Tester & test conditions
For once, two testers report on their impressions in this article. Lorenzo is 183 cm tall and weighs approx. 75 kg, he wears the jacket in size L. Chris is 175 cm tall and wears a size M with a weight of approx. 71 kg. Both of them ski a lot, especially on ski tours.
The Kopak Hoody was used by the two testers in a wide range of conditions, both in winter and spring when skiing or on ski tours and in summer on hikes or alpine tours.
Test report
Thanks to the stretchy softshell material, the Kopak Hoody is comfortable to wear and has a close-fitting cut, making it suitable for wearing under a hard shell like a classic mid-layer. Thanks to the moisture-repellent and windproof material, it also cuts a fine figure as an outer layer, especially in drier conditions. The pockets are practically positioned and easily accessible and the sleeves are cut nice and long. There is also an inside pocket at chest height, which is particularly suitable for a mobile phone.
The breathability is of course particularly interesting for sweat-inducing activities, such as ski tours, but it has to be really cold for such a warm jacket to make sense. However, if there is also wind, the Kopak Hoody makes it easy to stay warm even at low temperatures.
I particularly enjoyed wearing the hoody on quick after-work ski tours in spring-like temperatures, both on the ascent and the descent. I only wore a long-sleeved functional shirt underneath. The warmth of the jacket was enough to keep me warm even after the descent.
The hoody also completely replaced the hardshell jacket on the last ski tour (we went to the starting point by bike) directly before the corona lockdown in March: both for the early start (bike + first metres of ascent before it got warm) and for the descent in the middle of the morning, it offered ideal temperature equalisation and thus a pleasant wearing comfort.
I found the hood particularly comfortable in windy conditions on the ascent. It is comfortable to wear with a climbing helmet, but is almost a little too tight for a ski helmet.
