Quick Take Review

It’s not often that I struggle this mightily with a review, but the Mighty Power Hoody from Mountain Hardwear presents a conundrum. Mountain Hardwear provided a sample of the product along with other pieces in their new Spring/Summer line up recently and we immediately began asking ourselves questions.

With the lightweight stretch jersey fabric, is it a baselayer? Or given the hoody and full zipper, should it be used as outerwear? Is it a men’s product as the label states? Or given the ultra-trim and tailored fit – and coral-colored zipper of our sample – is it more suited to the ladies?

Consulting Mountain Hardwear’s website yielded a few clues. And after much discussion and several outings with the Mighty Power Hoody, here’s what we decided. Although it’s possible to answer in the affirmative to all the questions above, because of the styling, cut and features of the product, the Mighty Power Hoody is an ideal piece of women’s outerwear for three-season use.

Specs
Weight: 11.75 oz
Material: Stretch jersey fabric

On a recent hiking trip in the East Bay hills, the Mighty Power Hoody provided the perfect amount of protection as the fog cleared and the wind crept up. On the trek, the women’s group was pulsed on the Mighty Power Hoody. What did they think of the jacket? Great looking, love the stretch. Perfect sleeve length and fit. Was it a men’s jacket? Not a chance. The fit was just too trim and the styling too feminine. Hard to argue with that. I found the men’s medium (my normal size) nearly impossible to fit into. And the pink-orange zipper just made it look, well, kinda girlie.

So how do you rate a product like Mountain Hardwear’s Mighty Power Hoody? Well, as a men’s product, it’s a miss. But for women, it’s a definite hit. We’ll split the difference and give the Mighty Power Hoody 3.5 stars.

Rating:
[Rating:3.5/5]

Thanks for reading another outdoor gear review from GearGuide. And thanks to Mountain Hardwear for providing product for this review. Written by Matt K.