CHEYENNE, WY—OutdoorGearLab.com revealed today the results of the 2011 Editors’ Choice Awards for the Insulated Jacket category, listing this year’s best and best value for insulated jackets. The OutdoorGearLab Review Editors chose the following winners after extensive field testing and road trips in the High Sierra, Southeast Utah and The Cascades. These ten insulated jackets were run through the gauntlet of climbing, skiing, hiking, stuffing into packs, and battling the winter elements around town. They varied in thickness, warmth, and weight but they each functioned well in different ways. We paid close attention to the performance in the following categories: warmth, insulation type, layering and packing ability, breathability, and water resistance. Each underwent extensive side by side tests to evaluate these key performance metrics. View the complete
Insulated Jacket Reviews
The winners are:
Arcteryx Atom SV winner of the Editor's Choice Award for 2011 . According to Gear Editor Chris McNamara, "The Atom SV is a warm and well-made jacket and is comfortable as a layer or even for climbing in. The fabric is water and abrasion resistant even though it feels very light and soft, so this jacket is durable even though it is pricey."
Montbell UL Thermawrap Jacket winner of the Best Buy award for 2011. This award is given to a product that balances an extremely high score in our tests and a very reasonable price. According to Chris McNamara, "The Montbell Thermawrap jacket was one of the lightest, least expensive and most versatile jackets we tested. It layers well in just about any temperature; don't be surprised if you wear this 100+ days a year."
REI Revelcloud Jacket winner of the Best Buy award for 2011. This award is given to a product that balances an extremely high score in our tests and a very reasonable price. According to Chris McNamara, "Of all the jackets we tested, this was one of the least expensive and best suited for everyday use. It gets our Best Buy award because it layers well in just about any temperature and is incredibly functional. Don't be surprised if you stop wearing fleece jackets and reach for this instead"
Mountain Hardwear Zonal Jacket winner of the Top Pick award for 2011. This award is given to a product that excels at a specific application. According to Chris McNamara, "If you are looking for a jacket to wear while doing aerobic activities in the cold, or a jacket to use as an extra warm layer under a shell without suffocating, then this is the jacket you should buy."
