Westcomb Crest Hoody — a replacement for the venerable Houdini?

Okay, that is seriously a cool piece! I am especially interested in learning how the denier gradient / wicking thing works out for you. Perhaps it will end up feeling much more tolerant of moisture buildup on the inside than a regular "hard shell windshirt" like the Houdini?

Let us know how it works out for you :-)

Nice looking piece,

I would definiltley buy one but have 4 Windshirts already.

"Perhaps this is destined to be the new favorite UL jacket?"

It does look like a nice piece, but I'm always a bit surprised that the Feathered Friends Jackorack doesn't get much mention on BPL. I really like mine.

"So far in two downpours it has proven to be highly water-resistant, highly wind-resistant, and still more breathable than the 2013 Houdini and probably on par with my old 2012 Houdini."

If you already own an "old" 2012 Patagonia Houdini, why did you buy a new windbreaker?

Does anyone know the difference between Pertex Quantum and Equilibrium? Pertex's site is a little vague on the actual specifications of Equilibrium, compared to the Quantum page.

I have the Rab Cirrus, which is 15D Quantum. Unfortunately, I've never used a Houdini, which at least makes a good comparison benchmark.

Nice looking piece. It looks as if you have adj. velco straps on the sleeves. When I go to the Westcomb web site the sleeves are 'molded'. REI thumbnails show both on the same page. One thing I wish the Houdini had is velcro straps on the sleeves as well. Any idea which model year yours is?

A few answers:
Pertex Equilibrium is a 2-way stretch woven. The fabric is more like a very, very lightweight "softshell" as marketed by Patagonia, REI, et al. I believe it is a bi-component fabric with a harder wearing exterior thread and a softer wicking interior thread. My understanding is that Pertex Quantum is more similar to the usual hard nylon wovens

I got a good deal on the Crest as it was on clearance at REI during one of their promotions. Despite having a few windshells already this one piqued my interest. I carry a windshell every day and use them often for cycling, hiking, climbing, etc, so it behooves me to have an extra to fall back on…

Regarding durability. I did discover one pull on the fabric after a short day of bushwhacking. Besides that one day it's been mostly too hot out to wear while moving, so I haven't been able to test its durability/wicking more extensively. So far it seems to wick well and feel better when damp than the Houdini. I am really looking forward to putting it through its paces later this year particularly the winter.

My Westcomb hoody indeed has velcro straps. It is this year's model (Spring 2013) if that helps. Like everything else Westcomb makes, this one is made in Canada.