ProView – Sierra Designs Women’s Tepona Wind Jacket

I love competition.  I played competitive soccer my whole life through the D1 collegiate level.  After college, I started pursuing individual outdoor sports like mountain biking, rock climbing, and trail running.  These sports have allowed me to transition into a different form of competitiveness; an inner competitiveness against myself and my own performance.  I am always striving to be better, faster, and stronger at the activities I do.  One way that allows me to achieve these goals in the outdoors is by being lighter.  The Sierra Designs Tepona Wind Jacket has been an ultimate game changer for me and has enabled me to excel beyond my boundaries in all my favorite outdoor sports.

As a professional in the outdoors, while I’m working (and playing), I spend a majority of my time doing life outside.  I have lived in Park City for a year now and spent more than 100 days this summer trail running and mountain biking in my mountainous backyard playground.  

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The Sierra Designs Tepona Wind Jacket motivates me to train harder and get outside more because of how lightweight it is and how well it supports me on my everyday excursions.  Not only does the Tepona jacket accompany me on my daily adventures, but also for longer backpacking and bike trips as well.  I took a multi-day solo backpacking trip in the Uinta mountains and the Tepona jacket was an amazing addition to my layering system.  I was able to backpack with the jacket to stay warm in the wind without overheating while moving.  I also tackled the infamous “Whole Enchilada” bike trail in Moab, Utah.  For those of you unfamiliar with this route, the trail starts at over 10,000 ft in elevation and descends 8000 ft over the course of 35 miles.  With such varying climates, I needed a layering system that was not only warm but lightweight to carry for an all-day ride.  I was so thankful to have had the Tepona Wind Jacket especially for the high elevation, early morning start.  The jacket was perfect for keeping me warm on the climb and on the downhill sections. 

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In the near future, I am planning to continue to use the Tepona wind jacket for warmer backcountry snowboard tours and winter trail running. 

Fit/Comfort 

The best and most accurate way to describe the Tepona Wind Jacket is comfortable.  Minutes into running and biking in the jacket and I completely forget I am even wearing it!  It is so incredibly lightweight but still functions well in chilly and windy conditions.  I love the elastic cuffs on the arms so the sleeves stay in place during high movement activities.

Look/Style

I got the Sierra Designs Tepona Wind Jacket in the “ice blue” color and it is incredibly unique and striking.  When I first wore the Tepona jacket running and biking with my friends, almost every single one of them commented on the jacket complementing the unique color.  They proceeded to ask more follow up questions about the jacket because of the way it appeared to be lightweight and packable.  I received the women’s large size and it is roomy enough to fit a long sleeve shirt or sun hoodie underneath.  This was an ideal layering system while backpacking in the Uinta mountains due to the sunny, but still windy/chilly conditions.  

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Features

I was surprised by the extensive features of the Sierra Designs wind jacket due to its simplistic first impression.  I appreciate the 15D nylon ripstop fabric that makes the jacket not only durable but also lightweight and impermeable to the wind.  The hood and waistband adjust to make the perfect fit.  The elastic cuffs were perfect for keeping the wind out on fast descends on mountain bike rides.  The best part of this jacket is that it stuffs down small into the chest pocket, which makes it convenient to bring along for every adventure.  I always mountain bike and bike with a small hydration vest and the Tepona fits perfectly stuffed on the outside in the elastic cords.

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Weight/Packability

The most impressive aspect of the Tepona Wind Jacket is that it is extremely lightweight and packable.  The entire jacket packs into the zippered chest pocket and ends up being about the size of a deck of cards.  This is an incredibly necessary feature for long runs and bike rides, in addition to lightweight backpacking trips.  Even on days where I did not think I would need an extra layer on a run or bike ride, I would still bring the Tepona jacket because it was not burdensome to carry.

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Function/Performance

The Sierra Designs Tepona Wind Jacket fully met the product description I read online. Before receiving the jacket the website mentioned its functional and lightweight design.  This wind jacket has accompanied me on everyday adventures in addition to long, all-day excursions.  Do not be fooled by the simplistic appearance of the wind jacket; the Tepona is packed full of features that allow it to perform in a variety of activities.

Durability/Construction

When it comes to gear, durability is one of the most important aspects to me because as an athlete and adventurer I need to know that my gear will support me during the most extreme endeavors and last me for years to come.  The Tepona wind jacket is constructed with 15D ripstop nylon fabric that gives the jacket its durable nature and windproof capability.  I have worn this jacket on countless bike rides and this jacket withstood abrasion from trees and bushes alongside the trail at high speeds.

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Before You Buy

If you’re considering buying this product know that this jacket is meant to be a very lightweight layer.  Do not fully rely on this jacket if there is a chance of precipitation or if temps are expected to be quite cold.  This jacket is perfect for day use on windy/chilly days or for adding to your layering system for backpacking, mountain biking, ski touring, rock climbing, and trail running.

The Final Word

I truly love all of the extensive features of this jacket: the adjustable hood and waist, packable/lightweight design, the durable and windproof nylon fabric, and the elastic cuffs.  My favorite feature by far is that the entire jacket packs down into the front chest zippered pocket.  The Tepona can accompany me on all my adventures without weighing me down or being bulky and burdensome.   

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I also love how durable the fabric is and was honestly surprised by how well it withstood slashing against trees and bushes beside the trail while mountain biking here in Park City.  I really can’t think of any negative qualities of the Tepona Wind Jacket.  An area of improvement might be adding two more pockets in the front for added storage and a wider range of color options would also be nice.  I would honestly give the Sierra Designs Tepona wind jacket a 5-star rating.  I am looking forward to allowing Sierra Designs’ gear to support me on many more adventures to come.  

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