Staff Review Marmot Trail Wind Hoody

Although this is technically a summer product, I find that it’s at this time of year that I get the most use of of unlined windshirts like the Trail Wind Hoody. I have had several completely unlined windshirts over the last couple of years but honestly the Trail Wind Hoody is the best.

I started with the Marmot Ion Windshirt which was nice but the fabric wasn’t quite windproof enough and the lack of hem drawcord meant the air flushed out too easily. Next came the Mountain Equipment Mistral which was a better fabric but the cut was a bit loose and the lack of hood meant you could end up needing a hat and not having one. Then came the Trail Wind Hoody.

The Trail Wind has addressed all the problems listed above. The fabric is just the right balance between wind proof and breathable. Any moisture spreads out and dries really quickly. Both the hood and hem have draw cords so you can trap warm air when cold or leave open for better venting.  There is a small chest pocket, OK for a gel but I don’t really use it. Overall weight is great for a hooded jacket at 133g. However the BEST thing about the Trail Wind is the garment cut. Both the sleeves and the body have an athletic cut which stops the thing flapping about in a strong wind and holding you back. This is especially noticeable in the arms which have a cyclists feel to them if you know what I mean.

I used my jacket only last weekend at the Rab Mountain Marathon. At the last minute I decided to take an extra baselayer top and the trail wind instead of my driclime windshirt as it’s basically the same thing but more versatile. The temperature and wind were quite variable on day 1 and I had the trail wind hoody on and off a couple of times. It’s so small I stuff it into the net pocket on the back of my pack when not wearing it.

I think the Trail Wind Hoody is just the right blend of weight, protection and size plus good value for money. It definitely gets a thumbs up from me, it also has a 5 star review from a Facewest customer.