Cabela's Cimarron Peak Windstopper Jacket
Posted By Mark on Jan 2 '08
Stats
| Waterproof: | Water resistant | Windproof: | Yes |
| Hood: | Yes | Adjustable Hood: | Three-Way |
| Cinch Cords: | Hem | Insulation: | None |
| Cuffs: | Velcro | Pit Zips: | No |
| Napoleon Pocket: | No | Handwarmer Pockets: | 2 |
| Sleeve Pockets: | None | Zipper Type: | Storm Flaps |
| Inner Pockets: | 1 | Seams: | None |
| Weight: | 16.4 oz. | Stowable: | No |
| Chin Abrasion Guard: | Yes | MSRP: | $65 |
Overview
Hardshells are not necessary for the majority of wet weather cases. Often a softshell, with or without a hood, will do just fine. And if you can find one with Windstopper, Gore’s proprietary windproof membrane, that’s even better, because windproof garments are inherently water-resistant. From all appearances, Cabela’s Cimarron Peak fulfills these requirements: a Windstopper membrane, lightweight, a fully adjustable hood, and seamless shoulders. But there is another, less pleasant side to this jacket: really wonky fit, as we will see.
Pockets
There are three pockets on the Cimarron Peak: two handwarmer pockets, and an inner security pocket. The handwarmer pockets are zippered and are sheltered with a draft flap. But since this is primarily a windshell, and not a jacket to protect you from falling precipitation, the draft flap is sewn from the front toward the back, not from the back to the front, so as to protect against wind blowing toward you. The pockets aren’t very large; the entrances are kind of small, and you can’t fit much more than your hands in there. The inner security pocket is about the same size as the handwarmer pockets, but the entrance is a little larger.
Zippers
The main front zipper has a good-sized fabric zipper pull, with “WINDSTOPPER” sewn into it; it has an interior draft flap, to protect the wearer from sneaky gusts. The flap also forms the chin abrasion guard, and folds over the top of the zipper to ensure no abrasion will occur, but none of it is microfleece, or tricot, just nylon, which is kind of disappointing. The zipper pulls on the handwarmer and security pockets are pretty small, which can make it difficult to use if you’ve got gloves on.
The Hood
The hood is well-designed, offering adjustment from the rear, and on either side of the front. It also features a flap on the back, secured by Velcro, that enables the wearer to stow the hood at the collar. The hood also has a brim that’s stiffer than the main hood fabric, which is nice in more unpleasant weather, and with its adjustable volume, it becomes one of the better hoods I’ve encountered.
Body Adjustment
The hem is adjusted by means of dual cinchcord clasps. A small plastic bead prevents the cord from getting sucked into the hem.
Extras
The cuffs are simple rip-and-stick tabs, with Velcro to secure them. The jacket comes with a stuff sack, so you can fit the entire shell into a space a little larger than a 32-ounce Nalgene. The entire interior is lined with a soft tricot lining.
Qualms
Ooh, this is where it gets a little rough. In order to make the jacket packable, some sacrifices had to be made. The hood is the most glaring example. True, it does have a brim that’s stiffer than the main hood fabric, but it’s still kind of flimsy, and it won’t hold up to really strong winds, kind of a disappointment.
Another small issue is that the sleeve lining stops about two inches from the end of the sleeves, so even though the sleeves are a bit smoother than the main tricot body, you usually end up with some extra nylon coming out the end, which can be annoying.
That’s not a huge deal, but the fit of the jacket is really quite bad. It’s cut basically straight down from the shoulders, which means that the fit in the lower torso is going to be pretty baggy. On windy days, it can feel at times like you’re wearing a really nice, hooded trash bag. What good is a Windstopper shell if it billows around you, slowing you down? I suppose that in the defense of Cabela’s, this is a $65 jacket, and similar shells might retail for easily twice as much. But I’d be willing to spend more than $65 for the company to do some R&D, and make a Windstopper shell that fits me well. That’s not to say that the jacket can’t be put to good use as an outer layer, over another softshell or similar jacket, but by itself, the fit of the shell is troublesome.
Warmth
On a scale of 1-10, where 1 is a long-sleeved T-shirt, and 10 an expedition-quality mountaineering suit, I’d rate the Cimarron Peak a 4. It’s pretty lightweight, with just a hood and a windproof membrane to ward off the chill.
Waterproof?
No. But Windstopper, and windproof membranes in general, are inherently water-resistant, and the seamless shoulders and hood will keep the rain off for a while.
Conclusion
The Cabela’s Cimarron Peak jacket definitely stops the wind, and the fully adjustable hood and seamless shoulders will keep precipitation from penetrating for a long time, but its rather bad fit and somewhat flimsy hood can make the jacket annoying, actually, in a windstorm. A little research into a better fit would do wonders for this shell, and make it worth, say, $100 or more.
The Verdict: 6/10
Interested in this jacket? You might also be interested in these lightweight, windproof jackets:
GoLite Ether Wind Shirt
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/product_GoLite-Ether-Wind-Jacket_10005462____?cm_mmc=CSE-_-GoogleBase-_-na-_-GoLite-Ether-Wind-Jacket&ad_id=GoogleBase
One of the lightest jackets ever made, at 3.5 ounces for a large. And it's windproof. Excellent. Retail: $70.
Sierra Designs Microlight Jacket
http://www.backcountry.com/store/SDS0265/Sierra-Designs-Microlight-Jacket-Mens.html
Water-resistant, windproof, includes a stuff sack. And just try beating the price. Retail: $40.
