Known as a behemoth in the world of sports, Under Armour has branched aggressively into the outdoors in recent years. The company now produces full lines of apparel and outerwear for hunting, fishing, surfing, skiing, and snowboarding.
This month, I put a jacket from the brand to a test. As a part of a surprisingly large Ski/Snowboard collection, the brand’s Werewolf Jacket is a handsome piece that performed well. It is sold at a reasonable $185.
For that price you get a “hybrid” softshell jacket that works as do-all outerwear for anyone who skis or boards hard. Its hybrid designation comes from a design that melds a stretchy softshell material on the arms and sides along with a quilted vest of PrimaLoft insulation around the core.
The jacket — full name: Men’s UA Storm ColdGear Infrared Werewolf — is fairly breathable, wind-proof, and warm enough for anything I encountered on the slopes.
That said, this is a fairly thin jacket. Don’t expect mega warmth alone, but like any jacket of this type simply add layers underneath on colder days.
Its simple, thin hood has a fleecy interior and fits over a hat (or under a helmet) to give another layer of warmth. The hood has no adjustments, however, just a ribbon of elastic piping around the face.
A unique touch, the company includes its MagZip zipper. This new kind of closure puts a magnet and tiny milled hooks into the zipper base. They “catch” together when in close proximity, and they allow a user to zip-up with gloves on (or even one-handed with some practice).
A note on sizing: Usually with jacket brands I take a size large, but the Werewolf fit my 6’1’‘, 180-pound frame about perfectly in a size medium. The arm length was right on, and the body fit was good with two thin layers.
Overall, I liked the look and the performance of the Werewolf. It is a solid all-around softshell at a fair price from this big brand.
