Launched last fall by Cloudveil founder Stephen Sullivan, Stio has quickly become a popular apparel choice amongst the mountain set. A cross between a softshell and a fleece, the Stio Origins Jacket is the perfect versatile shoulder season piece or outerlayer for those warm or highly aerobic winter days.
The Origins Jacket is made from Polartec Wind Pro with Hardface Technology, a Repreve 100 recycled fabric that is durable as well as highly wind and water resistant. Polartec Wind Pro fabrics remain extremely breathable when you are working up a sweat, yet provide 4 times more wind resistance than traditional fleece.
This so called super fleece can be worn as both outerwear and an extra insulation layer. I have been using my Origins Jacket as an outerlayer for all my Northern California winter outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, and even mountain biking. As is the Stio design ethos, the Origins Jacket is also something you could easily wear as a stylish sweater or jacket walking around an outdoorsy town.
The cuffs are made from Power Stretch Pro for a snug fit and feature thumbholes to keep the sleeves down over your hands and the wind and snow out. Two hand warmer pockets are roomy enough to store a large amount of gear, while the extra warm fleece lined neck zips up high on your chin to keep out the cold wind.
The Stio Origins Jacket normally retails for $155 but is currently on sale for $108.50 over on the Stio website.