Enlightened Equipment Torrid Jacket – iReviewGear.com

Do you love puffy coats? If you are like me the answer is yes! I love a good puffy because the weight to warmth ratio is unmatched. That said, they do have some limitations. The main issues is the fill, down does NOT like moisture. Luckily for us puffy lovers Enlightened Equipment has a puffy that is not afraid of a little rain as it has a very high quality synthetic fill. Please welcome the Torrid Jacket to the party!

Just the Facts:

Fill:

• 2oz/yd² CLIMASHIELD™ APEX insulation performs better than down in wet and humid conditions, dries quickly, packs small, and is easy to clean.              
• CLIMASHIELD™ APEX weights may vary +/- 10% due to production variances. Read more about our Fills.

Fabric:

• This jacket features either a Black 10D/Charcoal 10D, Forest 10D/Charcoal 10D, or Graphite 7D/Salmon 7D nylon fabrics.  
• Fabric colors might appear slightly different from images shown. Read more about our Fabrics.

Fit:

• For help picking the correct sizing, select the Fit and Sizing tab above or watch our Apparel Sizing Video.
• Sizes run about a half size large for layering purposes.      

Features:

• Cinchable, shock cord adjustable, insulated hood.
• Raglan style sleeves to increase comfort and range of motion.
• Zippered insulated handwarmer pockets with shock cord waist adjustment in pocket.  
• Elastic wrist closures to keep out drafts up sleeves.
• Made in Vietnam. Inspected in Winona, Minnesota. For a made in the USA Torrid Jacket, shop our Men’s Torrid Jacket Custom.

My Story:

I love a good puffy coat. I have quite the collection of puffy’s from several different brands. The main benefit is that you get supreme warmth at the lowest weight possible. They are extremely packable and can also double as a pillow. The value of a puffy coat in the backcountry is almost immeasurable.

When attending summer OR I was very delighted to see the folks from Enlightened Equipment were in attendance. After some great conversations we arranged for a sample of their new Torrid Jacket to be sent for review. I was very excited about this jacket as it had one major difference from that of all my others, this puffy has a synthetic fill as opposed to down. Yes, I know down is amazing and I am also a huge fan but when the weather turns ugly down starts to become a choice you will likely regret. Wet down does not hold its thermal capability and will become essentially useless. Synthetic insulation on the other hand does not lose nearly as much of its insulating properties and thus it became a very attractive component for my intended use.

While on a hunting trip in Idaho a few years back I foolishly left my raincoat at camp and left for a very long hike. By midday it had begun to rain, and it was relentless. Armed with only my down filled puffy coat I began to work my way back to camp which was about 5 miles away. By the time I made it to camp I was likely near hypothermic, and I made a vow to never be that foolish again. So, when I see a very lightweight synthetic puffy coat it piques my interest.

The Torrid Jacket has CLIMASHIELD APEX synthetic insulation. This insulation is far superior to down in wet conditions and as a Pacific Northwest native this is arguable one of the most important features of any clothing as we are sure to deal with moisture. This insulation is also easier to clean that down and is every bit as packable. So, it’s a lot of added benefit with nearly no compromise. I was not going to get caught in another storm and nearly freeze to death because I had the wrong gear or had made a foolish mistake. 

My first use of the Torrid Jacket was during a trip into my hunting area in Idaho. As luck would have it the weather was unseasonably warm, and my jacket served as nothing more than a pillow for this trip. It does make a fine pillow though! I was not able to fully test the jacket until a trip into the Goat Rocks Wilderness during the month of August. Turns out, it gets pretty freaking cold up in that country.

Each night and morning I needed my jacket to stay warm. I found the Torrid Jacket to be incredibly comfortable and as temperatures hung in the mid 40’s I was very comfortable. I mean, there is not a lot to say about a jacket, put it on and get out with your adventure. The Torrid Jacket packs down into almost nothing, it’s warm, comfortable, technical, and not unstylish to boot!

If you are a backpacker, hunter, boater, or adventurer of any kind I’m sure you will find value in this great product. It is very reasonably priced ($200) in comparison to other puffy coats that are surely going to have down fill, which I have already explained the drawbacks of in wet climates. As fall sets in, I am about to go into the backcountry of Idaho for 17 days of hunting. I promise that it is the Torrid Jacket that will be in my pack as I find it fits my intended use better than any of my other puffy coats.

This is a very solid product from a company that has a well-established name in the outdoor world, and is known for high quality gear. The Torrid Jacket is no exception to their already amazing reputation. If you are in the market for a lightweight packable jacket look no further than Enlightened Equipment’s Torrid Jacket. You will not be disappointed.

NOTE: As with all puffy coats the outer shell is very thin. This is to minimize weight and should be considered as it does not make it an ideal outer layer when in brush or abrasive terrain. This jacket should be used in tandem with an outer layer if you expect to be fighting through brush and brambles.  

Find it Here:

https://enlightenedequipment.com/mens-torrid-jacket/

What can be done better?

I really do love this jacket. For the intended use and features I’m not sure I would change anything.