If you know of Melanzana, you know how difficult it is to get your hands on one of their coveted Micro Grid Hoodies. It’s a versatile piece that’s great for climbing, backpacking, skiing, lounging, and more. Their products are only available at their headquarters in Leadville, by appointment. With resale prices of Melanzana hoodies going for over twice of their retail cost, it’s not economical to buy secondhand. If you’ve always wanted to pick up a Melly (it’s what the cool kids say), here’s a list of Melanzana alternatives to tide you over, because nobody should be without this ultra cozy, technical fleece.
midlayer
For Spring 2019, Arc’teryx launched the much awaited (by me) Delta LT Hoody. I’ve been dreaming of the hooded version for years, since I first got the Delta LT Jacket. Here’s how the Arc’teryx Delta LT Hoody held up for the last year.
Revamped for Spring 2020 is the Arc’teryx Nuclei FL Jacket. I’m a die-hard Atom LT hoody fan, which is a burly workhorse of a jacket. I managed to get my hands on an early sample of the Nuclei FL late last summer, so we’ve been playing together for the last 6 months. Here’s how the Arc’teryx Nuclei FL Jacket fared.
In 2015, Outdoor Research introduced the Uberlayer Hoody to its line up of puffies. To this day, it’s still one of the pieces that I reach for the most. Last spring, the Ascendant Hoody popped onto the line-up, as the Uberlayer’s lightweight little sister.
How does it compare?