Enlightened Equipment Torrid Apex Pullover Review

[Ryan Jordan]

Companion forum thread to: Enlightened Equipment Torrid Apex Pullover Review

The Enlightened Equipment Torrid Apex Pullover (7.7 oz / 219 g, MSRP $175.00) is a synthetic-fill, high loft insulating garment.

[Jerry Adams]

that link doesn’t work

but https://enlightenedequipment.com/mens-torrid-apex-jacket-custom/ does work

[Andrew Marshall]

Hi Jerry. What link specifically?

[Yu Cheng C]

Hi Ryan! Thanks for the review! I was excited about the pullover for few ounces saving!

However I found that in EE website the new torrid pullover model is a little bit heavier than the Full-zip instead.

I think they might have made some changes from the prototype.

[Stumphges]

Thanks, Ryan.

In practice, how much did you compress your Torrid pullover (e.g. size of stuffsack)? And did you feel that that amount of compression was sustainable, from a loft-degradation perspective?

[Jerry Adams]

Hmmm… link works now, not to worry…

[Austin P]

Really fantastic review!

For those who are interested: they put up the link for the Pullover yesterday, and indeed the weight is actually about 10% more than the full zip in a comparable size (8.11oz for 7D inner/outer hooded pullover size M vs 7.40oz for 7D inner/outer hooded full zip size M). Here’s what their rep had to say:

The reason why the new Torrid Pullover has nearly an ounce heavier is because the pocket is insulated and the pocket is about half of the front of jacket.

Hope this helps someone out there!

[Ryan Jordan]

Interesting on their claimed weights and why. In our review samples of both (men’s size M with 7d fabrics), our actual measured weights were:

• Jacket 8.01 oz
• Pullover 7.72 oz

This is on a NIST-certified and professionally-calibrated scientific scale accurate to 0.01 oz.

[Mike M]

I have the full zip jacket (10 d) that sees a lot of use all seasons, it definitely punches above it’s weight for warmth.

For the very minimal weight savings, I’d take a pass on the pullover- full zip is easily worth the 0.25 oz (and then some) to me.

If you need any customization- fabric, insulation weight, sleeve or back length, extra pockets, etc- Jan’s (Nunatak) Apex jacket won’t disappoint either.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Interesting and well documented article. Synthetic fills ae continually getting better in CLO value per ounce and (with Climashield in particular) resistance to loss of loft after repeated trips through stuff sacks.

My main problem with the EE Apex pullover is that it IS a pullover. For me the slight extra weight of a full length 2-way zipper is not a good reason to give it up for the inconveniences of a pullover for on-off  ease and venting options.

What I want to see here at BPL is a scientific test of synthetic insulations like Climashield, NanoPuff, Primaloft, etc. for CLO value per weight and, in particular, loft retention after repeated stuffings. This would mean similarly sized garments stuffed into one size of stuff sack for an 8 hour period and then shaken out and laid unstuffed for say, another 8 hours for X number of times.  Loft retention is, for synthetic insulations, the gold standard. After all, what good is a synthetic insulation that looses 50% loft after maybe 10 stuffings?

 

 

[Geoff Caplan]

Yes – Eric is right – consumers like us are very much in the dark when it comes to

• CLO when dry,
• CLO when wet,
• drying times and
• loft retention.

We’re in the dark about how the different types compare to each other, and how the category as a whole compares to down.

There’s plenty of marketing hype and bro science, but very little objective information.

Anything that BPL could do to cast a little light on the issue would be very much appreciated, I think.

[jscott]

I’m not a full member so I can’t read the whole review. How does this compare to a Patagonia Nano Puff in terms of warmth? the Nano is a bit heavier.

[Rex Sanders]

Under improvements, Ryan wanted options to drop the hood and the marsupial pocket.

Soon you can order the EE Torrid Pullover without a hood, and save about 0.8 ounce (23 grams).

Total claimed weights vary with size and fabric options.

Still stuck with the pouch.

— Rex

[jscott]

I like a hood and a marsupial pocket….why wouldn’t I want a hood for an 1/8 of an ounce?

 

still wondering if it’s more or less warm than my Nano Puff…

[Chris]

Thanks for the nice review Ryan!

I had the full-zip version with 7d inner & outer. I liked almost all aspects of it (fit, warmth, low weight, cost) but I found the 7d fabric made it pretty vulnerable to even relatively light breezes. I was only looking at this for static warmth (I run really warm when moving), so that disqualified it for me and I sold it.

Do you have any thoughts on the other fabric options? EE describes the 20d as essentially windproof, so perhaps a 20d outer and 7d inner would be a good balance for a static piece?

[McMick]

(+) I have the Torrid zip M, great fit, long arms, great ventilation with the full zip (I’m a stick @ 6′-2″ / 160 lbs)

(-) But: the Neck is really tight, so layering is hard, even a buff is tight and the shoulders Do compress the Insulation.

Anyone know if the Pullover solves these problems OR if a Size up on the Full zip Apex solves the above? (It does look like the Pullover is way roomier in the torso area).

Weight diff no biggie.

[Victor Jorgensen]

@ McMick,

I sent EE an email question about the Torrid jacket fit nearly 2 weeks ago.  In my case it was a question about forearm tightness of a small torrid that I plan to replace with a medium.  This was their response:

“Right now the Stock Torrids are a new design which has a cinchable waist, better pockets, and more room in the chest/shoulders/arms.  I’d recommend getting this new version, but it isn’t in production for custom orders yet.  We’re hoping to have that available in the next month or so.”

Since my question pertained to the jacket rather than the pull-over, I am not sure if the pull-over uses this “new design”. But from seeing pics of people wearing the pull-over, it appears to me that it does.  EE was very quick in responding to my question, in case anybody wants to verify this with EE.

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