Sierra Designs Gnar Down Jacket

by: Dave D’Abate

The Sierra Designs Gnar jacket could be considered more of a down sweater but with its 800-fill down insulation, it will keep you warmer than heavier, lower fill power jackets. For a minimalist, ultralight jacket, the Gnar also packs in a few features that sets it apart from other similar puffies. The Gnar jacket, according to Sierra Designs, is; The perfect go-to jacket for chilly Fall weather, this versatile 800 fill goose down jacket provides the comfort of down insulation. A great layering piece this stylish jacket is also comfortable just cruising around town. The Gnar jacket fits very well and is comfortable to wear to the point of not wanting to take it off.

The Gnar jacket is incredibly light weight at a minuscule 11 ounces and it packs down into the built-in interior stuff pocket also creating a useful camp pillow. The outer shell is made of a durable Elevation tm ripstop nylon that holds up very well to minor abrasions and backpack wear. The high draft collar is roomy enough to allow for easy and comfortable layering of a high collared fleece or under layer of your choice. Another great addition to the Gnar are thumb loops that assist when layering under a shell and for those cold mornings where you don’t have your gloves close by.

There are plenty of pockets on the Gnar jacket with accommodating storage for the variety of items you might carry with you on an outing, around town, or just around the house when the thermostat is set to freezing. The interior mesh stuff pocket works great thanks to the larger than normal size and the inside of the front pockets is a sleeve large enough for goggles. I found myself using the bottom hem drawcord quite a bit no matter where I was. The single-cinch elastic pull cord seals out any possible draft very well. Combine that with the high, turtling collar and you’ll find yourself in your own climate of comfort. The addition of a small, low-profile interior storm flap along the main zipper also stops any wind from penetrating your climate of comfort.

The only qualms I have with the Gnar are the jacket’s zipper pulls and the bottom hem drawcord. The zipper pulls are low-profile, yes, but I think they are just a bit too small. They are tough to grab with bare fingers but factor wearing gloves into the equation and it becomes far more difficult than it needs to be. Adding a loop of string would make a difference. The drawcord, when pulled tight, tends to hang out of the bottom of the jacket. You can kind of tuck it up inside the hem of the jacket if you pulled it tight enough but I feel the existing stay loop inside could have some form of tension slider beyond the loop to help.

Overall, and criticism aside, the Gnar down jacket is a superb piece that may soon find itself in your personal gear closet. If you are looking for an outstanding insulation piece that can double as a fully fledged down coat, this is the jacket you’ve been looking for. Also, I’m not sure why, but I am a huge fan of the green colored interior on the black version. The color scheme just works well and you feel good wearing something that looks this stylish whether you’re on the mountain or just around town.