Western Rise Airloft Hooded Jacket Review
The much anticipated re-thinking of a Western Rise classic with a crazy amount of RnD behind it. How does it really perform?
Western Rise Airloft Jacket Review Introduction
WESTERN RISE really went full on marketing with this next product - but the thing is I kind of believe them. Lots of tech specs in the copy that’s been put out, and we’ll cover those.
They’ve so far succeeded in many of the products they have created that target traveler or utility tech clothing (That is: Clothing that is minimal but versatile for many situations using high tech fabric). A couple years ago they did have a jacket, but it seemed to be discontinued.
Looks like they went back to the drawing board to really come out with something that caught our eye. A highly researched, insulated jacket with lots of tech and versatility to match.
This is my Western Rise AirLoft Hooded Jacket review.
As always for full transparency, I did reach out to Western Rise to request one to review and they were nice enough to send one over. This review is not sponsored in any way, however, and the opinions are solely my own (as always). I do use affiliate links which help to support the site if you decide to use them to make a purchase. But, you’re of course under no obligation to do so and there’s no additional cost to you. Thanks for stopping by!
Need a discount code? Read to the end!
-Need travel insurance? As an American, our health care system is complicated and your regular insurance might not cover you abroad. For international travel, I’ve been using World Nomads for years. They have adventure packages that cover most hiking and even ice hockey. Be sure to read all the coverage information (it’s laid out very well on the site) to make sure it’s right for you, but be sure to give them a look. I find their rates quite competitive and the quotes are free! -
Airloft Hooded Jacket Overview
Time to get technical here, folks. I don’t always like to get bogged down in the spec of things, but it has its purpose and place at times. Western Rise developed this jacket from the ground up in their tech fabric nerdy way to address what they felt was a hole in the market - insulated jackets. I know, I know - I didn’t realize this was a segment that was lacking? They’d disagree and felt all the options were either down or people using mostly the same down alternative. Beyond that, most all had the same baffled, outdoorsy design. (And no, your black version of an insulated outdoors jacket does not make it more urban just because it’s black)
We keep mentioning “tech” and “specs” so let’s get those out of the way:
• Exterior Fabric: 100% Primeflex® 50d 102gsm Polyester
• Insulation: 40g 3DeFX+™ Polyester
• Interior Fabric: 100% Polyester
What the hell does that mean? I’ll explain. The insulation itself is using a “continuous fiber” and hollow core to those same fibers that help with more loft - making it the warmest synthetic insulation you can get (WR claim, not mine).
The outside uses Primaflex, which is a self cleaning and 4-way stretch fabric that utilizes a special DWR coating to repel light water, dust, and dirt. Keeping clean while traveling is a must, and freedom of movement is also a must.
It’s a packable, hooded jacket that comes in 3 colors (the olive color is kind of amazing). I have the gray version for my testing.
Retail price is currently $258.00 USD.
Western Rise Airloft Hooded Jacket Features
Fabric Close Up. Super minimal with no texture to really see.
There’s a lot going on here with this jacket, and I’m not a scientist so I can’t detail everything with the fabric itself.
But from a performance standpoint, this insulation is in fact a feature. It’s designed to be very light (makes a smaller jacket), have more loft than the usual synthetic (allows for more warmth and breathability), and gives a thermo-regulating experience. I’ll talk about my experience on the performance and the temps I used it a little later.
Something we’ve come to expect from Western Rise’s top products, DWR. Love those DWR coatings. It definitely repels light rain (tested personally) and helps to keep the fabric itself clean. Stains won’t stick as much. (It’s not perfect, but it’s better than NOT having a DWR, if that makes sense)
Beyond those, there’s an inside pocket that’s still pretty low profile which is great. Hooded, obviously, and the back has a stuff pocket for when you want to put this in your pack vs wearing it. A convenient feature for sure vs. just shoving it in your bag.
The 4 way stretch of the exterior fabric is a feature that allows you to be a bit more active in the jacket if you choose (or not!).
Two-way zippers allow you to vent for airflow if needed.
The Good
Like most of the products I’ve tested from Western Rise, the quality here is very good. No issues in QA or build/seams etc. The fabric is actually pretty cool in how it feels and moves and all the research they put in really comes through in the finished product.
