Don't Get Damp

For the past few seasons i have been on the hunt for the perfect layering set up to be able to tour comfortably. I can finally say that my search is over. The Hayden Jacket is my favorite touring jacket i've ever used. The Goretex Infinium cuts the wind down, keeps you dry and more importantly it breathes better than anything else i've tried. In the past, I would reach the summit… read more and I'd just have to hope my sweat soaked base layers still do their job and keep me warm. Since switching to this jacket I've noticed i'm still dry when i reach the top. Between the material, the oversized pit zips, perforated front panel, and oversized pockets that double as vents, there is no shortage of ways to dump heat and keep yourself dry.

RAD Jacket

Hey guys/gals! Heres an honest out of the box review. This jacket is awesome! The fit is perfect! The materials and details included in this jacket make it worth the price tag. I've always tried to find the perfect jacket and this seems to be the closest thing to perfect I can get. The only function I wished this jacket had were lower pockets. The "pit zips" and the main zipper… read more closure with the ventilation system is top-notch and a very nice feature. Backcountry thank you for making a RAD jacket that does everything I need it to do and more!

Hayden Jacket

Great quality product with all the features I was looking for. Fits true to sizing and looks good. Can't go wrong here.

Dialed!

A really dialed in touring piece here. I am 5'11" and 145 and the Medium is the perfect size for me to wear with or without a midlayer. Good hem and sleeve length. Consider sizing down though if you want a true alpine fit. Very breathable and able to dump heat but also substantial enough to wear over alone over a baselayer. I have yet to get it into a blizzard but it looks… read more like it could cut through more weather than its supposed to. The chest pockets act as large vents and perfect size for your skins. Clutch move for you skiers, jealous split-boarder here. As others have mentioned - no hand pockets, you'll have to find another home for your granola bar.

Best Jacket but...

This is one of the best jackets I have owned but I am selling it for few reasons. First, little bit too heavy and the middle additional zipper is not necessary for me. Secondly, the hood is extremely too big. I do understand the hood is designed to cover over the helmet but still too big for me. Lastly, I would keep the jacket if there were side zipper pockets.

Touring approved

I have been skiing in the Hayden for about a month and a half now. Couple things that really stand out are the ventilation and the stretch. The pit zips are large and do a great job dumping heat. The dual zipper is also a fantastic feature that allows for some added ventilation without having to keep the jacket open. The chest pockets are large enough to hold your skins which is… read more awesome though I would have liked to have an additional hip pocket or something. The material has a nice amount of stretch that gives you a comfortable fit and great range of motion. Perfect length for a touring specific jacket. I would probably have gone with the medium size if I were to do it again. I'm just over 6' and about 180. The Large size definitely works but has a little more room than I typically like. The arm length is perfect. So many shells I have tested have really long sleeves which can definitely serve a purpose in some situations but for an everyday touring jacket I don't think it is necessary. The cuffs work well with gauntlet or under the cuff style gloves. Overall a great piece that I look forward to throwing on as I gear up to go hit the mountain. It is slightly heavier than I expected but nothing that's going to hold you back . Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for some added breath-ability in a softshell that can take come punishment.

Nice shell

Great jacket for backcountry skiing/splitboarding, fairly light, packable, and breathable. My only complain is the hood and collar design. Collar is way to long, and when jacket is fully zipped, collar covers pretty much the entire face. Hood is huge. Even when put over the helmet it still feels way too large. Other than that - great product.

High Speed

This jacket is a solid choice for backcountry riding. I ha™ve used it in wet PNW snow and also cold, dry Colorado snow and it holds up great to both. The front zippered vent is super practical for temperature regulation when skinning or if it is a warmer day at the resort. Combine that with the large underarm zips and you have got yourself a great backcountry jacket. It was pouring… read more raining in the parking lot in Whistler and the Gore-Tex kept me dry. Not sure how it would hold up to a full day in wet snow/rain but I am sure it could handle it. The jacket also held up in Colorado with cruel December winds - I would say it is completely windproof. Wear a down layer underneath it and you have got an extremely versatile backcountry layering system. In my picture, I have my skins in the chest pockets - it seems like that is exactly what the pockets were made for.

lightweight

this jacket is light weight but packs a punch in the cold

Solid Touring Jacket

After using it on a few tours I can confirm it breathes well and has a great overall fit for what I was looking for. I typically only wear a base layer under it, but it fits a small puffy underneath if needed. It does not include a powder skirt, but not having it does save weight and help airflow. Also, I wish it had a hanger loop as others have mentioned. This jacket seems a bit… read more expensive for how minimal it is; I wish I could have gotten it for this current sale price (30% off).

Stellar Quality, Unique Fitting

This jacket is an amazing shell for shedding water and rain. However, the fit is very different from a lot of jackets, so for the sake of others, I’ll focus on clarifying that. First of all, as with most of Backcountry clothing, it is sized fairly large. I’m typically a medium and this felt like somewhere right between Large and X-Large. Also, this particular jacket flairs out… read more at the bottom a lot. It’s tighter around the chest, but then the hips are bigger than the chest by about 5-7 inches circumference. The hood is also designed with a helmet in mind because it’s massive and is very big without a helmet, even when sinching down a lot. It can be seen from the photo, but be aware the chest zippers are not meant for hands, they are storage only. However, sizing aside, this is a stellar jacket. Nice Gore-tex and construction that keeps the wind and rain out. Has pit zips and also has a neat double-zipper option (one zipper that has venting holes in the material) so the ventilation I felt was really good. I also love the Backcountry sinch ‘pinch lock’. They’re very easy to feel and squeeze, as opposed to some brands that use more generic sinch locks and you have to fiddle around with first. So long as the sizing and cut works for you, it’s an amazing jacket!

Perfect Gift!

I got this as a gift for my boyfriend. He was looking for a simple ski jacket to match with the bibs that I also got him. He was super happy with the jacket and we are planning to go skiing this Sunday! One of his favorite things about this jacket is the simple design and how big the pockets are. He plans to use this as a shell for all mountain skiing and then hopefully slowly transition… read more to touring which this will work perfectly for. Definitely recommend as a solid gift for someone special! So he's about 6 ft tall and always tends to get a large in all his clothing so this fits pretty true to size. I feel like you can totally get a size larger to larger underneath as well!

Sick Soft Shell!!!

I love the inferium goretex! It's durable and a perfect touring jacket! My two qualms are #1 the weight. It's not the shell you want for a stash away... #2 There isn't a hanger loop to hang the jacket up. Making it a little more difficult to dry out after a day out on the mountain. Other than those two things I love this jacket! Seems to be pretty bomber!

Hoping to double up usage with this as a resort snowboarding shell and as a backpacking rain shell. I also deal with wet great lakes snow through the winter months. Does anyone have any experience with this jacket in wet conditions?

I’m interested in using this as an inbounds resort ski shell. If I’m a 39” chest, 31” waist, 5’7”, and 155 lb person, do I need to further size up to a large to layer underneath this piece? And is it capable of going to ~15F on chilly days? Or should I look elsewhere to Goretex Pro models? I like the idea of the Infinium.

My son wears XL tall he’s 6’1” will the Hayden jacket fit him in an XL?