Gear Reviews
GEAR REVIEW: North Face Apex Zip Shirt Jacket
This thing is so friggin’ cool. Or maybe, it’s so friggin’ warm. Or, so friggin’ dry.
I don’t know yet. I do know that I love The North Face Apex Zip Shirt Jacket.
What I Like
I’ve had this piece of gear for a year now and it’s been with me on all sorts of adventures: as a base layer, insulating layer, or even as an ultralight shell. While one wouldn’t think of our Las Vegas winters as anything near a Minnesota winter, we do get below freezing at night and it will typically be in the mid-40s for our colder daytime temps. This shell has performed admirably in those conditions.
The DWR-coated Apex Aerobic fabric kept me remarkably dry throughout most of the Soulstice 12-mile mountain trail run last October (click here to read the race report). That day saw temps hovering around 38 with a continual drizzle throughout the race. It wasn’t until I got hammered with a steady rain on the last stretch of the run that the jacket succumbed to the precipitation.
The quite breathable Apex Zip Shirt Jacket is rated to 10 CFM, the number of cubic feet of air that can pass through one square foot of fabric in one minute at a pressure differential equal to approximately 30 m.p.h. To put that number in perspective, a totally windproof garment rates a 0, most wearers would feel a garment was windproof if it was rated 1-10, and your typical fleece pullover rates 200.
As pullover, it’s a no-fuss-no-muss durable garment with elastic cuffs and a center front zipper that drops down to just shy of the halfway point to allow for a plethora of venting options when things start to warm up. Plus, the soft brushed lining and the ultra-thin construction (it weighs only 291 grams) make it quite comfortable when you’re on the move.
What I Don’t Like
The jacket features one Napoleon-like pocket on the chest. That’s it. Although it’s a decent size, I don’t like being limited to one storage area for gloves, hat, gels, etc. when I’m out in snow country.
There’s no cinch cord on the bottom. With my other high performance wear, I like to be able to control ventilation with bottom cinch cords. With some imagination, you can also you the cinch cord to turn the entire jacket into a pouch.
Summary
If you’re looking for a well-priced, durable and if I must say so, rather stylish multi-use wind resistant shell/base layer Uber garment, you can’t go wrong with this jacket. In addition to the rather limited men’s color palette, the women’s Apex Zip Shirt features a brighter color palette.
Discussion
2 comments for “GEAR REVIEW: North Face Apex Zip Shirt Jacket”
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my favourite jacket for snowshoeing is the north face apex bionic - it breathes! it’s waterproof! it’s windproof! and — it’s wicking! I feel moisture collecting on the outside as I sweat! it’s made of the apex fabric and it’s a little heavier duty than the shirt. It’s no good for just “hanging out” but it’s great for activity.
I’d guess the shirt plus a base layer (or two) would be enough for Mt. Taylor. Good choice!
I’m finding the Apex fabric to be pretty sweet. Very breathable and durable so far. Seems to be good for a wide temperature range as well depending on how well you layer. I was actually overdressed for Mt. Taylor last year. I could have done with just the North Face garment as my outer layer.