Gear Review: Arc'teryx Konseal Hoody

It's been a fairly settled few months in the gear cupboards at All the Gear HQ. There have been a few new additions to complement the existing collection and a few changes in colour here and there but everything I've mentioned in previous posts is still well in service. The main new addition, to which I have grown quite attached, is the excellent Arc'teryx Konseal Hoody, shown below.

The Arc'teryx Konseal Hoody

I'm a big fan of mid-layers and fleeces. Most are used largely for more day-to-day use as I find teaming a fleece with an outer too warm in most cases. That's why I like the Konseal so much and it's reserved solely for hiking; here's why.

The Konseal Hoody is a fairly minimal mid-layer or even a very heavyweight baselayer. It's made from the excellent Polartec Power Dry fabric which uses two different weaves to promote quicker wicking. In addition, the inner face has a voided fleece, much like the Rab Baseline which traps air in small channels that run throughout the top. What you get is a noticeably warm top with less bulk. In addition to this, it has a neat trick up its sleeve (or down its neck to be more precise). PowerDry is also chemically odour-resistant and contains 50% recycled material - nice.

A detailed photo of voided fleece inside the Konseal

The fit is close, as a base or mid-layer should be, allowing the fabric to work as intended, both wicking moisture and trapping the necessary air to create warmth. I had found a previous incarnation of the Konseal too small in this respect but the current model is almost perfect. I've either become smaller (unlikely) or it has been cut larger (likely).

Features
Here is a rundown of the main features of the Konseal Hoody:

• Polartec Power Dry with moisture-resistant outer face fabric
• ScubaHood
• Integrated neck gaiter 
• Thumb loops
• Laminated chest pocket

Details 
Being a base layer / mid-layer there are not a huge number of details to mention though Arcteryx's quality is evident. The chest pocket is typically Arcteryx, laminated to the top rather than sewn, creating a seamless bond that is stronger than a traditional seam. That said, I rarely use chest pockets so this isn't big deal.

Chest pocket

Hood
The hood (Arcteryx's ScubaHood) fits close to the head like many mid-layers on the market, designed to be worn beneath a helmet but does stretch comfortably over a woolly hat.

Within the hood is hidden the excellent neck gaiter, made from Arcteryx's own Phasic fabric (this is the same fabric they use in their synthetic base layers). When not in use, the gaiter simply sits unnoticed around the back of the neck. Bring it into play (by pushing your head through it) and it acts almost like a buff and can be pulled right up over your nose.

The hidden neck gaiter

Sleeves
The sleeves are a nice length and have thumb loops that allow the sleeve to cover much of your hand though I've found they can be a little uncomfortable at times. Layered the sleeves over a thin pair of gloves creates a seamless barrier over which larger, more weather-resistant gloves can be worn. I like this approach and use it a lot.

Thumb loops if that's your thing

And that's your lot.

In Action
The Arc’teryx Konseal hoody is a great addition to a crowded market of fleeces and mid-layers. I think the concealed gaiter is perhaps its biggest selling point, and it really is a nice thing to be able to pop on. All of the features are well thought out and function perfectly, so it’s really up to the user to decide how much money to spend, how warm a fleece is needed and exactly what features will be most useful. But, as it stands, the Konseal has many charms and virtually no flaws.