Windbreaker Jackets
I don’t think anyone will argue the fact that a lightwieght jacket is something that should be in any pack. From day hiking in the desert, to weekend long hikes in the Rockies; a jacket is an essential. While most people like to opt for a fleece jacket, I am more into high end windbreaker jackets. Keep in mind that I am not talking about those crappy jackets that fold up into them self. I am referring to the more expensive wind breaker jackets. While both fleece jackets and windbreak jackets have their pros and cons; I am more convinced with the pros of the windbreak jackets.
Fleece jackets are great and pretty versatile, but I find that a high end windbreak jacket is much more versatile. I like to think of windbreaker jackets as fleece jackets on steroids. For the most part you get all of the benefits of a fleece jacket, but with a ton of extra features. Whats not to like about that? The one thing that is not to like about high end windbreak jackets is the price tag. They tend to be a lot more expensive than even the most popular fleece jackets. The price tag of a serious windbreak jacket can be a bit hard to swallow for some.
I think that windbreaker jackets are especially great for those who do some serious day hiking. By serious day hiking I mean those who do a lot of it, not necessarily hard hikes. The windbreaker jackets are great for day hiking because they offer such a variety of protection from the elements. With a wind breaker jacket you get something warm to wear, something that will take care of wind chill, and something that will fend of rain a lot better than a fleece will do.
Check out our reviews on some popular windbreaker jackets:
- The North Face Geosphere Jacket
- The North Face Pumori Jacket
- The North Face WindWall Thermal Jacket
- Mountain Hardwear Synchro Jacket
- Outdoor Research Avido Jacket
In my honest opinion, the only major draw back to windbreaker jackets are their price tag. But, if you are willing to cough up the money for a Denali Pro Fleece, why not save up a little more and get a jacket that can offer a little more protection? If you do a lot of camping, backpacking, hiking, or any other outdoor activities, you could surely justify the cost of a high end windbreaker jacket.