Features like the DWR, packable pocket, etc. add some functionality to an otherwise VERY minimal package - without cluttering it up. This jack is a very minimal article of clothing. They’ve succeeded there for all of those low-key people out there that want clean lines and to be more urban vs outdoorsy.
For me, the actual performance as a jacket was great as well. I wore it in temps from around 8C to 18C (46F to 64.5F) and was pretty comfortable the whole way. Anything warmer than that and I started to heat up. Anything much colder and I felt I either needed my heavier jacket or needed to layer more. Which, to be fair, is also the point while traveling: layering. So this jacket is great for that and won’t add a ton of bulk on its own. It’s a great jacket to have in your layering system.
I also really liked the fit itself. It’s close fitting but doesn’t feel tight. As I keep saying, it’s very minimal and the black looks pretty sleek on their website as well. I felt the gray was a little more casual-looking which may or may not be a good thing for you. Looked more like a hoodie than a jacket. (That olive though!)
The Bad
Packed into itself compared to my Mountain Hardwear insulated jacket.
One thing I didn’t love was the lack of cuffs on the sleeves. It’s not that it didn’t fit well (it did) or took anything away from the function (it didn’t) but I kind of felt odd with no cuffs. I think it DOES take away from the fashion aspect and puts it very much into casual/active territory.
Another piece with those cuffs, because the internal fabric is kind of “grippy”, I found it would stick to the clothing on my arm and come out of the sleeve with it. It’s a minor inconvenience at most, but there were times I found myself stuffing the liner back in.
I’ve seen other reviews that have commented on the fact that it doesn’t necessarily pack down into itself as small as some of the ultra-light down jackets out there, and that might be true. My Mountain Hardwear ultralight synthetics pack down smaller, but they also aren’t as warm. For the versatility I think its packability is acceptable, but this might be the hill you really want to die on, so I’m making sure I make that point here. Sometimes, “smallest possible” is the goal for a lot of serious Onebaggers pushing to sub-25L bags. You can see the size comparison here - the Airloft is the black bundle.
The Improvement Requests for the Airloft Hooded Jacket
I’d consider adding some kind of cuffs - even the concealed type. Some brands have been able to put a next-to-skin type fabric there that is still concealed, but helps contain the inner fabric (my Veilance doesn this well). It’s also quite comfortable, too.
Along those same lines, I’d look for a more “slick” fabric for the inside liner, so as to not get stuck on your clothing as you put your arm through the sleeve.
Final Thoughts On My Western Rise Airloft Jacket Review
From the start, Western Rise had pretty ambitious goals with this jacket. Not only in terms of the research and development, but also the roll out of the actual product itself. In most of the important ways, I think they’ve delivered here.
They’ve got a highly technical fabric and insulation, coupled with typically Western Risey minimalism and muted colors that will help you to blend in more with the general population instead of blinding people with that teal and fluorescent-orange puffy (There’s nothing wrong with that PS, this is just more for the crowd that are on the other side of the coin. And there’s always another side of the coin.).
You’re not going to get a deal on this one, but it’s in-line with the other highly technical jackets in the space. Technical fabrics and deep research cost money, and that translates into a product, no matter the brand.
If you’re in the market for a minimalist, wicked versatile jacket (urban, hiking in a pinch, light rain, fitness activities) that can cover a lot of temperature ranges (even more when layering), packs light, and stays a little more clean while traveling (not to mention being much more under the radar in terms of looks) - this jacket should be on your list to check out. Assuming you’re able to play in this budget level for a premium option, of course. These days more than ever, it’s certainly something for you to keep in mind.
Bottom line, it’s a very nice jacket and has already accompanied me on two domestic trips. It was a great lightweight option for the drizzly Fall in Upstate NY, and the unseasonably cold weather in Orlando (I’m not kidding, it was 5C/41F in Orlando, FL).
Use WANDER15 for 15% off your purchase! (Cannot be combined with Sales). They sell directly from their website:
Wander more - and wander smarter - everyone.
Head on over to our Travel Clothing Reviews page for more reviews on clothing like the Western Rise Evolution pants review, or the Aviator Travel Jeans review. Or, check out our Travel Accessories reviews, Travel Clothing reviews, or Best of Travel pages as well!
Please be sure to subscribe below, and follow us on Instagram @alwayswanderofficial for photos from our wanderings, and updates for when we post new articles and reviews!