Lowe Alpine Armor Jacket

This jacket is beautifully crafted and purpose built. The Wind Pro fleece material is beautiful, durable and next-to-skin soft. Super technical, w/ a perfect hem / sleeve design for a climbing harness or hip-belt.

Only 2 pockets (chest), but they're good sized, perfectly located for access when wearing a pack, and mesh-lined to allow for additional ventilation. Despite it's superior wind resistance (34 deg, 25 mph gusts - no shell needed!), the fleece wicks away moisture and I don't get clammy.

The stand-up collar is too large for any human's neck, but a mock-turtle base layer or mid-layer w/ a stand-up would fill it out. I'm installing a draw-cord in the collar's tube. Then it will be a 5 star fleece. On the plus side it doesn't rub on the neck at all.

Lowe Alpine makes fantastic products, but they're tough to find stateside (online@ STP w/ limited quantities). This jacket is discontinued, but other updated Wind Pro/Bloc fleeces from this excellent company are available with an improvement in the collar area (ie smaller).

If you are a technical adventurer, then you will not be disappointed w/ any L.A. item you can get your hands on.