UKC

Mountain Hardwear Stratus Range Hoody Review

© Toby Archer

The Stratus Range Full Zip Hoody is a light, grid-fleece jacket with a hood. Usefully versatile for a range of activities and conditions, it's great as an outer layer in warmer weather - as the summer evenings begin to cool - or as a midlayer in colder conditions. Its looser fit gives it a casual wear-anywhere feel, but may not suit more hardcore mountain uses.

It's a good all-round layer  © Toby Archer
It's a good all-round layer
© Toby Archer

I was asked if I'd like to try some of Mountain Hardwear's new technical clothing back in early February. This is a brand I've known of for over 20 years but, for whatever reason, I've hardly used myself. I was intrigued. I was going to review the Stratus Hoody and a novel, and cosy-looking, furry base-layer called the Airmesh.

I hoped they might arrive for my one quick trip up to Scotland for a winter climb in late February, but unfortunately not. Long waits for goods to get into the country seem to have become the norm, and must be equally frustrating for both manufacturers and retailers. It does seem that the global supply problems are central to this, particularly for items manufactured in East Asia - the Stratus Hoodies are made in Vietnam. But many note that problems stemming from Brexit are also causing delays. When are we going to start taking back the promised control?

Loose and stretchy enough for climbing  © Toby Archer
Loose and stretchy enough for climbing
© Toby Archer

I will leave such questions to those with degrees in political economy, but just note that the parcel from Mountain Hardwear arrived at the end of April, by which point conditions were spring-like, even verging on early summer. A review of the Airmesh base-layer will need to wait for colder weather that will do it's fuzzy warmth justice, but over the last month and a bit, I've been wearing the Stratus Hoody loads and have come to rather like it.

Hooded micro-fleeces, like the Stratus Hoody, have become something of a modern classic of outdoor clothing. Patagonia have a strong claim to originating the "hardcore climber's hoody" with its original hooded R1. Certain aspects of the MH Stratus Hoody nod toward to that much loved alpinist's classic, but Patagonia were hardly the first company to put hoods on fleeces, and even before synthetic fleece had come to utterly dominate outdoor clothing (around the late 80s arguably?) hooded tracksuits and, dare I even say it, hooded shell suits were not unusual. Other aspects of the Stratus Hoody remind me of those much-loved cosy trackie tops of my childhood that got worn much more than for just winter PE lessons.

Reasonably breathable for the walk-in  © Toby Archer
Reasonably breathable for the walk-in
© Toby Archer

Fabric

On the technical side, the Stratus Hoody is made with a modern, grid-style micro fleece at a fabric weight of 195g/m2. The inside of the material is covered with channels that increase its insulation value and breathability, whilst decreasing the fabric's weight. The outer face of the fleece is, on the contrary, smooth - meaning it is very easy to layer under a hardshell, softshell or insulated jacket. On the Stratus, Mountain Hardwear have added a yoke of nylon fabric on top of the fleece that covers the shoulders, upper arms and chest. This gives a touch of windproofing and some additional protection on what are likely to be the parts of the jacket most exposed to abrasion when climbing or wearing a heavy pack and so on.

The hem, hood edge and sleeve cuffs are well finished with lycra piping, and overall the Stratus feels well made with high quality materials and components, as befits technical outdoor clothing. The materials used are stretchy and, along with the cut of the piece, this helps it work well for active use, whether that is bent forward over bike bars or reaching for holds on a climb.

Equally useful for belay duty...  © Toby Archer
Equally useful for belay duty...
© Toby Archer

...and just going for a walk  © Toby Archer
...and just going for a walk
© Toby Archer

Fit

While this fleece isn't exactly baggy, in size medium it is noticeably looser than a couple of other hooded grid fleece tops in medium that I own. This is true of both the body and the arms. The looser fit definitely adds to the top's more casual than technical feel, and it's worth bearing in mind if you're buying it online.

New for Spring/Summer 2022, the Stratus Range Hoody is available for men in sizes S-XL (which must be pretty roomy), but there doesn't seem to be a women's equivalent. 

Pockets and other features

So too do the two zipped hand-warmer pockets at the bottom of the jacket - these do the job of warming your hands well, but if you are wearing the Stratus under a climbing harness or a rucksack's waist belt, the pockets are all but inaccessible. Using the Stratus climbing, I have also noticed it lacks a chest pocket. With the lower pockets not usable under a climbing harness, I've realised I use chest pockets a lot on a number of fleeces and softshells - to store my phone ready to take some snaps once I'm safely belayed at the top of a pitch.

It has thumb loops that are subtly hidden under the cuffs, but are handy when pulling on another jacket over the Stratus and can be used without any discomfort when climbing or bouldering in colder conditions.

The roomy hood fits over a helmet  © Toby Archer
The roomy hood fits over a helmet
© Toby Archer

Thumb loops are useful and unobtrusive  © Toby Archer
Thumb loops are useful and unobtrusive
© Toby Archer

Hood 

Finally, the hood while, again, not super baggy, even when fully zipped up is a bit looser than a hood designed to go under a helmet. Using the Stratus Hoody for quite a few evening climbing sessions in recent weeks, I'm not sure the slight looseness of the hood is necessarily a bad thing. I've found it fits over my climbing helmet snugly but still comfortably, and once up it provides some instant warmth. Without the added structure of a helmet underneath, it's not going to do well up a windy hill though.

Summary

Overall, the Stratus Hoody might be best described by the slightly dubious label of "sports-casual". It's actually comfortable in both the "sports'' and "casual" realm. I've used it as a pull-on for climbing and bouldering on cooler evenings; I've mountain biked in it; and stuffed it in a daypack to put on when stopping for lunch, or when the wind picks up on a hike. It works as a lightweight fleece for adventure sports but I've also worn it to the pub for an after-climb pint and when out doing the shopping without feeling particularly self conscious. Indeed Google shows that in the US they are being sold by Urban Outfitters, so perhaps that actually makes the Stratus cool (as well as obviously being warm!). Personally, I really like hoodies. Even when you don't have the hood up, they are snug around the neck. They are just comforting tops to wear regardless if you are out doing a sport, or lounging around doing not much - and the Stratus Hoody fits well in that genre.

With a retail price of £100 (they are available online for a little less), the Stratus Range Full Zip Hoody is not a cheap midlayer, although from some other premium North American brands similar hoodies that bridge the lifestyle-technical genres can cost more. Nevertheless similar products are also available for less, so I suspect potential customers for the Stratus will probably like the Mountain Hardwear brand along with wanting a semi-technical hoodie. But cost is relative to how much use you get out of an item: I am still regularly using my first 'proper' fleece that I bought now slightly over 30 years ago! I see no reason not to expect similar sorts of longevity from the Stratus Hoody - modern synthetic materials are incredibly hard-wearing - and when you measure use over years or even decades, premium prices don't seem unreasonable.


For more information mountainhardwear.co.uk




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