REI Syncro Jacket Review

Recently I've been in the market for a light jacket with some weather and wind resistance. I needed it to be light enough for every day wear, but provide warmth enough for light outdoor work or trail excursions. On my quest for this product, I (or my Girlfriend rather) found the men's REI Syncro Jacket. After getting it home and putting it on, though it was ultra-light and pretty darn thin, it appeared that it may be too warm. I was quite surprised, considering its thickness and overall weight. After wearing it around indoors for just a couple minutes I had already gathered a surprising amount of sweat forming on my face.

Outside and on the trails it performed to a higher degree than I had even hoped. It's extremely warm, breaks the wind very well and breathes better than any of my previous jacket purchases in a similar class. Often times I've worn multi-layered jacket setups, creating a very cumbersome and constricting environment to navigate harsh trails, or scale boulders and other obstacles. The Syncro jacket eliminates this as a concern. It's very free moving, using a soft-shell stretchy material in the shoulders, sleeve backs and chest. As well, the underarm gussets are made of a stretch fabric to increase flexibility. Aside from the warm, unrestricted movement of the Syncro jacket, it also has 4 times more wind resistance than a traditional fleece and is very water repellent. This was most evident during a recent storm, which had a healthy dose of both wind and rain.

As stated above, the jacket is water repellent. It is not designed to replace a rugged outer-shell, able to be drenched and submerged with no water getting through. It was designed to be a middle-weight soft-shell jacket that can be worn stand alone or combined with another layer. For the purpose it was designed, it's an extremely capable jacket, and I highly recommend it. Specifically, it's the best choice for when it's too cold for a wind breaker, and the weather doesn't require a multi-layer hard-shell jacket. It's my new all-weather jacket of choice.

REI Syncro Jacket Features:
* Polartec Wind Pro main body provides warmth, durability and breath ability without the weight and bulk of traditional insulating fabrics
* Exposed areas (shoulders, back of arms, collar and chest) are made from rugged Polartec Power Shield
* These surfaces offer good abrasion- and water-resistance to shed rain and snow; velour-grid laminated lining wicks moisture and breathes freely
* Stretch Wind Pro under the arms offers enhanced breath ability, four-way stretch and low bulk
* Fleece-lined collar and chin guard offer soft warmth against your skin
* Articulated elbows enhance comfort
* Hem draw cord exits into hand pockets for easy adjusting and helps seal in warmth
* Two hand pockets and a chest pocket feature sleek reverse-coil zippers

For more information, check out REI's product page.