Drawbacks
This tradeoff is at the heart of the success or failure of the jacket. Is the Crest Hoody a great jacket? Absolutely. When viewed through the lens of the minimalist ideal that Westcomb set out of achieve, this softshell is an ace.
Should you buy the jacket? Great question. This does a better job of encapsulating the pros and cons of the shell. The Crest is an impressive achievement that doesn’t appear to leave much room for improvement in the right setting. This qualifier is important as it addresses the only identifiable drawback to the jacket: it occupies a narrow niche.
Because it is so thin, it doesn’t offer much in the way of warmth. If it’s a bit too cold for your t-shirt or long sleeve, or a little windier than you’d like, then the Crest can make up that gap and bring you back into your comfort zone. If you’re downright cold, the wind is really whipping, or the rain is torrential, then the Crest will be overwhelmed, and you’ll find that it isn’t really doing much for you. For this reason, it’s not a good stand-in for hard shell or a beefier soft shell if you don’t already own something along those lines. If you’re looking for one jacket to do everything, this isn’t it.
I came up against this warmth boundary when I brought the Crest on an early-season trip to the Utah desert. The forecast had predicted a hot day, so we chased shade at Indian Creek, only to have clouds roll in and stymie the arrival of the warm temps. In probably 50-degree (10 C) whether, it was comfortable climbing in shorts and a t-shirt but decidedly too cold once I was on belay duty for a while.
The Crest was great to have on hand to throw on once I got back down to the ground, and offered just enough protection to be comfortable when the air was still. But the occasional strong gust of wind made me wish I had either a thicker jacket or an additional thermal layer. And while it’s nice to have a jacket that weighs only 6 ounces, it’s less impressive if you find yourself having to also carry an extra base layer to stay warm.
That said, if you already own a shell that you like for your most demanding outings, and you just need something to keep you from getting unnecessarily wet and cold at the crag, it’s very difficult for me to imagine a better jacket.
The summer season in Colorado illustrates this point nicely: the local weather pattern here in the front range is such that summer time is characterized by brief storm clouds that build up on the west side of the mountains then pour eastward over the hills and spill onto the plains once the sun reaches them in the mid-late afternoon.
These storms can bring a lot of lightning and are certainly dangerous if you’re way above tree-line, but for days at the crag in clear creek, Vedauwoo, Eldorado, etc., the storms are more of a nuisance than anything. They typically don’t last very long but can bring enough water to get you and the rock thoroughly wet. These storms aren’t really enough to make me want to batten down the hatches and bring full-on storm gear as a precaution every time I go climbing, but doing multiple rappels, cleaning a route so you can bail, or being stuck on belay duty in even a light rain can suck, to say the least. This is where the Crest Hoody is amazing. It’s easy to carry with me in the first place since I can pack it down to almost nothing, and it’s way better than suffering through the passing storms in a t-shirt again and again.
Other Considerations
Additionally, this jacket is ideal for running and biking early in the morning before the world has had a chance to thaw. I even found myself wearing it around town in everyday life. It’s enough comfort in cool weather that it’s nice to have, and it’s not much of a sacrifice to carry with me since I can put it in my pocket if it heats up or I find myself indoors.
From a durability standpoint, the Crest has held up well to being shoved into a pack/pocket endlessly, being abraded by pack and harness straps, and seems to be fairly robust in general. To be fair, I haven’t taken the jacket on any chimneys or off-widths, but expecting a paper-thin soft shell to stand up to climbing that can reduce Carhartts to ribbons seems a bit unfair. A little bit of common sense probably goes a long way here.
Bottom Line
Success with the Crest Hoody, I think, depends largely on an honest conversation with yourself about what your needs are.
If you run cold, or are looking for something for either temperature or weather extremes, you’ll be better served by a jacket that has a thicker fabric or incorporates some degree of insulation.
If, however, you already have your harsh-weather gear dialed and you’re on the hunt for the lightest and most packable piece of outerwear that still offers some protection from the elements, then the word “perfect” comes to mind when thinking of the Crest Hoody.
Ok, I haven’t tried it yet, but after reading this and further research the Equilibrium fabric, I think this could usher in a new class of shell. With the advent (to me, a grampa in this industry) of much lighter, compressible fleece fabrics like Polartec Regulator (at least Patagonia calls it that) and I”m sure many similar ones, it is very hard to see the need for a lined shell. In my opinion a shell like this combined with an R1 Flash Pullover (or similar) is close to perfect for almost any conditions. If you get wet, this stuff dries so fast, and wicks, and disperses moisture, that you aren’t gonna be wet long.
Of course, that durability issue is something, but let’s be honest…who even among climbers who go every weekend or more, really climbs OW or chimneys much? Nobody. In those rare times wear something else, like an old flannel shirt, an old pile jacket, or whatever…if you are doing chimneys, you might as well be retro anyways…major style points for a vintage, ugly pile jacket you found in your dad’s attic! :-)