Iāve had one of these for a couple of weeks now. Iāve mostly used it as an outer layer over a long-sleeve silk-weight base layer (Arcāx Phase SL) and sometimes under a breathable wind shell (Patagonia Houdini Air) in coastal Alaska temps of ~27-35 F doing XC skiing, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing. Iām 5ā11ā, 190#, and the size large fits well. Much more so than the original Airshed that fit like maternity wear with skinny sleeves, a gaping neck opening, and a billowing torso. Seriously, who tailored that POS? Anyway…
I like the addition of the hood a lot. On a recent backcountry snowshoe that involved grunting up steep and loose snow slopes in calm and humid conditions, cresting the mountain into a chilly and biting wind, and then descending the other side I was able to skip a hat and just flick the Airshedās hood up and down and adjust the zipper for a wide range of exertions and conditions. I canāt say itās any better In that application than current breathable Ā windshells on the market like the Houdini Air though. It offers a comfy capilene fabric hood (nice) which offers no adjustments (hmm- though it fits a bare head well) and lacks any pockets at all (2x hmm), but the stretchy lower arms can be pushed up for āventingā in some circumstances (neutral). Itās neither a base layer or a light shell, so does neither well, but kinda/sorta does both?
So far I like it, but I think I still like a silk-to-mid-weight zippered long-sleeve T with a breathable wind shell better. Like an Arcāx Phase SL or AR with a Montbell Tachyon or Patagonia Houdini Air. Come spring, I may find greater versatility with the Airshed Pro over a light, synthetic, short sleeve T for hiking. Iām sure trail runners that never want to stop to adjust will find a friend in the Airshed Pro.
