Rays of sun break across the mountains gently rousing you from another night of sleep at base camp. All that remains from the camp fire is cinder and ash as the brisk morning air fills your lungs. Shedding the sleep from your eyes you reach for the Hi-Tec Crack of Dawn Hoodie letting the warm goodness of 700 fill down insulation warm your day.
Whether you’re hanging out at the summit, or tavern hopping in Lake Tahoe, the down insulation fights off the cold while the durable poly ripstop shell toughs out the alpine environment around you.
The 700-fill down provides a whisper-weight jacket with a warmth-to-weight ratio that is better than any synthetic insulating material. Unique quilting details provide a flattering fit that doesn’t feel or look boxy. So you can venture out on those frozen mornings knowing you’ll stay warm without being mistaken for Frosty the Snowman’s long lost cousin.
Cozy and warm solo, the Crack of Dawn Hoodie is large enough to easily accommodate a sweater underneath so the mountains are going to have to work a little harder if they want to send you home in a shivering mess. And, to help keep you warm and keep the snow out, the jacket has velcro cuffs and one-handed draw cords at waist and hem.
Hi-Tec has also included our favorite reverse-coil zippers with contoured rubberized zipper pulls making them easy to grab even when your digits are frozen to the bone.
Speaking of frozen digits, those frozen fingers quickly become a thing of the past once you slip your hands into the soft fleece-lined pockets. And, thanks to a large chest pocket that is big enough to swallow your extra goodies, you don’t need to decide whether to keep your hands warm or your goodies secure.
To finish off an already stellar jacket, The Crack of Dawn Hoodie, like all the new Hi-Tec Down jackets features a high cire’ (high glaze) finish. So not only will this jacket keep your core body temperature up, it will be sure to catch the eye of your fellow outdoor enthusiasts.
Room for Improvement…
The first point is more of a parliamentary point of information rather than a criticism. The Crack of Dawn Hoodie does run slightly large. While it’s always nice to have a little more jacket to shelter you from Mother Nature’s cold streak, it is worth noting that the size large easily accommodated our 6’4” field tester fitting more like a large tall.
In terms of actual critiques, we’d like to see future iterations include a built-in stuff sack to help the jacket disappear into our pack when on the go. Lastly, know that from time to time you’re jacket will shed some of the fill insulation which means you’ll have to pluck a few feathers.
Bottom Line…
If you’re assaulting the South Pole then this jacket won’t quite fit the bill. However, if your winter weather routine includes shoveling driveways, walking down wind-tunnel city streets or simply layering for winter adventures, the Crack of Dawn Hoodie from Hi-Tec gives you plenty of cozy down insulation at a price that will make the competition shiver.
Now onto the first Gumption Gear giveaway!
Did we mention the give-a-way?…
That’s right, thanks to the incredible people at Hi-Tec, we have one Crack of Dawn Hoodie to give away!
Here’s the rules of the game:
Every reader has three methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, or three for up to a total of 3 entries!!!
Methods of entry:
1. Leave a comment about our review of the Hi-Tec Break of Dawn Hoodie or about Hi-Tec jackets. Which, if any, pair of Hi-Tec jackets do you own? What would you do with your new Crack of Dawn Hoodie?
2. Follow @GumptionGear and @HiTecUSA on Twitter and tweet the following:
Enter to win a new @HiTecUSA Crack of Dawn Hoodie from @GumptionGear: http://bit.ly/s7WCkv #InspiredByLife #Gumption
Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet!
3. Join the Hi-Tec and Gumption Gear Communities on Facebook for more conversation, additional product information and general outdoors goodness. Come back and leave a separate comment letting us know you’ve done so!
We will select a winner at random. Contest entries must be received by Friday, December 23 at 10 am pacific time. Entries received after that will not be counted.
Good luck and thank you for reading Gumption Gear Reviews.