R1 Hoody Alternative

https://skorarunning.com/products/tech-heather-knit-hoodie?variant=2063701475339

Found this at TJMax, It layers super well and it extremely warm. It's not from a climbing specific brand but the one I found has waffle printing inside and had a hood large enough to go over my climbing helmet.

-Arc'teryx Konseal: best runner up in my opinion. The Atom SL could also be a good choice.
-Rab has a ton of great technical fleece options
-North Face L2 Hoody: has a weird fit in my opinion, but comparable to the R1

Bill Kirby wrote: I love all the gear I’ve bought from Ragged Mountain. I think that hoody would fit you well as it didn’t fit me. We’re complete opposite body types.

Check out the Arcteryx Forterz hoody. Similar alternative to the R1

How slim fit is the Ragged Hoody?

KG wrote: -Arc'teryx Konseal: best runner up in my opinion. The Atom SL could also be a good choice.
-Rab has a ton of great technical fleece options
-North Face L2 Hoody: has a weird fit in my opinion, but comparable to the R1

Funny, I recently sold my R1 on here and picked up a Atom SL from that EpicTV site. The fit is MUCH better for me. 

David Maver wrote:

The Aptin Hoody is a great piece and I think lives in between the R1 and Konseal in terms of fabric choice. The added wind-proofing is is excellent and I really like the deep zip. A couple features that aren't supportive of using it while climb are: 1) no chest pocket 2) the hood is not helmet compatible, but may slide under a helmet. 

Correction: The Aptin Hoody's hood does fit over a helmet. Just checked with my Petzl Sirocco.

DRusso wrote:

How slim fit is the Ragged Hoody?

 It varies year to year kinda like the R1. Last year I tried one a XXL and it wasn’t crazy tight. I wouldn’t say the hoody is slim. Ragged’s pants fit just right as well. 

The north face L2 Summit Series is bad ass - i'm quite tall and athletic and don't like how many things fit me but the L2 fleece is summer trim. I actually have a new one listed for sale on the forum. DM me if interested. 

Thomas Worsham wrote: https://skorarunning.com/products/tech-heather-knit-hoodie?variant=2063701475339

Found this at TJMax, It layers super well and it extremely warm. It's not from a climbing specific brand but the one I found has waffle printing inside and had a hood large enough to go over my climbing helmet.

LOL.  I actually picked up the same piece for $20 a week or two ago when I was there jean shopping.  Wore it out for a full day ice climbing, and three consecutive days of snowboarding. It's a great piece.

Bootz Ylectric wrote: LOL.  I actually picked up the same piece for $20 a week or two ago when I was there jean shopping.  Wore it out for a full day ice climbing, and three consecutive days of snowboarding. It's a great piece.

I was happily surprised by the quality and warm of it for the price.

I just picked up one of the Terramar ones at 25$ from Wallmart. My impressions - its warmer than the Old Navy but I felt like the R1 was even warmer. Secondly the fit is more athletic when sized up than the R1. I had an R1 in L and the Old Navy in M, and my thicker chest and shoulder area made the R1 ill fitting. Old Navy fits perfect as a baselayer or just over a baselayer. I got he Terramar in L, and its still tighter than the Old Navy in M, but fits my frame a lot better than the R1 which was tight in the chest arms and shoulders but baggy in the midsection.

Bad news for you long armed types, the Terramar has much shorter arms. I have short arms and still the sleves fit me normally without using the thumb holes. Using the thumb holes, the Terramar arms would be too short. Old Navy has longer arms but still not as long as the R1.

Also due to the pockets I dont think the Terramar would work under a harness. I will probably just use it for the gym and jogging/biking. 

I just got one of these:

https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=347549002&cid=1053130&pcid=1053127

$30 from Old Navy. I got a Large Tall so I could wear it under my harness.

This thing is amazing. Perfectly warm when zipped up and hood on. But cool enough when unzipped and sleeves pushed up my arms a bit. Wore it all day over the weekend, climbing in mid 50s. Put it on in the car before climbing and didn't take it off all day. Stayed under my harness and didn't bunch up.

The fit is a bit big. Im 6'1 210lbs with broader shoulders and the large tall is a bit baggy in the midsection and the length is quite long, but I like it. Its also $30 so you can beat the shit out of it and buy 5 more and still be under the price of an R1... 

gumbie gene wrote:

I've been eyeing the Rab Alpha Freak Pull on since it came out, and  found it on sale for 85$ size small so bit the bullet. Deciding to write an intial assessment  of it cause I haven't really seen it on any site or have it go into detail about a personal experience so here it is...

