Woolrich Declination Hoodie

The good folks at Woolrich were kind enough to send out their new Declination Hoodie. In return, I was kind enough to put it through a hellish weekend of camping in the rugged mountains of New Hampshire. Verdict: You'll be seeing me wear the Declination Hoodie a lot this year.

The weather outlook showed rain clouds and a high chance of precipitation for Saturday evening. There was an obvious need to stay dry and warm as temperatures would fall slightly below freezing overnight. I decided this would be the perfect test. Ripping the new garment from its sealed plastic wrap, I stuffed it into my duffle bag. 

Impressions: The hoodie looks great. It's surprisingly soft and well built with heritage leather details. This isn't the collegiate hoodie you bought in the bookstore as a freshman. The hood's interior is accented in plaid and the left shoulder contains an extra pocket for essentials - this weekend that would be matches. The kangaroo front pocket is accessible from the left or right, but also opens from the top. It's three pockets in one - very convenient. 

It rained, as expected, Saturday night. As luck would have it, the rain continued until the moment I packed my tent into the car Sunday morning. I stayed completely dry while the water formed into beads and ran off, which is odd as the description doesn't even mention being water-resistant. I suppose this is another case of under-promising and over-delivering.  I even looked presentable enough, after a long weekend of hiking and starting fires, to stop in town for breakfast on our way home. While waiting in line, a late-season skier even asked where I bought it - another new Woolrich fan.

Buy yours here: Declination Hoodie. Order this in the same size you would a button-up shirt, as it's cut to be slightly roomy. Think of this as a great looking "light jacket alternative" by a great American company. As seems to be the case with Woolrich - you'll get your money's worth.