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| 250 3rd Street Suite 6 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: (907) 452-4774 Summer: Mon.-Sat. 8-9, Sun. 10-6 Winter: Mon.-Sat. 9-8, Sunday 10-6 Visit their website Patagonia Nano Puff Vest |
For a little
writing inspiration this morning, I pulled on this week’s Gear Girl item: a
Patagonia Nano Puff Vest in tailored grey. Suddenly my two labs are all over
me, jumping up, trying to lick my face, whining. My dogs love this vest. I have
worn it every time I've exercised in the last three weeks of this schizophrenic
spring. And now, as tiny flakes of snow fall like a rainstorm outside, my dogs recognize
it like they do my running shoes and fully expect we are going on an adventure.
It’s a humble
piece. The color is a very light gray
that looks more like off-white, 100
percent polyester with PrimaLoft, weighing in at 7.5 ounces.
I have to be
honest. Initially, I was not overly excited about reviewing a vest. They are
usually priced about the same as a jacket, which I figured was unreasonable
since you don’t get the sleeves. Thus, the only vest I have ever bought is the
type you wear canoeing and we all know how much fun those are.
I also worried about the color as I tend to wear
a sample of whatever food I’ve eaten during the day. I haven’t bought anything in white since my
wedding dress.
And yet. I am smitten
by this light miracle worker and it has come to be my most relied upon piece of
outdoor gear. The vest has been the perfect
piece over a couple layers of long underwear tops for running or skiing. I would like to report that I’ve worn it biking,
but I haven’t been brave enough to face the icy roads.
Being windproof
it has kept my torso toasty during this crazy month of nutty temperatures and
brisk winds. I have only been too warm
in it once when I was wearing a couple of layers underneath and running hard. But one of the vest’s sweet features is it stuffs
into a little pouch about the same size as your hand, easier than tying a
jacket around your waist.
As for the color,
it has worked surprisingly well because it matches everything. And its been tested. Because it is so
comfortable I find myself wearing it when I’m cooking dinner, throwing it over
my pajamas in the morning while I start my coffee and stoke the woodstove. Somehow
it has remained clean.
No doubt I will
continue to test this wundervest through this spring and on cool summer nights…
and in the fall and back to winter.
The vest runs
true to size and sells for $149 at Woolly Rhino.
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| Here's the Nano Puff in its original home in the store. It is so light, and look at that cute inner color! |
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| Woolly Rhino is to the right when you walk in Frontier Outfitters. Here's a shot of the ladies side of the store. There slogan is 'Where quality, style, & warmth co-exist'. |
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| Locally owned and operated. They have a shoe section, bags, sunglasses and lots of performance apparel for the Alaskan woman.  |
