One of my favorite phrases is itself what it means; that phrase is “elegantly simple.” If you read enough of my writing, you’ll see me using it often (though ideally not too frequently). I’m going to take that risk and use it once again, because there simply aren’t better words to describe the Whistler Windbreaker from Coalatree than elegantly simple.
As any such garment must do, this windbreaker is a champ at cutting windchill. I wore mine over a button down and tee while standing outside on a breezy 36º day last week waiting for the school bus and stayed plenty warm even when stronger gusts kicked up. I’d trust it out on the trail as well, both as outerwear and for layering.
The jacket is water-resistant and sheds drizzle just fine, and it’s quick drying if it gets soaked through, both of which are also plusses if you’re headed to the backwoods. And if that backwoods trip is many days long and you’re worried about gear weight or your trying to fit all your apparel for an overseas vacay into carry-on luggage, no problems there, either: the Whistler weighs in at just seven ounces and can pack down into its own front pocket, which zips shut, as do the two side pockets, by the way.
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Even after being packed down small for days, the jacket isn’t a wrinkled mess once you unfurl and don it. A few good rubs with your palms and it smooths out and looks almost like it had been hanging, not crammed into a little ball — another reason it’s a good choice for use on the trail or in the city.
Alright then, let’s get to the wow factor, shall we?
What happens when you get a hole in most coats? Right, nothing, now you just have a coat with a hole in it. Not so here. When your Whistler Windbreaker gets a small tear or puncture, such you can count on courtesy of thorns and brambles in the woods or stray nails or sharp corners in town, you can restore the fabric simply by rubbing the damaged bit between your fingers. How? The secret is science, friends! The jacket is made from a nylon fabric called HiloTech whose fibers can be manipulated into restoring bonds simply with a bit of heat and friction.
I wasn’t going to believe this without trying it myself, nor would I ever write about such a thing without hands-on proof, of course. So with bated breath and a bit of trepidation, I took a push pin and stabbed several holes into the back panel of my coat. I could peer through them and see the kitchen counter – these were real holes, people. Then I rubbed at the fabric for a few seconds and… gone. Seriously.
So maybe “elegantly simple” and “deceptively high tech” would be more like it, actually.
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