Review of Sierra Designs Chockstone Jacket
By Matt Smith

I love Primaloft. I love it in sleeping bags, I love it in gloves, I love it in jackets. Primaloft is a beautiful thing because it offers the wet weather protection and insulation of a synthetic fiber, at nearly the weight and compressibility of down. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to put the Sierra Designs Chockstone Jacket through some use and abuse. The Chockstone Jacket is light, and packs down into the included stuff sack about 4 inches in diameter, and 11 inches long. The proprietary Sierra Designs waterproof breathable DriZone Cold Fusion shell protects the insulation from all but a torrential downpour.

I liked almost everything about the Chockstone Jacket. The fit for the most part is incredible, hugging the body, without restricting movement. While the hood does lack a volume adjustment, it fits reasonably well with, or without a helmet. I found the sleeves to be plenty long for the size, which I appreciated, as I frequenty test jackets that seem to have sleeves that are short for the size.

I hard a hard time deciding whether the Chockstone is intended as a light weight belay parka, or a heavier weight synthetic hoody. The cut is trim enough that there isn't a lot of extra room to pull the Chockstone on over a mid layer. Yet, it lacks some accessory features you would expect on a standalone outerwear piece, like drawcords on the hood, and waist. In the end, I found the Chockstone was a perfect jacket on those days where I wasn't sure what to wear. It is warm enough that I was comfortable on 30 degree days at mild to moderate activities, but light enough that I wasn't drenched on the trail on a 50 degree afternoon.

There are only two things I didn't like about the jacket. The sleeves tend to roll a little at the end, due to the insulation being tacked back for the thumb holes. Sierra Designs assured me this is being corrected on future runs. The cut under the arms is slightly restrictive, especially if you have broad shoulders or a full chest. For that reason, I think this jacket is better suited to leaner figures.

Summary: The Chockstone Jacket is a nice, versatile jacket that will protect you from the elements, without filling up your pack, or emptying your wallet. It is a great choice for trim figures, and moderate activity levels. You can procure the Chockstone for a reasonable $140

For more information contact:
Sierra Designs
www.sierradesigns.com
2011 Cherry Street Unit #202
Louisville, CO 80027
800 (635-0461)

Matt Smith is the canyoneering specialist at GearReview.com, and prefers canyons to keyboards 10:1.