The true value of this jacket can only be appreciated by those who play in the bitterly cold weather. [HOBACK PRIMA OVER HOODY 2.0]
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Takuro Hayashi, a freelance writer and photographer active in ski, snowboard, and outdoor magazines, and owner of the outdoor equipment store "Transit Higashikawa" in Hokkaido, shared his experience with the Hoback Prima Over Hoody 2.0.
When I moved to Hokkaido in 2014, I was made to realize that my common sense was completely useless.
It's about winter clothing.
When skiing in cold areas, I always bring a thin layer of warm clothing to layer under my jacket. I've always done that in Honshu, but I had no concrete idea of what to expect in the backcountry in Hokkaido during the harsh winter.
Simply put, when it's really cold, it's impossible to add extra layers of insulation under your jacket. It's fine when you're walking through a forest. The ridge blocks the wind, and the trees weaken it. However, the moment you reach the ridge, the seasonal winds, with wind speeds of over 10 meters per second, hit your jacket with a heavy feeling.
The sweat quickly dries up, and soon a sharp chill hits you. Every time, it's only when you're faced with such a situation that you remember to bring warm clothes, but it's impossible to put on the warm clothes you've brought along the ridge. That's because to do so, you'd have to take off your jacket first. What, taking off your jacket in this situation?
It's tough. The wind is so cold it hurts. If I take off my jacket, the wind will hit my skin and pierce my entire body. My sweat-soaked fleece will freeze in an instant if exposed to this cold wind.
On a Hokkaido ridge in the dead of winter, even if you're wearing a lot of clothes, the process of taking off your jacket is not realistic. I learned this all too well on Mount Furano, and even though I should have known better, I repeated it again on Mount Asahi, and on Mount Tokachi I cursed my forgetfulness.
As a result, I settled on the idea of wearing a climbing belay jacket over my jacket, while still keeping my thermals as a backup, so that I could keep warm in the frigid monsoon without having to take my jacket off.
However, the cut of the belay jacket was not at all suitable for riding, and since it was never intended to be worn over a jacket, my arms were thin and I found it quite uncomfortable.
Still, in Hokkaido I wear insulation over my shell, and there are areas where that is practical, so I was pleased with my layering.
So when I first saw the HOBACK PRIMA OVER HOODY, I immediately understood its meaning. When the Teton Bros. staff said, "It's hard to get people to understand this jacket," I nodded my head in agreement. Of course. The value of this jacket is conveyed to those who play in the tear-jerking cold.
It's sized so you can put it on over a shell in 10 seconds and slide around comfortably, has a zipper system that lets you put your sleeves through even while wearing gloves, and a large pocket for storing peeled-off stickers in an instant. But it's not waterproof at all. That's because in the situations where this jacket is used, water is not a liquid. It's the most cutting-edge, the most crazy, and the best product. I've been waiting for someone like you! I thought as I embraced the sample.
I'm sure I'll enjoy a wonderful winter this year too, especially since I have HOBACK in my wardrobe. This supreme sense of security is the best performance HOBACK can provide.