Gear Review -- Nau Go-More-Pile Jacket

The Gear Junkie: Nau Go-More-Pile Jacket
By STEPHEN REGENOLD

The Go-More-Pile jacket from Nau Inc. ($79.50, www.nau.com) rides an increasingly popular aesthetic of clean design and subtle detail that works to similar effect in an outdoors or an urban setting.

But good looks don’t mean a skimping on performance. I’ve had this jacket for two months, and have tested it in temps ranging from 40 degrees to 10-below zero. It is exceedingly warm, yet it breathes nicely during a hike or ski.

The Go-More works well alone over base layers or as part of a weather-proof shell system, the Nau sitting underneath a waterproof-breathable Gore-Tex or eVent jacket to function as the primary insulator of your core.

My favorite feature, and one that sets the Go-More apart, is its thick, furry interior, which incorporates long-fiber faux fur that is exceptionally warm and cozy. It’s kind of like gorilla fur, dark and thick, though better smelling.

The jacket’s design is subtle, even plain-looking from far off, but up close you’ll notice nice touches like a soft-shell collar and water resistant pockets. The lines are clean, and the jacket fits well.

Extra brownie points: The fabric source for this model is the USA, and the coat is made in Canada. Also, the jacket is made of a Polartec Thermal Pro fabric that’s 100 percent recycled polyester, always a feel-good feature.

Gripes? An inside pocket would be nice. There’s little water repellency, which is a trade-off for the jacket’s sweat-wicking capability.

Overall, I had few issues with this mid-weight jacket. It’s a simple design but it does what it needs to do, plus it’s among the warmest jackets for its weight that I’ve ever put on.

(Stephen Regenold writes The Gear Junkie column for eleven U.S. newspapers; see www.THEGEARJUNKIE.com for video gear reviews, a daily blog, and an archive of Regenold’s work.)