Some people avoid cold weather like the plague. I'm not one of them. Perhaps its those ten years I lived in Alaska that helped me to appreciate cold temperatures. On the other hand, I lived in Hawaii for two years, and I generally try to avoid outdoor adventures in hot weather. Maybe I should live in Hawaii another eight years to see if that contributes to more of an interest in hot weather?

When I lived in Alaska, back in the 70's, I had a heavy-duty down parka with a ruff to keep me warm. It did a good job, but there were two problems with it. First, it was very heavy and bulky. Second, it was not water-resistant. It would often get soaked when the temperatures hovered around freezing, and wet snow collected on the parka. Ah, I only wish I had the winter gear I have now during those ten years. I would have been much more comfortable.

Today, when I brave cold climates, one of my favorite forms of protection is the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero SL down jacket. It is designed for cold temperatures, ranging from about 35 degrees to about -10 degrees or so, depending on your base and insulation layers. For temperatures below -10 degrees, you may want to consider a heavier down jacket.

Here's why I consider the Sub Zero a world class jacket:

• The 650-fill goose down is warm, light, and very compressible. It weighs about 29 ounces (no hood) or about 36 ounces (with hood) and can stuff down to a size smaller than a soccer ball.
  
   
• The jacket is made out of Mountain Hardwear's Conduit SL fabric, which is windproof, waterproof, and somewhat breathable. You don't have to worry much about getting the down wet. In addition, the fabric is reinforced in high-stress areas, helping to make the jacket tough and to last a long time. Garment construction is excellent.
  
   
• The jacket has fleece-lined pockets to help keep your hands warm, and in the inside of the jacket is a bottle pocket which you can use to keep your water from freezing. The jacket also has an exterior zip pocket and an interior zip pocket.
  
   
• The jacket has adjustable Velcro cuffs to keep the weather out, and the waist can be adjusted (loose or tight) to control how much it breathes.
  
   
• The Sub Zero can be purchased with or without an attached, down-insulated hood. If you expect very cold temperatures, then I recommend the hood.
  
   
• Also available is a parka version of the Sub Zero. The only difference between it and the non-parka version is that the parka is longer and better covers the waste.

Besides being a well-made and versatile jacket, the Sub Zero also looks good. Unlike many other outdoor garments, Mountain Hardwear garments generally are a little more stylish.

Using the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero SL Down Jacket in the Real World

I use the Sub Zero in mainly four instances. The first is when I am outside in cold temps and am inactive. For example, like when I first get out of a warm sleeping bag in the morning and don't want to loose that nice sense of warmth and comfort. Or when resting during the day, or when making camp.

Secondly, I use the Sub Zero when I am active and temperatures hover around 32 degrees and wet snow is falling, and I don't want to wear a waterproof shell. I usually only wear a base layer under the jacket during this time.

Thirdly, I use the Sub Zero when I am active and it is very cold, generally below 10 degrees or so. I also generally will only wear a base layer (medium- or expedition-weight) under the jacket.

Fourthly, when I am running around town, during errands in cold weather.

The Sub Zero is large enough so that you can wear both base and insulation layers under it, but it is generally too big to allow you to wear a waterproof shell over it. This means that the jacket will always act as your outer shell when when wearing it. I generally don't like to wear a lot of bulky clothing, so I generally don't wear an insulation layer with the jacket, with perhaps the exception of a very light one, such as a wind shirt or soft shell.

Recommendation

If you find that your outdoor adventures bring you into cold weather, a down jacket, such as the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero SL jacket, might be just what you need to keep warm. The jacket is good for moderately cold temps, but you may want something warmer is you play in very cold temps.

Product Notes

The Sub Zero SL is available in a wide variety of sizes (no special women's sizes) and in four colors. You can get the Sub Zero SL jacket without a hood for the suggested retail price of $250, and with a hood for $270. You can also get a version of the jacket without the Conduit SL waterproof, breathable fabric, although I highly recommend the Conduit SL because of its versatility. Mountain Hardwear also makes a another version of this jacket, which they call the Sub Zero Parka SL.