Alpha Direct?

[baja bob]

Can’t fathom how a single alpha 60 is sufficient at 15 or two at 0.

[Brad W]

@baja bob. Unless you are trail running or just hammering, I don’t believe that temp assessment either. No way you would be comfortable static at those temps.

[Eric Blanche]

I wore an alpha 60 hoodie with lw long sleeve baselayer this weekend with starting temps down low at 20*. Very little wind so nearly ideal conditions for this type of insulation. I can totally confirm 15* for alpha 60 works for some. I was even sweating quite a bit at times!

[YoPrawn]

Must be a lot of production variation. I found Primaloft Active to be more scratchy and rough than my AD. I also see some of my AD section are rougher than others for skin feel.

Also, RipStopByTheRoll is selling AD now, but at a high price.

[YoPrawn]

I’ve been doing a lot of my own research the last few years on outdoor clothing, and one major thing that is always 100% is that the person and environment can play such massive factors in temp feel, that it makes sleeping bag temp rating seem like a walk in the park.

When my meatballism is cranking super hard after 4+ days of camping in near-0 F temps, I can lounge around in t-shirt and shorts if the temp jumps up to a balmy 32 F freezing.

First cold day at end of hot summer, and I’m dressed for an arctic expedition, at 50* F.

[Riley G]

Piney, I noticed a similar issue. I just received some 90gsm (4004) from an online reseller, and the tufts are much shorter and less furry looking than the 60gsm senchi lark I purchased this year. I get the feeling that AD has more variation between batches than other more standard fleeces from polar tech. It remains to be seen if the 90gsm I have ends up being warmer than the 60 gsm.

[Ethan A.]

I was going to post this as a separate thread, but the discussion here is so relevant, may I ask:

1) Which make of Alpha Direct Hoody (used with a wind shirt) would you suggest to replace a Patagonia R1 Hoody, Microfleece Hoody or Cap 4 Thermal Hoody? From what I’ve read, I’m looking for either a 90 gsm hoody for general use or for more warmth a two layer 60 gsm + 60 gsm hoody (like the Farpointe Duo inspired by Stephen Seeber’s research), or two separate 60 gsm hoodies, one sized to fit over the other).

2) How’s the fit of the Macpac Nitro 90 gsm? What men’s size would you suggest for a male, 6 ft tall, 170 lbs, 40-41 in. chest, 34 in. waist, with a slim athletic build, and a female, 5 ft 6 in. tall, 125 lbs, slim athletic build, who typically wears a US size 6 / Small (sometimes Medium depending on cut)? Has your Nitro shrunk with use and washing?

3) Anyone have a Farpointe Duo? What size would you suggest? (I asked them as well).

I’ve been slow to adopt AD as my R1 Hoody has worked so well, and I wish Alpha Direct hoodies came with a balaclava-style hood. I’ve had my R1 Hoody for a long time and use it a lot – it’s already been through a repair at Patagonia – it has a technical cut and the best scuba-style balaclava hood with a high neck that goes right up to my nose, which adds a lot of warmth. The only downside is that the spandex in the R1 material can retain more water if it gets soaked than a pure microfleece top.

[Mole J]

Ethan.

Can only reply to No 2

I am pretty much same build as yourself.

Originally bought a Macpac Nitro in size large in 2018.  Though I could get it on, it was too small really.  I got an XL in 2019, and found it a perfect fit  ( arms and torso are long, but so am I).

By all accounts, size up  from your normal size.

Can’t say about the women’s, as my partner is happy with the fit of my cast off men’s size L.  (She’s 5’10″tall, long limbed and usually UK size 14 (women’s large)).

The only downside of the man’s Nitro is the chest pocket – less breathable clammy fabric. I removed mine (a battle) for comfort, but my partner doesn’t mind hers.

[Matthew / BPL]

How did you remove the pocket from the Nitro?

Also I agree on the sizing advice. I have a 42-43” chest and I wear an XL.

[Mole J]

Matthew

I removed the pocket with difficulty!  It is glue-taped on then stitched with qn overlocker (serger)

I used a stitch ripper to cut/pull off the stitching. It was a pain as the stitching seemed knotted to the alpha too.  I then steamed the pocket to pull it off the tape. Then removed the tape remnants with a combo of solvent and then steaming.  It was bitty and took a while (A few sessions while listening to podcasts/music).

Once I’d finished, I found that my careless stitch ripping had made a few small holes in the Alpha.  But these were easily repaired with Gutermann Sewall thread the same colour, by “darning” using a zigzag stitch on my machine.

 

This was in late 2019, and the Nitro has had a fair amount of use since. The repairs are invisible still, though there are a few pulls in the garment here and there.  Barring accidents, there’s years in it still I reckon.

 

 

[Matthew / BPL]

Thank you. That sounds like more effort than I am willing to invest.

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

I too have a pair of Alpha Direct hoodies from Superior fleece, (Only found out they are 2 miles from me after I first ordered, haha!).

I too love it. I wear it on it’s own as a next to skin+insulating layer under a shell, It works great for that, so soft and comfy.

Like fishnet (which is my other preferred baselayer) it never feels cold and wet, but at the same time, if you start to sweat, you feel it on your skin right away, so you can adjust your venting or effort, to prevent overheating.

