Acclimate Hood

I’ve used this jacket for around a dozen trips in alpine and sub-alpine areas of the Mackenzie basin, and it has become an essential piece of gear due to its amazing weight to warmth ratio. It compresses to a tiny bundle, so is always easy to pack.
Breathability is way better than I expected, and I’ve found I’m able keep it on longer when climbing than other jackets. It’s also super-fast to dry when it does get sweaty or rain wet.
The outer fabric is almost completely silent and somehow balances breathability and wind-resistance perfectly. The lining is magic – I don’t know how they can generate this level of warmth with such minimal material!
The slim fit suits me well and means less flapping in windy conditions.
It also layers well underneath other jackets when you need to add a rain shell or extra insulation when glassing in winter.

This is a super versatile jacket, small enough to chuck in your pack just in case you get caught out, and really high performing in a range of conditions year-round.

I have mostly been using this outer layer in Autumn/Winter in alpine conditions. It has quickly become my go to jacket for most trips that I do.
It is super quiet and not rustley, so great for hunting. I find that when I get warm as I am walking, unzipping the front is enough to keep me at the right temp due to it being pretty breathable. It’s plenty warm enough when layered up (with Acclimate top) to be sitting around in.
One of the main reasons I reach for this jacket is because of its weight and packability. I find it is very easy to stuff into a gap in my pack. It's super lightweight but doesn’t compromise in terms of warmth.

I am super happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone looking for a warm, light jacket. Great all round piece of gear for hunting.

Right off the bat, the quality and feel of this jacket is top notch (as always from HE), I've not tested it a lot yet but from the looks, it'll serve well.

A few things to note from my brief time with the jacket:

1) This is NOT an ideal top layer if you're busting brush or making your way through rougher terrain, the outer fabric is soft and pleasant to touch but doesn't feel strong enough to withstand abuse, maybe used as an insulating Midlayer instead.

2) The fit is a little smaller than other HE jackets I have, almost as if to facilitate it's use as a Midlayer.

3) Aside from a very nice inner fabric and the insulating qualities, this is a barebones jacket built for purpose without many bells and whistles.

Given 4 stars due to these facts but this is still an amazing quality jacket, just know what to expect.