The FarPointe Alpha Cruiser is a hoody made with Polartec Alpha Direct, an ultralight polyester cloth with an open mesh weave that makes a very good insulating mid-layer when worn underneath a wind shirt or rain jacket. While it traps heat very successfully and is tremendous snug to put on, the Cruiser’s Polartec Alpha Direct building makes it much less general-purpose than different forms of fleece with a tighter weave. Still, it’s a really engaging mid-layer as a result of it’s so light-weight, wicking, and fast-drying.
Specs at a Glance
- Size Tested: Large (true to measurement)
- Weight: 5.0 oz / 141g (that’s not a typo)
- Material: Polartec Alpha Direct 90 gsm
- Color: Deep Glacier
Construction
The Alpha Cruiser is a quite simple hoody with a fitted, human-sized drawstring hood. There’s actually not a lot to it. The stitching is neat and tidy, however Polartec Alpha Direct is such a gauzy, unsubstantial cloth that there’s not a lot you are able to do with it besides double up the material on the hem, wrists, and neck, and stitch a drawstring channel for the hood.
If there’s one critique I’ve in regards to the design of the Alpha Cruiser hoody, it’s with the hood’s paracord drawstring which is knotted on the ends however is doubtlessly straightforward to “lose” contained in the hood. If you’ve had a pair of sweatpants the place the waistband twine will get pulled into its channel and may’t be retrieved, you understand how irritating this may be.
So the very first thing I did after I bought this hoody was to string the ends of the cords via a cordlock and knot them collectively so that might by no means occur. It’s curious why FarPointe doesn’t do that on the time of manufacture, however it’s a simple repair and cheap.
That mentioned, this hoody is extremely heat and cozy to put on, even on naked pores and skin. The first day it arrived, I slept in it as a result of I didn’t wish to take it off! The areas within the weave entice heat air very like the mesh Brynje baselayers I put on in actually chilly climate for mountaineering. But in contrast to different Polartec hoodies with thicker weaves, the Alpha Cruiser has no wind resistance, so it have to be worn underneath a wind shirt or rain jacket/onerous shell for those who to take advantage of its insulation advantages.
FarPointe affords the Alpha Cruiser in two weights: the 90 gsm (grams per sq meter) model I purchases and a 60 gsm model which isn’t as heat. The 90 gsm could be very heat to put on as a mid-layer when mountaineering in chilly climate and I’ve discovered it greatest to put on beneath a skinny wind shirt or jacket, ideally one with good air flow just like the Warbonnet Stash Jacket (made with breathable quilt cloth) I’m carrying right here, which has 22″ pit/torso zips down the perimeters. Otherwise, you’re sure to overheat and perspire, which I attempt to keep away from, particularly in chilly climate.
For instance, I can put on the Alpha Cruiser underneath a wind shirt/jacket and be completely heat and cozy when mountaineering in 15 levels (F) climate. That’s how heat this mid-layer is while you construct up some physique warmth from mountaineering. Starting out, you may be chilly although.
Polartec Alpha Direct – Issues of Note
But the issue with clothes made with Polartec Alpha Direct is that they don’t have any inherent wind resistance, so that they have for use underneath a extra wind-resistant garment like a wind shirt if you wish to keep heat on a windy day. Without an exterior shell, the wind will reduce proper via a Polartec Alpha Direct and chill you. You merely can’t put on the Alpha Cruiser by itself on a chilly and windy day. This is completely different from different Polartec fleece hoodies which have a tighter weave and may be worn by themselves, even in chilly and breezy situations.
Durability can be a priority as a result of it is rather straightforward to snag and tear a hoody or jersey made with Polartec Alpha Direct on a department when it’s worn as an outer layer. You actually wish to put on an outer garment over it to guard it, notably for those who hike off-trail in forested terrain. These are necessary points to appreciate, regardless of the hype surrounding the material.
Recommendation
The FarPointe Alpha Cruiser is a hoody made with Polartec Alpha Direct, an ultralight polyester cloth with an open mesh weave that has a rare warmth-to-weight ratio. It’s a quite simple garment that’s optimized to be used underneath a wind shirt or rain jacket as a result of it has no inherent wind resistance. When carrying the Alpha Cruiser, I’d encourage you to put on it with a jacket that has superb air flow traits like pit-zips so you possibly can common the quantity of warmth that the hoody retains. The 90-gsm weight hoody reviewed right here is right for cold-weather mountaineering and is a simple layer to hold while you need further heat as a result of it’s so compact and light-weight to hold.
Disclosure: The creator owns this product.
SectionHiker is reader-supported. We independently analysis, take a look at, and charge the very best merchandise. We solely become profitable if you are going to buy a product via our affiliate hyperlinks. Help us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear critiques, newbie FAQs, and free mountaineering guides.