Consistent with all snowgrrl reviews of products tested, this Salewa Polartec Hoody review states my honest opinion about this product received at no charge from Salewa.

PEDROC POLARTEC® ALPHA® – WOMEN’S HOODY

Reviewed by “QUICK CHICK”, Tracie Max Sachs

Tracie is a 5 time World Cup Champion in Speed Skiing. She is the American Women’s record holder, and 4th fastest woman in the history of skiing. She is currently a ski instructor at the Swiss Ski School of Verbier.

How Salewa describes the PEDROC POLARTEC® ALPHA® – WOMEN’S HOODY:

• wind-resistant
• breathable technical women’s sweatshirt
• built according to the SALEWA body mapping system, with different materials at different body parts
• hybrid sweatshirtused as mid or outer layer.
• Windbreaker shell to block the wind
• Polartec® Alpha® inserts offer active temperature-regulating insulation
• Polartec® Power Grid™ inserts at the collar, sleeves and sides, bottom and back for lightweight moisture management.
• “so comfortable you won’t want to take it off.”

Initial reaction?

This is not your average hoody. The Salewa Polartec Hoody is a really technical sport shirt with a hood.  It has no correlation to your typical gym hoody that you’ve worn for the last 10 years. The Pedroc Polartec Alpha Women’s Hoody is a truly technical piece of equipment that can be used to enhance your outdoor experience. It features two front zip pockets.  I found them both very practical.  One pocket I used for my phone and the other for some treats for my adventure buddy Twinkie.

Where was it tested?

Testing the polartec hoody in Verbier in the Swiss Alps was great fun.  Jogging with my dog gave me the perfect opportunity to give this sporty hoody a run for the money. Because it is light weight and can be used as either a mid layer or an outer layer, I wore a good base layer underneath.  On my way up the mountain I wore a down jacket to keep me warm in the 32 degree (0  degree celsius) weather. It was sunny but cold and as soon as I started my run with Twinkie, I took off my down coat.

How did it perform?

While running, I felt completely comfortable. This shirt has a nice ease of movement.  It allows the wearer flexibility, stretch, and complete mobility. It has breathable light weight fleece sections in all the right places.  At first, I was concerned my arms would get cold because the wind tech material doesn’t go all the way down the sleeves.  My arms actually felt great, untouched by the cold.  The middle of the back also has a more breathable layer which allows heat to escape while exerting energy. I am a size small and this shirt fits true to size.  It has an athletic shape and suited my athletic, yet petite body perfectly.

Room for Improvement?

One improvement I thought Salewa could make would be thumb holes in a bit longer sleeve. Perhaps they could add a little hand mitt at the end of the sleeve to cover your hands.  This would alleviate the need for gloves or mittens.

Recommendations?

I highly recommend the Salewa Pedroc Polartec Alpha Women’s Hoody.  The manufacturers suggested retail price of 180 euros may seem high. After thorough inspection and testing I think the price is fair and comparable to other technical gear in the same category of clothing.  The quality, the stitching, the zips, the numerous seams it requires to put together a technical shirt like this, merit the higher price tag.  This is a piece of equipment you soon won’t want to go without on any athletic adventure.  When coupled with the correct under and over layers it can be a really versatile top.