Fall has officially arrived and there are some fantastic light travel jackets on the market. We have had the pleasure of trying out two different offerings from Mountain Hardwear. The first in our two reviews will be The Switch Flip, a light weight and reversible down jacket that looks fantastic no matter which way you wear it.
The Switch Flip is a hooded down jacket that is designed for hiking, backpacking, and climbing, but is arguably one of the Fall’s best travel jackets. Wearing in at 1 pound (45grams) the Switch Flip is perfect for light packers but its nylon ripstop fabric is ideal for keeping the wearer’s body heat in and the elements out.
Besides the fact that this Mountain Hardwear jacket can help keep the cold at bay and is perfect for trips that may include some adverse weather, the coat also offers two very distinct looks. One side of the Switch Flip is a soft and quilted solid color (offered in Phoenix Blue, Amphibian, Shark and Black) and the other is a smooth nylon (Smoldering Red, Inca Gold, Titanium, and Black).
This is like having access to two totally different Mountain Hardwear jackets in one.
Mountain Hardwear is known for its exceedingly high quality apparel, and the Switch Flip is no exception. The smooth feel of the jacket makes it an utter pleasure to wear. The down is very comfortable and light, but the jacket’s high
quality construction allows for it to be exceptionally adept at keeping body temperatures up in cold weather situations. The flip up hood and rain resistant materials are perfect for those surprise rainstorms that can pop up when you are trekking around.
In addition to the overall functionality of the jacket, its athletic cut makes for a vey flattering fit (I would let someone interested in this jacket know that it does tend to fit on the smaller side).
This jacket is a traveler’s dream come true. It looks and feels FANTASTIC, it is extremely lightweight, is ready for anything, and has the optionality of having two great coats in one. Mountain Hardwear is offering the new Men’s Switch Flip Hooded Jacket on their website, and at their partner retailers: Moosejaw.com REI.com and BackCountry.com. All sites offer this jacket for around $175.00 and
have various shipping options depending on the site you choose to purchase it from. Make sure to check out our rundown of the Thermotastic Hooded Jacket in Part II of our