Senchi Designs Wren Hoodie

Snag City-Population you. I kid, but that material looks like it would catch and pull out threads on any branch.

I have an alpha 90 fleece.

I find the major issues come from it touching velcro or the ground. God help you if you get a bunch of prickly things in it. It is best to keep it as debris free as possible. Avoid the ground and all stickers.  Hook side Velcro also sticks to it like glue and is a pain to remove and may damage it.

Branches are an issue too. I would not bushwhack with my alpha as an outer layer.

It’s not real fabric, it’s mesh with puff balls. It’s also magic and great active insulation

I just got a MacPac Nitro, which seems to be a similar dingus.  I would agree that it’s a snag-fest, but I’m not going to use it as an outer layer of any sort in any area where snags are likely.  I also have some pants coming to me in that material, but they’re going to be a dedicated base/mid-layer, so…no problems there either.  I wouldn’t really want to rub it with the backpack straps, either, but I’m not likely to have that on with pack straps directly against it.

Hmm. I wonder how much warmer these would be than the Peleton 97. That is reasonably tough, I have never worried about snags, doesn’t pick up debris, packs small.

I have both the peloton 97 and macpac nitro which is alpha 90.

The peloton in medium is 5oz on the dot. Nitro is about 5.6oz.

The nitro is much warmer than the peloton assuming no wind or wearing a wind shell. This jives with Stephen’s articles, which find that fleece warmth is directly proportional go loft. The alpha 90 had 2-3x more loft than the P97. The P97 fabric is probably like 1-1.5mm thick while the Alpha 90 is closer to 3-4mm.

Both the P97 and Nitro make a comfortable base or mid layer. Most often though, I end up using the P97 as a cold weather base layer or sleep shirt, while the Nitro is better suited as an active mid layer.

The nitro does better as a mid layer because Alpha vents much more effectively and thus opening up a wind shell can remove nearly all Alphas insulation. The P97s woven fabric is better at blocking wind and thus cannot be vented as effectively.

The durability of the P97 seems pretty good. I have not snagged or torn it or had issues with stickers getting stuck in it. Without doubt it is less prone to snag or attract stickers.

Overall I don’t think P97 is a direct replacement for Alpha. They are similar and I like both. Alpha excels at venting and stop and go activity. P97 is better as a base layer, more durable, less prone to damage, but also thinner and less warm

I’ve got an alpha direct 90 hoody coming from Timmermade that I’m looking forward to.  My plan is to heed the advice of others and never use it as anything other than a mid-layer under some type of shell.  I expect it to be another one of those pieces of UL gear that needs to be cared for.

I’ve got a Timmermade 90 hoodie … the fit & warmth with wool fishnet base is great.  And confirm all the snag advice above.

@Marcus thanks for the info.

So I took the Senchi Designs Wren Hoodie out this past weekend on a backpacking trip and I loved it! It was great in camp.

I woke up very code. This was in Olympic National Park at around 4800 ft elevation and temps probably got down to high 30’s. When I woke up, I put on my Wren and a OR light shell over it and that’s all I needed. By the time I woke up, it was maybe high 40’s not sure. Just wanted to give an update.