Strafe Cham

Fit & Features Testers who value weight savings—but don’t fancy a body-hugging Eurofit look—raved about the new-school Cham. Cut longer and slightly roomier than a traditional alpinist jacket, this three-layer shell wouldn’t look out of place at the resort. But the cavernous chest pockets (situated above a pack’s hipbelt) are big enough for climbing skins, and a removable powder skirt lets the Cham transition easily between snowy descents and harness-assisted climbs. Three hood adjustments create a snug but unconfining fit. “Thanks to soft fabric and a somewhat relaxed cut through the collar, I could turn my head without feeling yoked,” says one tester.

Breathability The Polartec NeoShell membrane moves so much moisture that testers only resorted to venting the huge, 18-inch pit zips on mild spring tours. “I love that I don’t have to choose between wind protection and moisture management,” says one, who wore the Cham on 1,200-foot climbs through 30-mph winds in Utah’s Wasatch Range—and emerged at the top feeling dry, not soggy.

Protection “It has a really wide comfort range,” says one tester, who reports that it proved impenetrable to sustained snow and rain in Colorado’s Park Range.
$425; 1 lb. 6 oz. (m’s L); strafeouterwear.com