Mammut STRATUS HOODED Jacket

I demoed out this jacket at last year’s ice festival in Cody, WY.  For the money, I think this is the best synthetic belay jacket on the market.  Warmer than a Patagonia DAS, much cheaper than any Arc’Teryx jacket, this puffy is a great option for ice climbing or back country skiing.  The small details make all the difference in this well-designed jacket.  Thumb loops negate heat loss from your wrists and hands, and large interior pockets provide a good place to dry out gloves or prevent your Nalgene from freezing.  The hood fits well over a helmet, and the whole deal seals out the weather quite well.  The sizing is a bit small, so I recommend going up a size.  Dane wears one along with the rest of his freshly laundered Mammut wear, and I must admit that he looks quite stunning with Mammut logos all over his dainty frame .  This is the do-it-all belay jacket. -Alpine Chris Thompson

* EDS NOTE: Dane is suing "alpine thompson" over the slanderous remarks. Except about how stunning he looks.