Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Effusion Power Jacket

effusion MHI have had the Effusion Power jacket for more than two months now and it has steadily proven itself as a jacket I can use in any situation–from a damp evening tempo run to an après-race drink at my favorite restaurant.

It’s easy to see why this jacket performs so well. Mountain Hardwear used a panelling system to provide the user with protection from the elements where you need it most, in the front, shoulders and back. The rest of the coat has breathable stretch panels to allow heat and perspiration to escape during high output endeavours. All of this and the jacket only tips the scale at around 12 ounces making it light enough to be a great stand alone training jacket or still allow you to layer for the colder days and not feel constricted.

021

Most athletic gear is often cut quite tight for less drape and unwanted bulk. The Effusion is no different in this regard giving the jacket a clean, athletic look with little or no extras to fuss with.

One extra to speak of is a new trend that I really like: the edition of thumb loops. This simple “extra” gives the user some extra warmth on days when gloves may be just too much. The nice thing about the Effusions loops is that they almost seem to slip back up into the sleeves, concealing them until they are needed.016

The only downside to the coat from my perspective is the omission of hand packets. I assume they were omitted to save weight but as an athlete I feel that the extra weight is worth the opportunity to warm my hands or carry some extras. This doesn’t mean that it is without pockets; in fact, it has a water resistant chest pocket that can hold a gel or two and your phone.

020

Overall, Mountain Hardwear continues to define themselves with products like the Effusion Power jacket. If you could only get one jacket this could easily be your choice  for quality, protection and style.

For more information on Mountain Hardwear, visit http://www.mountainhardwear.com.  To purchase Mountain Hardwear, click here.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.