Why the Ferrosi?

I have a jacket that’s great for day hikes, but I agree it’s heavy for backpacking unless you think you’ll be wearing it most of the time. I was thinking about getting the pants because I heard they are rugged yet breathable and I like hiking in the desert in the winter.

Lighter windshirts that breathe anywhere near as well as the Ferrosi are rare.

I like the Ferrosi in cooler weather when I am wearing it most of the time (so weight doesn’t matter much). It’s a nice jacket, has 5 useful pockets, and can be worn in many conditions, from next-to-skin like a heavy shirt to Winter shell. Get a larger one for better ventilation and layering. It weighs as much as a grid fleece and performs a similar role, as well as being a good shell. I use mine the same ways that Roger Caffin uses his Taslan shirt.

For Summer, a lighter windshirt packs smaller and lighter.

Ferrosi  Anorak size m is 12.4 oz. Just day hiking for me. Isn’t this Backpacking light ?

I get that it has a high MTVR, 4280, a low cfm, 13, with a 0 for air penetration.  It looks like it doesn’t breath that well.  But it is great at moving out water vapor and looks like it would stop most wind.

I don’t know about wearing it next to skin as it is a bit plasticy and has some roughness to it.

I can see it as a winter shell as it would move out the vapor really well but stop the wind.  Just a bit heavy but durable though.

I weighed my XXL and it is 16.5oz so it weighs about as much as a grid fleece but I don’t think it provides as much insulation.

So maybe this is a durable winter shell/layer for when it gets below freezing and there will not be too much snow?

I wear it much more often than that, but YMMV. There are a lot of jackets to choose from.

Small notes:

• MVTR is the best way we currently have to measure breathability.
• Air permeability is measured in CFM. Dunno where your “0 air penetration” comes from, but it is incorrect. Your CFM number is the one to use.
• The exact numbers may change in the future. Stephen Seeber’s test lab in Colorado is constantly refining measurements.
• Ferrosi is a soft shell; grid fleece is an insulator. They are not the same, however they are often used in similar roles. I just meant that a soft shell + a base works as well for me as a grid fleece at about the same weight, so I do not carry a grid fleece anymore. I did not mean to suggest that they are the same thing.
• The weight only matters when you’re not wearing it, right? (ie, when it is in the pack).

Somebody should write an article about this stuff. ;)

“The weight only matters when you’re not wearing it, right? (ie, when it is in the pack).”

Hm…seems to me that the energy to carry a certain mass up a mountain does not vary according to whether you are wearing it, or whether it’s in you pack. Boots/footwear may be another matter, but a jacket on your upper body, or in your pack: No difference in energy expenditure.

The weight only matters when you’re not wearing it, right?

If you can fit it in your pocket, it doesn’t count even if you aren’t wearing it.

OR deeply disappointed me this year by dropping the Ferrosi jacket in favor of the hoody. Does the world need another damn garment with a hood?

Bill B. I agree with you. Very versatile jacket. I wear it for a wide variety of hiking: Day hikes, snowshoeing trips, and shoulder season trips. I live in a dry climate so it will work for a short rain/snow spurt. Drys quick, cuts the wind and breathes really well (I love wearing the Ferrosi snowshoeing, keeps me warm but breathes so good). Fits well and breathes well.  There is a reason that lots of people have the jacket and there is a reason many people like the jacket. Even if you buy it and don’t use it for backpacking (“too heavy”) you will use it to walk the dog, wear to the pub, go to work, and even day hike and backpack if weight isn’t a concern. It’s truly a jacket that can do it all (if you buy a decent color)  Fits well, breathes well, has pockets, and is an all around great jacket. Ask someone that owns one.

Ferrosi Jacket: If you know, you know!

Yes, the Ferrosi is my cool weather go-to for dayhikes and around town. However, it’s not a backpacking garment for me (except my annual highcountry, backpack-in elk hunt). A very versatile jacket. Great on the ocean in the summer too.

For Summer, I carry an Enlightened Equipment Copperfield windshirt, 2.5oz. It is very minimal, no pockets, but stuffs to tennis ball size. Not as nice fabric as Ferrosi and near-zero rain resistance, but it is easy to pack. That and an emergency poncho go with me everywhere, even in good weather.

I carry an Enlightened Equipment Copperfield windshirt, 2.5oz.

Again with the hood – it’s a plague I tell ya!

I do agree about hoods in general. I don’t need 50 of them.

OTOH, the one layer for which I like hoods is a shell.

You got me looking for a hoodless alternative. Here’s a good one, no hood:

https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/mens/norvan-windshell-jacket

OTOH, the one layer for which I like hoods is a shell.

I like a hood on a waterproof shell and on a down jacket/parka. That’s it. On a windshell I prefer hoodless.

I’ve been using a Ferrosi Anorak for several years now. It is my non wilderness wear in the winter months and is very comfortable. It’s too heavy and bulky for hiking imo. Like Brad, I don’t like the hood but it was the best anorak I could find at the time.