We live in an age when the technology and materials that go into shells, waterproof membranes, synthetic insulation, down insulation and every other facet of outerwear advance on an annual basis. But while they are marketed as a buy one, get three solution, it’s really more like buy one, get two halves. For some, they’ll pack enough functionality to get by ( Patagonia’s $449 Downdrift is a decent choice for those looking). (I wore them all the time as a kid, so I have no problem ragging on them).Īdmirably, 3-in-1 jackets are built to be efficient, affordable apparel. They’re clumsy, and definitively lacking in style. Okay, maybe that’s unfair, but they do call back to the equally dopey - yet unquestionably more functional - zip-off pants/shorts designed for hiking. The only way to avoid this is to wear the mid-layer on its own, unzipped beneath the shell, which sort of defeats the claimed purpose of the 3-in-1.įinally, 3-in-1 jackets are just sort of.
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Secondly, and more importantly, this strange zipper configuration means that the mid-layer jacket is never fully closed, and unless the external zip is fully taped, air (and cold) will penetrate the system in a vertical line up the wearer’s core. First, with only one point of connection located at the front, the two jackets are bound to bunch and pull on each other in awkward ways creating discomfort (insulated ski jackets are made with many points of stitching). The inner jacket zips into the outer jacket just behind the main exterior zipper that seals the whole thing up, which creates two large inefficiencies. Sure, the 3-in-1 jacket does this, but in a limiting and inefficient way it adds an extra, highly unnecessary zipper into the mix and leaves the wearer stuck with whatever mid-layer comes attached to the jacket.įurthermore, the way in which 3-in-1 mid-layers secure to their respective outer shells presents some serious design flaws. At its core, layering is the ability to wear and swap different articles of clothing in order to fine tune your kit to whatever the weather conditions call for.
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The 3-in-1 goes against the fundamental concept of how to stay warm and protected from the elements outdoors: layering.
While 3-in-1 jackets are marketed as a buy one, get three solution, it’s really more like buy one, get two halves. Sound like the last jacket you’ll ever need? It isn’t. So you get 1) A fully insulated ski jacket for cold temperatures 2) A waterproof, breathable shell for warmer days and 3) A fleece or puffy mid-layer that can be worn on its own. For those who need a refresher, the 3-in-1 is a winter jacket that comes equipped with an additional zip-in insulating layer, usually a fleece or hoodless puffy. The situation is markedly more futile when it comes to the so-called 3-in-1 jacket. The issues arise when you actually go to use the thing, only to find that the Phillips head is too short to reach the recessed screw you need to twist, or that the tiny knife blade is not quite up to the task of butchering a leg of wild boar in the backcountry (that one comes from personal experience).ĭon’t get me wrong, a multitool can come in handy, but it can often be a jack of all trades and a master of none, leaving it to gather dust in the toolbox you hoped to eliminate in the first place. As an idea, it’s a good one: get rid of the need for an entire toolbox by packing multiple instruments into one small, pocketable apparatus. The multitool is just one example of this fallacy. The only problem is, this type of simplification - the one-thing-does-everything type of simplification - is largely a myth. For multi-hobby individuals with small gear closets, the idea can seem dreamy, and paring down is usually in sync with the ideals held by those who spend lots of time outdoors.
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