot of
different gear and money. Personally, I look for those items
that will work well in many situations. The Slopestyle Hoody
from Patagonia is just such a product. While the name conjures
up images of hanging out at the lodge, this hoody works for
just about any outdoor sport, and of course while relaxing.
The key with this garment is that it mixes the technical features
you need when outside with just enough style to relax in when
inside. I used this in just about every application I could
think of. I threw this on as I searched out my early morning
surf options, and again when I got out of the water and needed
a quick warm up. Heading up to the slopes, I used it under my
shell as well as for the pre and post ski “activities”.
Even on trail runs and mountain bike rides, this is what I reached
for heading to the trailhead.
 On
the tech side, the 100 percent polyester has a bit of stretch
to it, so it moved well with me when I was skiing. The Deluge
DWR treatment kept snow and water from getting the hoody soaked
through. While there wasn’t any powder to speak of when
I wore it on the slopes, the bottom drawcord makes a nice powder
skirt if your shell, like mine, doesn’t have one. The
barrel is on the inside of the hem, but the cord slides through
and exits inside the pocket. This makes using the cord a bit
cumbersome with gloves on, but once adjusted it works well.
The hood also has a drawcord with the pulls exiting about two
inches below the collar so they don’t hit your chin. Inside
each large side pocket is a second, zippered pocket for valuables.
The thumb loops were nice for walking around town when I didn’t
want full gloves, and I also wore them under my gloves for an
extra barrier. I’m on the fence with hoods; I like them
when lounging, but when I’m on the move they tend to get
in my way. One note is that the hood is not helmet compatible
and felt a bit bulky stuffed behind my helmet. The microfleece
liner is incredibly soft and comfortable.
 Styling
wise, the Slopestyle works just about everywhere. My size medium
was slender enough to fit easily under my shell, but had enough
room to look relaxed and simple. The slight pattern is a nice
touch that breaks up an otherwise large colorswatch. I particularly
liked the zippered pockets hidden inside the side pockets for
my keys and wallet. A feature that isn’t listed or given
a slick marketing term is how comfortable the Slopestyle is.
Wearing it all day happened more than once.
The bottom line is that this piece simply
works. It has a good combination of technical features and the
great style on the mountain or by the surf. I found myself reaching
for the Slopestyle without even thinking and it became that
single go-to piece when I was heading out. From sun up to sun
down, whether working hard or just lounging, the Slopestyle
performs.
AJ
Johnson tries his best to put the multi in multi-sport. Growing
up playing sports as diverse as soccer, running, BMX, tennis
and running gave him a love of simply being active. After 10
years in Colorado where he trained as a professional triathlete,
skied, mountain biked, hiked and generally enjoyed all the high
country has to offer, he and his wife moved to southern California.
Since then he has added stand up paddling and surfing to his
repertoire.
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