Mountain Hardwear Tempo Windstopper Jacket

Summary

Excellent mid-weight layer in winter hiking; wicking sweat perfectly and stopping wind well! Sizing is "athletic" (read small) and sleeves are rather long.

It served as an excellent mid-weight layer in my winter hike the other day. It was snowing and windy when we headed out on the mountain. I think it was about 20-ish when we started.

I started off a bit chilly, as I didn't have my usual fleece on, but knew once I started to hike I would be too hot with a fleece. This jacket was an excellent mid-weight layer, and stopped the wind from getting all the way to my base layer. It wicked the sweat off beautifully and my outer shell was pretty soaked when we got to the car.

No, I don't sweat THAT much. I just don't have the best outer shell. This piece is a step in the right direction. I imagine I will be using it quite a bit in the early spring and maybe summer hikes.

I read several reviews of this jacket before purchasing it as a Barn Burner deal on Sierra Trading. The "athletic" fit in layman's terms means it will run small for most people. I purchased an XL and it fits like a large should.

The sleeves are long...overly long, I think. They should have those thumb holes in them for being that long.  The collar is long, which is nice. It protects the neck from wind and would compliment a neck gaiter or scarf very well.

The pockets are nice and large. I have a tendency to stuff my pockets full of spare hats and gloves on our winter hikes and these held all my spares with room to spare. The zippers are a bit small, for the jacket and when the pockets are that full, they're not so easy to zip with one hand. The main zipper is the same size, but it doesn't feel flimsy for its size.

The back has a nice tail. I LOVED this! This is my first jacket with one and will make sure to find others with an extended back. It was a nice length for when I sat on the cold rock at the top of the summit, my butt didn't get too cold.  :)