Hooded Vest

i have had a few types of this setup, with varying results:

1. down vest with separate down hood–tried together a few times to see if i wanted to get one made for me. your suspicions are correct: i wanted the sleeves before i needed the hood. and usually wore a beanie instead.
2. synthetic version–another vest + separate hood i tried for a while. about the same experience as with down.
3. neoprene hooded vest–not for you, but great for paddle sports, and got me thinking…
4. fleece hooded vest–made this based on my experience with the neoprene, temps were warming, and i had a fleece jacket with torn sleeves from climbing. awesome. Awesome. really great for so many things. still use it for paddling, climbing, hiking, and running. lets me use a lighter base layer, boosts warmth under a shell or puffy, and my arms do not overheat. but i never want more warmth than this without adding to my arms.

think about whether your arms are getting warm and your head getting cold with your current setup, adjust to fit your body’s needs.