Review: Outdoor Vitals NovaPro Jacket

The NovaPro Jacket from Outdoor Vitals is a feature-packed ultralight (and seriously warm) jacket. Utilizing a stitch-less baffle construction to keep out wind and rain, this jacket is made for cold weather.

Specs

• weight: 12.9 oz (women’s size medium)
• insulation: 850-fill-power DownLT & LoftTek synthetic insulation
• fill weight: 4.8 oz
• fabric: 20-denier Nova Zero Stitch nylon with DWR finish
• hood type: adjustable
• pockets: 2 zippered hand pockets
• features: pit zips
• price: $215.97

Women's NovaPro Jacket    Men's NovaPro Jacket

About Outdoor Vitals: Outdoor Vitals is a small cottage-industry company based in Utah. Instead of selling their merchandise in traditional retail outlets, they use direct-to-consumer sales to make their gear more affordable.

What I like about the NovaPro

I’ve had parkas as warm as this in the past, but they were a lot bulkier. The NovaPro manages to be extremely warm yet packs down small for stashing in my pack when needed. I like to use this when taking breaks on trail or hanging out at camp, especially in frigid temps with wind.

The NovaPro has several unique features that make it stand out from other options:

• Using an innovative baffle construction that isn’t stitched or bonded, the baffles are woven into the fabric. This eliminates a lot of stitches that could allow air and moisture inside.
• Another unique aspect of the NovaPro is the use of down AND synthetic insulation. The down is 850-fill HyperDry and responsibly sourced, and a small amount of synthetic LoftTek insulation is added for increased water resistance.
• Pit zips! I love pit zips to shed excess warmth, and most insulated jackets don’t include them.
• Water resistant finish: while not waterproof, the DWR coating on the exterior is highly water resistant. I’ve worn this in the rain several times and the water beads up and doesn’t soak into the fabric.

Sizing recommendation: I usually wear a size small, but needed a medium due to the trim fit around my waist and hips, so consider sizing up from your normal size. The fit should be large enough to wear layers under it without compressing the insulation.

Features

Ventilation: Normally found only on rain jackets, the NovaPro includes pit zips under the arms to shed excess warmth. This feature allows me to wear the NovaPro longer when exerting without overheating.

Pockets: in addition to two zippered hand pockets on the exterior, the NovaPro includes two large drop pockets on the interior – perfect for stashing a hat or gloves.

Adjustable Hood: The hood is two-way adjustable, which means I can cinch down the hood in gusty wind and it won’t blow off. The hood also moves with me when I turn my head instead of blocking my vision. It sounds like a simple thing, but it makes a big difference.

Thumbholes: Helpful when adding layers over a jacket so the sleeve doesn’t get bunched up, but I also like how they can add warmth to your hands without needing gloves. The sleeves are longer than most too, which I always appreciate on a jacket.

Adjustable Hem: Each side of the front hem includes shock cord with adjustments to close up the bottom of the jacket around you. This feature is useful for keeping snow out – something an awkward snowshoer like me can appreciate.

Disclosure: this item was donated for the purpose of a review.