I just got a Lightheart Gear Polartec Alpha Direct Hoody 90 in the mail. I went for the large since I’m around 42″ chest and the medium is 38-40″. The large is specced at 42-45″. It’s a little big on me but I think I prefer that over it being snug.
Even though the fabric is quite pleasant on bare skin, my instinct is to wear at least a t-shirt or preferably a thin long sleeve 1/4 zip shirt under it to limit transfer of skin oils and the frequency it needs to be washed. So my choice of large was mainly driven by the thought that having enough room to layer underneath will keep it cleaner for longer. It looks a bit loose over just a t-shirt, but with a long sleeve baselayer underneath, it doesn’t seem too baggy. So no need to consider a medium.
I could tell right away when I walk down a hall that wind will cut right thru it. But when I tried on the Rab Windgather Hoody (6.3 oz) windshirt on top, it instantly felt much warmer. I also have an Arcteryx Squamish (5.1 oz) coming which should be more breathable. The length is pretty long but I found it easy to tuck the excess under the elasticized hem of the Windgather.
I chose the Lightheart gear model in part because I liked the draw cord with pinch lock for the hood. Getting a large also helps the sleeves be long enough that I can stick my thumbs through the thumb holes without pulling too much on the sleeves. And I preferred having the Kangaroo pouch so I could keep something like a water filter or phone near my body heat while I sleep in extreme cold. To not have any pockets would seem a missed opportunity to use body heat to prevent a water filter from freezing or a phone from draining battery too quickly. But when not it bed it won’t be good for much since I don’t want to stretch and weigh down the fabric. And I won’t use it much as a handwarmer outside because then I’ll have to take off the wind shirt which will become too drafty.
It reminds me a little of the very high warmth to weight ratio of the EE Torrid Hoody (9.5 oz). I’m rarely above treeline for long, so I think the Alpha Direct won’t get much use for hiking until the leaves have all fallen. My sense is it will be too warm to wear while hiking with a loaded pack until daytime high temps have fallen to the upper 30’s or less.
If I expect little to no chance of precipitation – a wind shirt saves weight over a rain shell and should be noticeably more breathable. On a trip where I expect some days with rain and some days dry, it may be worth it to bring a wind shirt in addition to a rain shell since the wind shirt is just a few ounces.
I can tell the Rab Windgather 50D Pertex fabric will be quite wind resistant. I like it. But I think I will prefer the more breathable 30D Squamish. The Zpacks Ventum and EE Copperfield Wind Shirt are enticingly light. But I opted for a bit more durability and water resistance with the Windgather and Squamish.
I may end up preferring to use the Alpha Direct mostly to sleep in on colder nights and as an additional midlayer when static at camp after the sun has gone down. It should excel as a sleep shirt with no need for a wind shirt.
I’m curious to hear how others have layered with Alpha Direct and wind shirts while hiking, at camp, and during sleep.
