Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie Review
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Born in California and bred on the trail, Sierra Designs has been committed to supporting people’s love of the outdoors since 1965. Today, that means creating equipment and apparel that is functional, beautiful, and most importantly, attainable. And the Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie hits those marks.
Performance of the Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie
The Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie is stuffed with 800 fill DriDown that keeps the body warm when the temps drop. Down fill is renowned for it’s compressibility and efficiency in retaining heat, the feathers and fibers of down have an incredibly soft, comfortable feel, and despite advances in synthetic materials, continue to provide the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any insulation available. The one inherent weakness of down insulation is that it loses much of its ability to maintain warmth when it gets wet, but this jacket’s 800-fill DriDown performs differently. Employing a unique, innovative polymer application, DriDown actually creates a hydrophobic finish on each individual plume of down. This treatment results in insulation that stays dry 10 times longer and dries 30% faster than untreated down. Perhaps most impressively, this allows the insulation to retain 2 times more loft than untreated down, which translates into maintained warmth that untreated down simply cannot achieve.
Having used the Whitney DriDown Hoodie as an outer layer for many Winter treks and adventures with temperatures dipping into the teens I was left feeling completely comfortable. When temps dropped below the teens or the weather turned wet, the Hoodie was easily switched to a mid-layer, delivering optimal internal insulation. While the Hoodie does not offer any form of water-resistant coating, the 40D Shadow Rip Polyester shell still shed of any falling snow, as long as the temperatures remained below freezing. The high collar and overstuffed hood are great features that kept things toasty up top, while the elastic sleeves and the waist cord lock sealed in warmth on cold windy days.
And of course, what good is a down hoodie if it is not pack-able? The Whitney DriDown Hoodie stuffs nicely into its own pocket to make for easy packing.
Fit of the Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie
Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing in at 175 lbs., I fall right into the size of medium in 95% of the activewear out there. Using the size chart on Sierra Designs website, it suggested the same. The medium is a great fit in the arms and overall length, however the hoodie becomes tight across the top of my back whenever I reach straight forward or try to do anything out in front of me. While not completely immobilizing, if you are considering this Hoodie and are in between sizes or close on sizing, I do recommend sizing up.
The Sierra Designs Whitney Hoodie fits well over a baselayer and works great as a midlayer when worn with a weatherproof shell over top of it.
Features
- 800 Fill DriDown
- Two Zippered Hand Pockets
- Inside Kangaroo Pocket
- Insulated Yoke with Zippered Chest Pocket
- Stows into zippered pocket
- Overstuffed hood and high collar increases comfort
- Bungee drawstring adjustable cinch with cord lock
- Elastic Cuffs
- Shell Fabric: 40D Shadow Rip Polyester
- Lining Fabric: 100% Nylon
- Weight: 18.73 oz. / 531 g
- MSRP $169
Final Thoughts on the Sierra Designs Whitney Dridown Hoodie
The Sierra Designs Whitney Dridown Hoodie utilizes weather-resistant down insulation to provide lightweight warmth for cold-weather outdoor activities. An insulated hood and a high cut insulated collar add additional warmth and comfort. If you’re looking for the classic down hoodie that is lightweight, pack-able, and the kind with pockets for your hands and another on the chest, the Sierra Designs Whitney DriDown Hoodie is your ticket. That’s not to reduce the Whitney Dridown Hoodie’s value but to highlight the fact that this hoodie is great because of it’s simplicity. At just under 19 ounces, it’s lightweight, pack-able and made to be durable with the 40D Shadow Rip Polyester fabric. Inside is enough 800 Fill DriDown to provide plenty of warmth as a mid layer or an outer layer. It’s everything the fundamental down hoodie needs to be, and it’s priced right to justify adding a down hoodie into any cool to cold weather wardrobe. For more information on the Whitney Dridown Hoodie and other Sierra Designs products, visit sierradesigns.com or amazon.com/sierradesigns.
