Direct Alpine Revolt
Most versatile
Our take If going hard is your MO in every season, this tough shell will get you through the entire year (which helps justify the price). Reinforced, rubbery 40-denier shoulder patches protected us from ski edges, and one tester “loved that the patches provide friction that kept my backpack from slipping around while skiing.” Unlike bulkier winter shells, the Revolt’s trim cut transitions well to warmer weather, and it packs down to the size of a 16-ounce Nalgene. And at 1 pound, it’s still light enough for summer use.
The Details The Revolt’s three-layer material—a mixture of nylon and polyester—proved adequately breathable, though we wished for pit zips on a skin up Vermont’s Mt. Ascutney in the 30s. A pair of chest pockets fits slim gloves or snacks, and a particularly well-fitting, three-point adjustable hood let us take shelter from blowing snow in Yellowstone.
Trail cred “It’s fairly thin, but I wasn’t afraid to ski through tight bushes and pine branches at Brandon Gap in Vermont,” notes a tester. “The fabric doesn’t show any wear.”
15.8 oz. (m’s L); m’s S-XXL