The North Face Super Zephyrus Hoodie

The North Face’s Super Zephyrus hoodie is a technical mid-layer that provides a remarkable amount of warmth in a comfortable, lightweight and packable jacket. It’s become one of this season’s go-to’s for just about everything.

The Super Zephyrus features a hybrid construction of 100% ripstop nylon body with 40g PrimaLoft insulation and a polyurethane “kiss coat.” The side panels and hood are Polartec Power Stretch fabric, enhancing the jacket’s comfort, flexibility and breathability.

The ergonomic fit of the Super Zephyrus hoodie offers excellent mobility, enhanced by the flexible Plolartec fabric in the sides and hood. The snug hood and thumb loops are a nice touch to keep the elements out and the warmth in. In all, TNF’s Zephyrus is well designed to offer maximum warmth in a light and effective package.

Features:

-       Body fabric: 20D 40 g/m² (1.2 oz/yd²) 100% nylon ripstop with polyurethane (PU) kiss coat
-       Side Panels, Mid Hood and Partial Hem: Polartec® Power Stretch® / Insulation: 40 g PrimaLoft® One
-       Wind permeability rated at 2 CFM (0 CFM is 100% windproof)
-       Attached, partially insulated, bound hood
-       Reverse-coil zips
-       Two alpine pockets
-       Bound cuffs with thumb loops

Verdict:

We are really impressed by the versatility of The North Face’s Super Zephyrus hoodie. At first we were unsure exactly where it fit into the traditional base-mid layer-shell-puffy equation. However, after using the Zephyrus it became clear the hoodie’s exceptional warmth allowed us to do away with the puffy outer layer for all but the coldest days, freeing up weight and space in our pack. With only a base layer, the Zypher and a shell (in this case the exceptional TNF Enzo jacket), we were ready to shred the hill in comfort, lap side stashes and even enjoy longer day tours.

Without a shell the Zephyrus didn’t have the best wind protection, but it wasn’t bad either. On warmer days it was a bit much to hike in, but it was great for walking when the temp dropped below -10. While the Zephyrus wouldn’t likely replace a traditional schoeller-type mid-layer, it is an excellent cold weather compliment to anyone’s layering system.
The Zephyrus isn’t waterproof but it does the trick in temps below freezing. Should it get wet, the light nylon dries quickly.

The design details, while seemingly simple, are well thought out. It features two roomy side “alpine” pockets and one inside breast “media” pocket – simple, but effective. All pockets and the front zipper are “reverse coil,” providing additional protection from wind.

The snug-fitting hood fits nicely over a touque but not a helmet – not that a mid layer should have a huge hood. The hybrid hood with Polartech and Primaloft insulation is remarkably warm and comfortable. Another nice feature are the thumb loops to seal the wrists, prevent sleeve creep and provide additional hand insulation – quite welcome on cold, blustery days.

The North Face’s Super Zephyrus hoodie is an excellent cold weather base layer or as a mid-layer for slack tours off the hill, almost eliminating the need for an additional puffy jacket on all but the coldest days. It’s so comfortable, in fact, that it’s also been used for bumming around town as much as on the slopes. The construction of the jacket is excellent and has survived a full season with nary a tear or loose seam.

Hands down, the Zephyrus is a well-built, well-designed piece of technical outerwear that has become an integrated part of our layering system.

SPECS:

Price: $199 USD
Size: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL
Colours: Sublime Green, Ultramarine Blue and TNF Black
Weight: 740 g / 26.10 oz

PROS:

-       Exceptionally warm for a mid-layer
-       Stretch panels offer good mobility
-       Packable
-       Light
-       Comfortable
-       Quality construction

CONS:

-       Too much for warmer days (more an observation)
-       A bit pricy for a mid-layer, but it’s more than your average mid-layer

Rating: 9/10

Fit                    2/2
Packability        2/2
Warmth             1.5/2
Features            2/2
Quality / Price   1.5/2

This is only our opinion. Do you disagree? Did we miss something? Are we totally out to lunch? Join the discussion in the forums here, and let us know what you think. People like/dislike gear for different reasons so chime in and we'll get a well-rounded evaluation.

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