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We are back with some more gear from Western Rise to share with you! If you missed our first set of Western Rise reviews, covering mostly summer-friendly clothing, you can find the post here. As a quick refresher, Western Rise is a travel and outdoor clothing company based in Telluride, CO. They have been around a few years now, and founder Will Watters continues to develop some of the best clothing options available for travelers. This review will cover three items to keep you warm, comfortable, and looking good during those cooler-weather trips.
Technical Fabrics
When I discovered Western Rise, I was immediately impressed by Will’s encyclopedic knowledge of technical fabrics. Any time I hear about a new fabric innovation, I send Will a message. He’s usually already working with that fabric to build new clothing concepts.
Western Rise water-resistant jacket fabric
Will regularly attends clothing conventions around the world to learn the latest in technologies and techniques to engineer performance gear. For example, he recently spent time at the Outdoor Retailer Conference. Clothing brands from all over the world meet here to push the boundaries of what garments can do. Will’s goal with Western Rise is to produce durable, versatile, and comfortable clothing for travel and the great outdoors. He sent the following items for me for testing during our February visit to Italy and Israel. The items were provided for free, so I could write a comprehensive, first-hand review.
AirLoft Quilted Jacket
This jacket is fantastic! It walks the line between a true jacket and an insulated button down shirt. It has a flattering, modern fit and quilted design. I wore it almost every single day of our trip, in temperatures ranging from 28 degrees (and raining) to 65 degrees and sunny. It kept me warm and dry the whole time, all while looking great. I’ve continued to wear the jacket regularly at home, and I literally get complements every time I wear it out.
The technology behind this jacket blows my mind. First, it uses a brand new type of breathable, synthetic insulation. This insulation uses coil-shaped fibers to add loft, increase air flow, and add significant stretch. The hollow-core yarn used in the insulation traps body warmth. The Primeflex outer fabric is lightweight, with 4-way stretch, and a DWR coating to eliminate stains and resist weather. The outer fabric weight is ultralight at 60gsm through the body and 40gsm through the arms. The inner fabric is soft, moisture wicking, and also features a 4-way stretch. It kept me warm in cold, rainy conditions in Venice, and it dried within an hour!
I originally didn’t think the chest pockets would be useful, but I ended up keeping my various tickets in them. It was nice to know exactly where I could find the train, museum, or plane tickets. The interior pocket held my cash/wallet securely, away from potential pickpockets. Buttons on the cuffs allowed me to go open or closed sleeve, depending on the temperature. The jacket packs down very small, but I couldn’t quite get it to fit into its pack pocket. Will tells me that the factory slightly overstuffed the sleeves on the final production run. Overall, I absolutely love this jacket, and I’ll be wearing it from early fall through mid spring.
Staying warm in sunny Madrid
Buy the Airloft Quilted Jacket Here
Elkton Stretch Wool Flannel
A classic flannel shirt should be a staple in every man’s cool-weather wardrobe. I have a high standard for flannel shirts, and the Elkton Flannel really impressed. With a 180gsm fabric, this shirt has a substantial weight and provides solid insulation. As you would expect, the fabric is loaded with technology, but it doesn’t look the least bit “techy.” The tailored fit and 2-way stretch gives a nice silhouette without feeling restrictive. It’s also very nice to have a collared shirt in my bag, when the occasion calls for a dressier look.
Ok, on to the crazy performance fabric. The shirt is built from a blend of 48% Elasterell Polyester (stretch), 47% COOLMAX Polyester (temp regulating), and 5% wool (softness). This blend of materials creates a soft hand feel, with odor resistance, and moisture wicking ability. Additional features include Western Rises’s trademark front pockets, unbreakable buttons, and a reflective stitch under the collar. You can usually get 3-4 wears between washes, depending on your level of perspiration. I wore this shirt by itself or over a merino tee shirt in a wide range of temperatures, and I always felt great.
Buy the Elkton Stretch Wool Flannel Here
Dryweight Merino Henley
I’ve been wearing this shirt regularly for months now. It is fantastic for layering, which is essential for packing effectively for one bag travel. This Henley elevates the properties of Merino wool by blending it with ultra-moisture wicking TENCEL. The 150gsm fabric is a blend of 50% Merino wool (18.9 micron) and 50% TENCEL. If you’re unfamiliar with TENCEL, it’s sourced from Eucalyptus trees and known for its durability and ability to transport moisture.
Beautiful day in Burano, Italy
I first tested this shirt during our hike to Havasu falls in the Arizona desert. After 12 miles of hiking, I was sweating profusely, but the shirt kept me feeling quite dry and cool. It also kept me warm when the desert temperature dropped at night. During our recent winter trip to Israel and Italy, it provided excellent base layer insulation in the cooler weather. In both cases, the Merino wool resisted odor, allowing for multi-day wear, even in the sweatiest conditions. The shirt stays so dry, that I hardly needed to hang it overnight. The button collar allowed me to wear it open-collar in warmer weather, and the thumb holes at the cuffs kept my hands warm in the cold weather.
Havasu Falls
Henley shirts are quite stylish, in my opinion. The collar allows it to split the difference between casual and a bit dressy. The lean cut and subtle micro striping make this a very attractive piece of clothing. I classify this as a true 4-season garment, which will perform just as well in the dead of winter as in the mid-summer heat.
Buy the Dryweight Merino Henley Here
Final Thoughts
As you can likely tell, I continue to be impressed with the clothes from Western Rise! Their items meet so many of the needs for travelers – comfort, stretch, odor resistance, quick dry, insulation, and versatility. I definitely recommend picking up a few items from Western Rise for your travels. When someone cares as much about every detail as Will does, the clothes can’t help but turn out awesome! Use the discount code LOOPHOLETRAVEL at checkout to receive 10% off your order!
See our review of additional Western Rise gear in this post.
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