“This jacket review first appeared in the 2020 Gear Guide, now on sale at bookstores and fly shop nationwide, and also at osgnewsstand.com .
We don’t generate or dissipate heat evenly, that’s why Orvis’s new body-mapped Pro Insulated Hoody uses 80-gram Polartec Alpha for the side panels and under the arms, and 80-gram Primaloft Gold Active for the rest of the jacket. Polartec Alpha was designed for U.S. Special Forces teams to regulate body heat and moisture under the rigorous start-and-stop conditions of combat, while the Primaloft Gold Active delivers 4-way stretch, breathability, water resistance, and ridiculous packability—this whole jacket folds into the pouch of the interior zippered chest pocket. Working in conjunction with the flexible insulation, the outer shell is a 20-denier stretch-nylon ripstop fabric for a non-restricting jacket that lets you double-haul, row, paddle, and stay warm in the most demanding conditions. The nylon has a durable water repellent (DWR) finish on the exterior and an acrylic coating on the interior that makes it highly wind-resistant. The jacket has a trim cut to fit inside your waders in deep wading conditions, a drawstring waist cord, handwarmer pockets, and an easy-access chest pocket that fits one fly box. $230 orvis.com
