Ortovox Swisswool Piz Boè Jacket M 2021 test
Tester: 47 years old, 82 kg (with the equipment – clothes, shoes, ABS bag, DVA, shovel, probe, back protector, helmet, mask… we can easily exceed 100 kg), 1.86 m
Skis: K2 Shreditor 136 “Powabunga” 2017 with Marker Jester 2019, Salomon QST 118 185cm 2017 with Salomon Warden 13, Zag H-96 2019 With Tyrolia Attack 11 demo
Shoes: K2 Mindbender 130 2019-2020 28.5 Mondopoint
Snowboard: Nidecker Ultralight 163 2013, Salomon Quantum Shadow 2019, -13/+13
Shoes: Burton Imperial 2017 in 45
Test Conditions:
Early autumn hikes, streetwear so you don’t get cold and indoor skiing (air temperature -5°C)
“Official” Specs
To put it simply; here is the official link
https://www.ortovox.com/be-fr/shop/homme/p58905-insulated-jackets-swisswool-piz-boe-jacket-m
And a little summary…
Weight:348g
Fit: Athletic Fit
Outer Material: PERTEX® Quantum: 100% polyamide (recycled) Padding: 88% virgin wool (Swisswool) + 12% polylactide Lining: 100% polyamide (recycled) Inserts: 75% polyamide ( recycled) + 18% wool (OWP-MERINO) + 7% elastane
Some of my old fleeces and softshells were reaching the end of their life, so why not trust the sheep? In fact, it is about me because I (shamefully) copied my wife who had offered herself an Ortovox Westalpen Swisswoll Hybrid Jacket W for the trek earlier in the season. Wanting to “lighten up” as much as possible, I went for something… light (obviously) and finally, in the shop, my choice fell on this second layer. The seller explained to me that if I was at the end of my life I was sweating a lot, the feathers would lose their effectiveness quite quickly and would take forever to dry out. Thank you Alpisport in Liège (http://liege.alpisport.be/).
I got it: light, water-repellent... Good, yellow (I guess I like it). The soft warmth provided is really pleasant, different from that provided by my old (and more recent) fleeces (see my Spyder Wengen and Alps tests). We feel more comfortable, a gentle warmth. As for the weight, with its 352 g measured in size Large, it is really competitive. You really don't feel like you have anything on you, feeling reinforced with my first X-Bionic diapers with their compression.
The Swisswool thermal inserts are well placed to heat where it is needed. The softshell side now. Nothing to say about its windproof capabilities. It works ! Certainly better on water-repellent areas, but it works really well. The length in the back is good and I would rate it as snowboard compatible.
There would only be qualities to be found there. Well no. In terms of fault, I identify a major one: its fit (at least concerning me. I have very broad shoulders and for the shoulders and the size of the arms, size L is the one that is appropriate. On the other hand, it is a little (too) puffy at the waist. Ok, we are more on an aesthetic register than functional. I agree. Another defect to mention, which is not one in fact and which does not will probably not appear for everyone concerns the surface coating with its stitching. Having gone for a walk, I put (almost always) my hiking backpack (my Wed'Ze Free9 that I recycled for this purpose https: //www.skipass.com/tests/sac-a-dos/wedze_free9-backpack/2007_19342.html) and it appears that the velcro of the ventral belt (the part with the hooks, obviously), from time to time bites the jacket. The hooks are up, and you have to fold the carpet part over it. I don't know if that's enough to unstitch or damage anything, but I prefer to be careful. On my BlackDiamond JetForce this will not happen as there is no velcro. So, from my point of view, bag manufacturers should all put the hook part of the velcro on the part to fold over the other. My Ortovox Freerider is properly made. Here, it is clearly a design error by Wed'Ze / Decathlon to have put the hooks up. So, just be careful if you have a bag with a "blah blah" design.
Improvements?
As for my negative point of the fit, it's hard to do otherwise unless you put on straps to tighten the bottom of the jacket (with, of course, a few grams to add). Changing the cut of the jacket by bending it a little more would cut off a lot of customers from the market and would have no economic interest.
Fully waterproof zippers could be a plus but knowing that this jacket is more to be worn as a second layer or softshell, this would not be justified. It would never occur to me to wear only this one in case of heavy rain.
Marketing, screen printing…
A communication based on the nice sheep who want us well, a nice cut and color… What do the people want?
The most
Leasts
For whom?
Skier, snowboarder, trekker, walker, hiker
