Great r1 hoody alternative - Berghaus Smoulder Hoody Jacket - Mens

For the past few years, I've been wanting to get there Patagonia R1 Hoody and finally made the move. However, the latest version (2015) had some major design changes such as removing the offset zipper. I'm 5' 9', 170 with broad shoulders and a 30" waist and bought a medium of the R1 Hoody, only to find that it was too tight under the arms and the hood was oddly shaped so that when it was fully zipped, it wouldn't cover my face well.

That's when I started looking for some alternatives and found the Smoulder Hoody. And I'm so glad I did. This hoody is made from a slightly lighter weight fleece material but is still very warm. It will continue to function either as a layering piece or a cold weather base layer for me. The hood is awesome. Fits snug and will cover my mouth and nose comfortably when fully zipped. Also, seamless underarms solved the constriction problem I was having with the R1 Hoody.

The different material down at the sleeves is much lighter than the Polartec on the rest of the piece. I'm not sure how it will hold up in the long run, but only time will tell.

Overall, this is a great piece that is very versatile. It's a great alternative to the R1, especially at its current price here!

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.