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MontBell U.L. Thermawrap Parka

rated 5 of 5 stars

The U.L. Thermawrap Parka has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best synthetic insulated jackets for 2024.

photo: MontBell U.L. Thermawrap Parka synthetic insulated jacket

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Makes an excellent layer

Cons

  • Not super durable
  • Short torso

The U.L. Thermawrap is surprisingly warm, has a snug fit, and is thin enough to squeeze under a trim rain shell-wears more like a shirt than a jacket. I'm not sure what the exact weight is, but it's well under a pound.

I often find myself hiking in heavy rain, so I have always avoided down-filled products. However, this is the first jacket I've found that provides the right combination of lightness, compactability, and insulation with synthetic materials.

I have not had the chance to test it in truly bad weather, but I can say that at around freezing, the jacket is warm enough to wear with a t-shirt so long as one is exerting some amount of energy. The hood is well-designed with a rounded crest that acts to wrap around the head without feeling tight. Moreover, under a rain shell the hood provides excellent insulation for the neck and head. Feels real nice when the wind is kicking up on a ridge, rime is blowing around, and you want to enjoy the view.

This is not the jacket for dead-of-winter wilderness adventuring, but it is just about perfect for what it is: a super lightweight, synthetic jacket for layering.

I want a sleeping bag made of this jacket.

EDIT 6/2016: This jacket survived about four years (actually, it's still in use as a grubby, just-in-case jacket for a friend). Long story short, don't take this type of product in a cave, it will not survive :)

Fabric: nylon
Fill: polyester
Price Paid: $130

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Specs

Men's
Price Historic Range: $98.94-$175.00
Reviewers Paid: $130.00
Women's
Price Historic Range: $104.97-$175.00

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