I also wear it over various baselayers a lot.

Mine are over a year old, so using the material that Stephen tested. I ended up going with a 60 and a 90.

I got them both with one level thicker fabric for the chest panel. So the 60 has 90 on the chest, and the 90 has 120 on the chest.
The chest is where most of the cold and wind hits. Doubling up on the 60 could have worked great too, but liked the denser knit of the higher weight versions, and wanted to keep it simple for him.

Same reason I went for the 90 with 120 chest. I worried that doubled 60 layers would be less easy to use. Perhaps not as warm per weight, but a bit denser.

The 60 is great because here in Minnesota, for summer backpacking, even the lightest down or synthetic is too warm at night and in the morning in camp, but I need just a bit more warmth than my baselayer+shell. Add the fact that it is cozy to sleep in on cool nights, and it’s the perfect insulating garment for Midwest summer/early fall backpacking.

My hoodie (L, tall)  weighs 145g(5oz), which is about an ounce lighter than my Marmot Alpha Direct vest(M) and about half the weight of my Cap 4 hoodie(XL), the garments that I used to bring for this.

This doesn’t need to be super warm for me. Even at 0F the 60 is plenty warm under a shell for active use.

Mostly where I need more warmth is when it is wet and windy. So typically I would pull out the 90 (with 120 chest) when I am expecting wet and windy condtions, where you need some ‘structural integrity’  to keep your shell fabric off your baselayer.

Or, for extreme cold trips, with highs staying below 0F(-18C).

 

.

 

[Dustin V]

Do you all use your Alpha without a shell much? Just reading here, it sounds like everyone uses their hoodies underneath a shell.

[Mole J]

Mine gets worn all ways. Not used much differently than any midlayer. It’s more versatile over a wide range of conditions due to greater insulating   warmth (when shelled) and greater breathability than  microfleece.  And better at dealing with moisture.

[William Chilton]

If it’s cold enough and windy enough, I wear it under a shell. But most of the time I wear it without one.

[Tjaard Breeuwer]

Dustin,

I almost always wear mine with a shell, unless I am inside (tent or building).

Even at walking pace, so much air moves through it, that you lose almost all insulation value.

Which is a useful trait, because it means that of you open your shell zippers, or revoke it all the way, you get a lot of cooling.

Most of the time, I like to keep my shell on, which means I can keep my backpack on, and just adjust with opening zippers and cuffs, or pushing sleeves up.

Most of the time, if its warm enough that I can be without a shell completely, it’s also warm enough that I don’t need to be wearing somehting as warm as PT Alpha.

Exceptions of course do exist. Maybe AT skiing, starting in the dark, in a cold valley inversion, you wear a shell over it. Then as, you get higher, it’s warmer up high, and the sun comes out, so you remove the shell, and huff and puff uphill in just the Alpha. Then, on the descent, you put your shell back over the top.

 

[Thom]

Is AD 90 more durable than AD 60 ?

Thanks Thom

[Jerry Adams]

Does AD 60 block sun?

I don’t see any mention of UPF

[Terran Terran]

Yes and no. About as well as fishnet.

[JCH]

Given you can see through it, I’d say no.  Same for AD90.  I’ve not seen 120 in the flesh but it might offer some protection.

[Jerry Adams]

Thanks

I like my base layer to also be worn by itself when it’s warm, and sun protection is good.

But there aren’t too many trips where it’s both wet/cold where AD would be especially good, and warm where I need sun protection

[Bill Budney]

Does AD 60 block sun?

The windshirt that you will often wear over the AD will block sun pretty well.

Worn solo, the fabric is thick with holes in it which move around. So light will pass through, but the constantly moving apertures will limit exposure duration on any specific point on your skin. How much does that protect your skin’s health over the long term? I’m not sure that anyone knows for sure.

Like any shirt, I would not expect sunburn through AD. I acknowledge that is not the full story.

On a sunny mountain top above treeline, you will likely wear a windshirt over the AD. Would you ever wear AD, solo, in peak sunshine? Perhaps, but probably not often. Given the moving aperture thing, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Your mileage, of course, may vary.

[Jeff McWilliams]

I climbed Mt Baker in mid July with American Alpine Institute.  My summit-day layers were 1)  An Outdoor Research merino-blend Hoody (about 7 years old), a 120gsm AD hoody from Superior Gear, and an Arcteryx Squamish jacket.  I had my puffy jacket in my summit pack. We started at 1:00am.  Temps were pretty mild but it was windy on the summit.

I’ve used traditional fleece, heavy gridded fleece, and lighter gridded fleece like Patagonia’s Capilene thermalweight top, but the Alpha Direct seems the most versatile by far.

The AD hoody was the bomb.  I was warm, but I never got sweaty.  We’re going to hike the Laugavegeur Trail in Iceland next summer and I will probably bring the same kit more or less.

 

[Terran Terran]

I’ve pondered the constantly moving apertures as well as the shading from the angle of the sun. Mostly in my younger years when I was a bit more wild. I was playing the odds of replacing one aperture with another in more ways than one. I’ve since gone with what I’ve decided were wiser choices.

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