The new SNOWSTORM from Snugpak is a fully reversible olive and white insulated hooded jacket with a low temperature rating of -20°C, writes Bob Morrison.
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Stocks of the new SNOWSTORM from Snugpak recently started appearing on the rails of specialist outdoor stores in the UK which cater for military private purchasers just as the thermometer started to drop. Being Olive Green on one side and White on the other, this fully reversible jacket with a Temperature Comfort Rating of -15°C and a Low Rating of -20°C is an ideal lightweight additional layer for those troops heading off to the High North or the Baltic operational theatre this winter.
While personally I much prefer the warmth of the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Desert or the Sahara over the cold of the Arctic North, and I willingly step aside to allow my colleague Carl to cover extreme cold theatres, I have actually ventured north of the Arctic Circle several times since 1988 and since the turn of the millennium I have invariably taken a Snugpak jacket as part of my kit on these assignments. I don’t have any plans to head for the High North this winter but if all goes to plan I should be off on assignment on NATO’s chilly Eastern Flank in the not too distant future so when Snugpak offered me a SNOWSTORM Jacket for review I not only accepted but have already been wearing it outdoors at nights to get the feel for it.
Packing down to just 350mm x 20mm diameter (14” x 8”) in the supplied stuff sack, check the pockets, a Medium size SNOWSTORM weighs just 1.4kg or 49oz so is very light and compact for the amount of comfort and insulation it provides; an inexpensive compression stuff sack is available separately for those wishing to reduce travel bulk even more. 100% polyester Paratex Light is used for both inner and outer, the insulation used is Snugpak’s exclusive Softie® brand and the hand-warmer pockets are lined with comfortable brushed polyester. It is windproof, breathable and water-repellent but it is not waterproof being intended for wear underneath a fully waterproof lightweight outer jacket when conditions require.
Of extended scooped back design, the fully reversible SNOWSTORM has a concealed full-length double action YKK front zip with baffle behind, an adjustable hem with elasticated drawcord and adjustable hook & loop cuffs. The detachable hood, which uses a combination of zip and hook & loop tapes for attachment, is fully insulated and adjustable by way of elasticated drawcords around the face and at the rear (on the Olive side). There are three zipped main pockets on each side, two deep lower cargo and one chest, plus there is a zipped left upper sleeve pocket on the Olive side. There are also ‘felt’ patches for attaching badges at the top of both sleeves on the Olive side.
My initial impression of the Snugpak SNOWSTORM, having worn it for a week in lowish nighttime temperatures, is that not only does one gain instant heat benefit when donning it but it is not too bulky or heavy for a jacket capable of catering for such cold extremes. After my son-in-law Dan put it on for the photos on a bright but cold November day he was reluctant to hand it back and my daughter turned into a green-eyed monster with jealousy.
I’ll try to update this page a little further down the line once I’ve had reason to wear the SNOWSTORM in sub-zero conditions.
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Footnote: Dan is over 6’4″ / 1.93m tall so my Large size SNOWSTORM looks a little short on him
