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ProView – GoLite ReFill Eco100 Jacket

The shoulder season (aka mud season) in the cascade mountains of Washington and Oregon is hard to pack for. Layers have to be able to match a wide range of temperatures and continue to perform while wet. The GoLite ReFill Eco 100 jacket fit the bill so well that it became my go-to puffy jacket for nearly all activities from ice climbing to alpine climbing and cold belays on rock. 

GoLite ReFill Eco100 Jacket

Product Description: The epitome of earth-friendliness. Wear the ReFill Eco100 and you'll feel great knowing you've prevented 28 plastic bottles from ending up in our oceans or a landfill. The ReFill Eco100 features signature GoLite ReGreen fabric utilizing Da.Ai collected and recycled green bottles, ensuring that all are true post-consumer waste. Using the green bottles eliminates the need for dying, further reducing the ecological footprint. Colored plastic bottles are less desirable and often go unrecycled into landfills. The Jacket also features Primaloft® Silver Eco Fill – 100gm in the body and 60GM in the sleeves and an eco-DWR finish for sustainable protection in variable weather conditions.

Offer price: MSRP: $250.00

  • Quality
    (5)
  • Features
    (4)
  • Fit
    (5)
  • Durability
    (5)
  • Friendliness to the Earth
    (5)

Summary

The GoLite ReFill 100 Eco is an athletic fitting and trustworthy insulating jacket for all conditions that will keep you warm even when wet and is made of recycled material.

Overall
4.8

Pros

  • All-weather warmth even when wet
  • Packable
  • Eco-friendly
  • Durable

Cons

  • No pockets on the inside for gloves

Performance

This jacket was perfect for cold wet belays while ice climbing and guiding on the north side of Rainier, Mt. Baker, and in Silverton, Colorado. As a guide and wilderness medicine instructor I’m lucky enough to spend a lot of time outside in bad weather and a lot of time belaying on cold icy ledges or standing around while teaching. It’s important to have a jacket that will keep me warm even in poor conditions, is easy to pull on quickly over other layers and gloves, and packs down into a reasonable stuff sack for the back of the harness or top of the pack. My favorite feature was the perfectly sized wrist cuffs that fit over any glove size without adjustment and kept the cold air, snow, and dripping ice out. 

golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com

Durability

At first glance, I was worried about the durability of this jacket. It’s really light! However, I spent 42 days in it and it held up to anything I threw at it. It will still bead water in light rain or heavy snow, the stitching is intact, the zippers work perfectly, and I haven’t noticed any pilling. 

golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com
golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com

Fit/Comfort

I’m on the more stocky side for most climbers at 5’9” and 190lbs with a 44” chest and 33” waist. A size large fit me well and didn’t restrict any climbing movements on rock or ice. It was big enough to pull on over a shell and mid-layer and the hood fits over a climbing helmet without any trouble. 

Features

The synthetic insulation made for anxiety-free warmth in poor weather. I wish there were pockets on the inside for gloves. The zippered side pockets are big enough for hands and snacks. There is a reflective stripe down the side and a drawstring waist. 

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Weight/Packability

This jacket feels light. Mine weighed in at just under 400g. It also packed down into a small enough stuff sack that I could clip it to the back of my harness and not notice it. 

Function/Performance

This coat became my go-to insulating layer in the mountains. I didn’t have to worry about the weather affecting its performance thanks to the synthetic insulation. It kept me warm down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit while ice climbing and survived 40 degrees and raining in the cascades. 

golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com

Durability/Construction

The ReFill Eco100 Jacket is made from 100% recycled plastic and polyester. It has 100g fill in the body and 60g fill in the sleeves. I hope more companies follow GoLite’s lead on manufacturing high-quality gear from recycled components. 

golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com

Room for improvement

Adding pockets on the inside of this jacket to rewarm gloves between pitches would make it the perfect synthetic puffy. 

The Final Word

This is a phenomenal jacket that I’ll continue to use as my primary puffy for cold and wet activities in the mountains. GoLite’s emphasis on using recycled materials makes it easy to feel good about buying it and the performance in all weather conditions means it will live in my pack for the foreseeable future. 

Shop the GoLite ReFill Eco100 Jacket on Outdoor Prolink. Not a member? Apply today!

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About the Gear Tester

Outdoor Prolink Pro
golite-refill-eco1000-jacket-review-dirtbagdreams.com
Justin Grisham
Emergency Medicine Physician and Climbing Guide

Justin is an emergency medicine physician and a climbing guide. He has a Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) and has earned the prestigious Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM) from the UIAA. He teaches wilderness medicine and high angle rescue techniques for the US Military and Wilderness Medical Society and guides rock climbing, skiing, and ice climbing in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Previously he was a climbing ranger with the National Park Service and the Chief Medical Officer and Squad leader with the Salt Lake County Search and Rescue team. He can be found sipping on coffee between pitches of hero ice and on Instagram at @slabsandskittles

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