Ortovox Merino Windbreaker - Men's for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

The Germans have done it again-- a blend of merino and nylon that feels like nylon!? What will they think of next? Hopefully a water repellent coating. I bought this as a three-season kind of garment for use on the, ahem, "high seas" (being near the ocean), fall cycling, commuting, and recreation, and specifically for a few trips I had this fall where I wanted something compact and comfortable that would still provide a tiny bit of warmth. It met those goals with flying colors. It is super packable and lighter than any jacket I have ever owned. It breathes and will block out a modest amount of wind or a cool breeze and, though you don't want to rely on it in specifically cold weather, I can imagine it would layer very nicely with a wool blend baselayer. Most of the time I was wearing this over a t-shirt or poplin button-down and it kept me sufficiently warm on commercial aircraft, Amtrak, and frigid, over-air-conditioned restaurants in the late summer and early fall in northern climates. The pocket can fit a cellular telephone or a Kindle Paperwhite. Annoyingly, there are no side pockets beyond this lone one, but you get used to this surprisingly quickly. It has incentivized me not filling my pockets with random stuff and then wondering where I put those things weeks later. The hood is a fantastic design, fitting over my poofy hair with this little elastic band thing over a sort of mini-hood layer, but providing a bit more protection on top. The claim of a "durable water repellent" coating, however, seems to be among the greater lies told in the history of western civilization, not, by any means, limited to Ortovox. I wore this in a very light drizzle in Chicago and managed to get soaked in a three block walk from the bus to my destination. I am not sure what sort of water this is meant to repel. Mist condensing on the surface of the jacket, but only once before evaporating again? I have ridden ten miles across the forgotten Midwestern metropolises on my ebike in monsoon-grade rainstorms and arrived, dry as a bone, under Gore-Tex (Marmot, Rab, 45NRTH, Garneau). If you are looking for something that will actually provide any modicum of water protection, look elsewhere. Fit: I am not a big guy, and people are frequently shocked when I tell them I'm in the 195-200lbs range-- until a recent phase of inadvertent upper body muscle building resulting from months of protracted house projects, I could comfortably fit into a mens 38, almost any medium and many small shirts, and I still wear medium to small size pants. That said, while I can almost wear any medium, this ran small. It will fit over a bulky sweatshirt, for example, but awkwardly, so I usually just wear one layer underneath, for which it is ample and fits well. I prefer a smaller fit and this is *barely* within the realm of tolerance. I have a Marmot Gore-Tex Minimalist jacket in a medium that feels like an old school poncho in comparison and that I can wear over a sportcoat or heavy sweater with room to spare. This is clearly designed for a specifically tighter fit, so, if you are wondering and can usually fit into only some [smaller size compared to your regular one] (as I can some smalls), definitely go with the bigger size. It's a great jacket. It isn't worth the full price unless you're made of bucks, which I am not, and if I'da knowed that the "durable water repellent" thing was as weak as it is, I probably would have looked for something else, but I am certainly going to make the most of it now that I have it!

First off, it does what you want a wind shirt to do, but it does it being way more comfortable. Bought it for playing in the alpine in the summer - rock climbing ,trial running and hiking but it has become my go to thing I grab going out the door. Comfortable against the skin, breathes well and looks good too! Fits my long arms well

This is a crazy jacket, what feels like a nylon windbreak is actually over 50% merino wool!!! This makes the jacket feel amazing on your skin, wick moisture, and breath like no other wind breaker. It is totally windproof and light weight plus it will work in a light rain. I basically carry this with me in the mountain everyday because its so small and light I do not notice it till I need it and then I am stoked to have it. This thing is great for running when its chilly out or if its windy. I just got it this spring but am super excited to use it layered over a softshell this winter when I am skiing. I am a full time, year-round mountain guide and a member of the Ortovox North American team I received this gear to test and use.