Sport-specific jackets, I have found, are great for that sport. But oftentimes their price tags can’t be justified. You how much for that cross-country skiing-specific jacket?! That’s why I lean towards products that transcend species barriers. Like the Maloja OilinM hoodie ($229).
What I Liked
Weather-resistance
Humans were summiting 8,000-meter peaks and tending goats in January on the Steppes of Mongolia while wearing wool long before any lab-born textiles were even a remote idea in someone’s head. The Maloja OilinM Hoodie is constructed with heavy-weight Merino wool on the outside and was very effective at blocking cold gusty wind and repelling snow. When it did get wet it dried fast and still kept me warm.
Naturally Odor-resistant and Breathable
During hot conditions and/or strenuous exercise, we regulate our body temperature through perspiration. However, it isn’t the sweat itself that drives body odor (sweat has no odor). Body odor is a result of high levels of perspiration pooling on the skin. Warm, wet skin is an incubus of bacterial growth and it’s the bacteria that causes us to smell like a compost pile.
What does this have to do with wool? Wool readily absorbs moisture and keeps the skin surface drier to deter bacteria. The wool then binds the odors within its fibers where the bacterial can’t thrive. This process is also what allows you to wear the same wool garment for days and weeks before it needs to be washed. When you add all this up, it’s a trifecta of Mother Nature’s most efficient product for outdoor apparel.
Multipurpose Use
The Maloja OilinM Hoodie’s construction and style makes it stand out as both a mid-layer and an outer-layer, which increases its versatility. As a mid-layer, I wore it under a Patagonia Adze jacket while snowshoeing on a -10 degree day. As an outer layer, its long waist and cut made it perfect for fatbiking or commuter cycling on 15-degree days when worn over a heavy-weight Merino wool baselayer.
It’s also ideal for Nordic skiing (see photo below), especially when paired with the Maloja BraidaM Ski Touring Pants. Basically, if you have $229 to spend on an active Merino wool jacket, the Maloja OilinM meets the qualifications for fatbiking, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, travel and the emerging “sport” of athleisure (e.g. binge-watching season 4 of Better Call Saul). Even you yoga junkies will appreciate the BraidaM.
Warmth without Bulk
The coldest temperature I’ve worn the Maloja OilinM as an outer layer was about 5 degrees and I was cross-country skiing. On this particular day, I paired it with a Kora Shola yak wool baselayer. After I had been skiing for about fifteen minutes, I was comfortable. On days when it was twenty-or-so degrees, I paired it with a Brynje of Norway Lady Wool Thermo Mesh Long Sleeve shirt and the combination was comfortable. On extremely cold days—like below zero—its fitted style works best as a mid-layer. What’s nice about the cut of the Maloja OilinM Hoodie is that it works very well as a mid-layer under a heavier outerlayer when conditions call for it.
What Could be Better
It has two zippered side pockets that don’t hold anything larger than a set of keys. It would be nice to have a rear zippered pocket that is big enough to hold a smartphone or an iPod.
Final Thoughts
The Maloja OilinM Hoodie, with its highly-functional recycled polyester fleece on the inside and the superb moisture-wicking properties of Merino wool on the outside make this a jacket you can use for a variety of activities year-round.
