Westcomb Recon Hoody Review (2010)

User review by Christopher Green

In November 2010, I purchased the 2010 Westcomb Recon Hoody in black. I live and play in Upstate New York and I am very pleased with my decision to purchase the Recon & highly recommend it to anyone who can afford greatness! I expect to take the Recon basically anywhere I go. I am into winter snowshoeing / peak bagging and downhill skiing. I purchased the Recon for those purposes and also to fill my need for an all-in-one winter jacket. I have worn the Recon everyday so far this winter and have been very satisfied with its production, performance and durability.

I am 5’ 10” tall and weigh about 170 pounds and went with a size large, which seems to fit well. I normally wear a men's size large in 99% of the shirts and jackets I purchase. The sleeves of the Recon Hoody fall to just a millimeter past my wrists, which I feel is perfect. The chest dimensions in the Recon are right-on from the dimensions listed on Westcomb's website. I don't feel any restriction or pulling in the chest or shoulders when worn with or without layers.

After weeks of everyday use, I wish the back of the jacket was cut a bit longer. I have noticed when I reach up above my head, or reach down below my feet (tying shoes etc.), the jacket rides up and becomes annoying. I normally have the waist cinch-cords cinched down a bit, but not too tight, to keep out unpleasant drafts of cold air. I think if the back portion of the jacket was cut a bit longer, there would not be an issue with the material rising up and exposing my back to the cold.

Due to the high loft of the PrimaLoft Sport fill, the lower portion of the sleeves feel a bit restrictive when wearing a 100 weight fleece or more. I have even noticed the restriction when wearing a normal button down collard shirt. This isn’t really a problem for me, but one may contemplate it when deciding on size.

In regards to temperature wise, I have used my Recon Hoody from below zero (counting windchill) to the mid thirties with great performance. Normally, for any activity above 20 degrees Fahrenheit, I find myself wearing just a T-shirt under my Recon. I have worn a fleece or another PrimaLoft sweater and discovered it to be way to warm with anything more than a thin, breathable base layer. For strong winds and painfully colder temperatures, I wear a light fleece or a thicker base layer, which seems to do the trick.

For the shell, the Schoeller Dynamic is very water tight. My only concern so far is due to the Schoeller material being so breathable, I am concerned about melting snow, from released body heat, seeping its way through and “wetting out” the soft shell fabric. I have used the Recon in countless snowfalls, and have not experienced this problem, but because it isn’t a hardshell, I worry it may. I have visited Schoeller’s website and did some homework on the production of the NanoSphere and Dynamic technologies and am satisfied with their attention to detail. Only time will tell how long the life span of the DWR really is.

Due to the breathability of the Recon, I have noticed that it is not windproof. When the wind is strong, I can faintly feel it penetrate the Schoeller material and even the PrimaLoft. I am able to counter this by easily layering my hardshell over the Recon, without suffering comfort. I guess a jacket is either breathable or windproof, not both! I’m wondering if taped seems would send this jacket above $500 and make it out of reach for most people, including myself. Having the security of fully taped seems would be outstanding, but probably at a huge price.

I am very pleased with the placement and ease of use of all the zippers and pockets on the Recon. It’s made with two Napoleon pockets (love them!) on the chest and two hand warming pockets below. All outside accessible pockets are lined with a soft fleece and the zipper cords reflect light in the dark. There is a large sized mesh pocket on the left inside of the jacket. It is quite spacious and easily fits a 20 ounce bottle with plenty of room to spare.

As like everything else, nothing is perfect (or maybe just not to me!) I have a few gripes with the Recon, but nothing that would make me want to part ways with it...ever! I was not afforded the opportunity to try the Recon on prior to purchasing because of the lack of retailers in my area who distribute Westcomb products.

Unlike the pictures of the Recon posted on Westcomb.com, the interior of the jacket is bright white, not black. I don't agree with the chosen "white" interior color for this jacket, In fact, I hate it. The white interior does not compliment the black Schoeller exterior. I can foresee this becoming an issue with extended use in the elements. When I received the Recon in the mail, I immediately called Westcomb and spoke to a representative about the white interior. I was told that the black, redrock and cinder colors all are constructed with a white interior, so it doesn’t matter which color option is chosen. One may say, “Well it’s only the interior color”, but when not wearing the hood, there is a noticeable amount of white material that does not flow with the Recon’s persona.

Another issue with the Recon is the hood. The hood fits very well without a helmet (haven't tested it with a helmet yet) and I have enjoyed using it with all the snow / subzero temperatures we've received in New York State so far this winter. My main complaint is - If I'm working up a sweat & do not need the hood, there is no way to "stow" the hood. When the hood is down, it collects snow / moisture until I am prepared to use it again, resulting in my head becoming wet with melted snow once the hood is replaced back on my head. As stated above, the hood is also lined with a white interior, in which I'm not a fan of. The hood is insulated with PrimaLoft, so it worries me every time the hood collects snow because I don't want the insulation to absorb moisture, even though PrimaLoft supposedly insulates when wet. Since the hood is made to be worn with or without a helmet, it is constructed with a three point adjustable technology. I have found that the three cinch-cords do their job well and make the hood form to my head when worn with out a helmet. I have also noticed, due to their size, it is sometimes difficult to adjust or release the cinch-cord buttons while wearing the jacket. In my opinion, the cord release buttons attached to the hood are not very mitt or glove friendly and on a few occasions, it has taken extra time (aggravating) to get the hood to fit properly.

Before purchasing the Recon, I contemplated a winter soft shell by Patagonia. Both pieces are insulated with PrimaLoft and have attached hoods. I decided on Westcomb for a few reasons. First, the construction. I liked the fact the the Recon is a Schoeller soft shell with the NanoSphere DWR. I was also looking for a stand alone insulator and was impressed with the amount of PrimaLoft Westcomb uses in the Recon’s construction. After contacting PrimaLoft via Facebook.com, I was advised the Recon was stuffed with 170 g of PrimaLoft Sport vice 100 g of PrimaLoft Eco used to insulate the Patagonia jacket. I also liked the fact that Westcomb products are still manufactured in Canada. The Patagonia piece, according to Patagonia, is made in China. I would like to ask Westcomb to list on their website the fill weights of their down and PrimaLoft insulating pieces for easier temperature ranges and ratings. Just because I decided on the Westcomb Recon, I am still a proponent of the Patagonia line and do not shoulder any biases because they do not manufacturer domestically.

I am no means an expert review writer or manufacturer of outdoor apparel. I searched the internet for months hoping to find any literature on the Recon Hoody with no positive results. I hope this answers some questions / concerns about this piece and will be happy to comment on the review once I have put the Recon through the process of outdoor activities. All in all, I am very pleased with my decision to purchase the Westcomb Recon Hoody and will not hesitate to trust Westcomb for my next gear purchase. The Recon is a very warm, durable and thoughtfully crafted piece of winter or alpine gear that can serve as a go to winter jacket or a watertight soft shell layering piece for athletes who’s safety depends on quality outdoor orientated clothing.