Alpha Rab Freak Pull On Review

It's really nice. It's cut nicely, breathes better than an R3 and maybe a little less warm than an R3 (not entirely sure due to rather similar warmth and not enough usage yet). The comfortable temperature range is pretty insane due to how well it breathes but definitely early spring or late fall/winter layer in Northeast/Tristate Area. The hood with Pertex quantum works really well since it basically blocks out the wind and you wouldn't be wearing a hood unless it was cold tbh. Sweat management is really nice and I think it could be a nice baselayer/midlayer for a soft shell system. Overall, I think this is a phenomenal midlayer or baselayer. I haven't given it an extensive test but these were my initial results with the Rab alpha freak. Definitely worth a shot if on sale for something to replace the R2/R3 range of midlayer/baselayer. I would really suggest to use a windproof layer but really breathable thin layer on top of it with breathability taking precedence over windproofness as having a layer not that breathable basically negates the function of polartec alpha but not having a some wind blockage makes the wind suck all the heat (which is nice when needing to vent heat really quickly). So if you have some windproof layers and different insulations and normally rock the versatility of exchanging shells with different insulations for different situations like I do, it could come in really nice for the rotation. If you like having an all in one softshell (i.e. a jacket that has a fleece interior or syn insulation with a Pertex/nylon windproof outer layer in one jacket) it might not be as useful unless you go out in temperatures that are pretty darn cold.

Also to note, I tend to run a bit colder and wear my R1 as a midlayer on coldish days (can strip to t shirt) and the R1 as a baselayer on cold days. I plan to have a similar set up with the polartec alpha material.

The Alpha Direct material is incredible! (alpha insulation with no backing or face fabric) Norrona and Rab are the only manufacturers that are using it, that I know of.

I own the Rab Alpha Flash (alpha direct 120 weight) and the Norrona Alpha Raw (alpha direct 120 weight).

The Norrona is awesome but fits weird. Mega warm under a wind shell but super breathable with no shell. Warmer than an R1 with a shell over but less warm without... I run hot, so I find it to be the perfect "R1". The Rab Alpha Flash fits great but doesn't have a hood, so I use it for more mild days or travel.

I have used both for an entire alpine rock season and ice season, including a year of travel. The Norrona was my primary climbing layer and with a wind shell, I usually didn't need my puffy on route with temps down to 30, depending on the sun aspect. Under a puffy, the Norrona feels like a light synthetic puffy, meaning I didnt need a mountain parka for most frigid days this season.

After a year of use, the Norrona looks pretty well worn, but no holes, damage, or anything. Note that I was climbing full time for the last 6 months, so I'm impressed. I did avoid using it in most off widths though, I've got a beater fleece for that!

I am dying to try the Alpha Freak! I just wish it wasn't a pull over. 

Alpha direct without face material seems like we've come full circle back to fleece which is one step away from declaring that a knit wool sweater is the ultimate alpine layer.

Jason4Too wrote: Alpha direct without face material seems like we've come full circle back to fleece which is one step away from declaring that a knit wool sweater is the ultimate alpine layer.

Alpha direct is more breathable and much lighter based on my own old school fleece pieces vs my rab alpha flash. That's not to say there isn't significant hype in the outdoor industry (North Face's "FutureLight").

Vince P wrote: Sierra trading is blowing out the marmot neotherm.  I grabbed one as a beater grid fleece for $40ish bucks at the local store.

Sleeves are stupid long like an R1 but for the price I'll deal with it

Marmot Neotherm is excellent. Super warm. Too warm sometimes!

The sleeves are so long because they are designed to have the option to go over the knuckles and have a thumbhole. At first I thought this was stupid, but it works well as a pre-glove; when you want a bit of hand warmth, cannot use pockets (cause you're holding something), and don't want to do gloves.

They are also 30% off directly from Marmot.

Anyone ever try the Gramicci Teton Hoody?

Where are you guys buying the R1 where it's so much more than Arc'teryx? They're about the exact same price at most retailers, which is $140-$180 for a f'ing sweatshirt!

Jason4Too wrote: Alpha direct without face material seems like we've come full circle back to fleece which is one step away from declaring that a knit wool sweater is the ultimate alpine layer.

What's old is new again. Alpha direct is just a different take on "pertex and pile" that came out in the 70s: https://backpackinglight.com/pertex_pile/ It is a lighter and less dense fleece than what buffalosystems.co.uk (original pertex and pile concept) offers though.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kni-AVRYwA8 

I feel like this belongs in this thread

i picked up a mountain hardwear densa grid for 15 bucks at the local gear consignment. feels almost identical to my brothers brand new R1.