A Look at the La Sportiva Alpine Guide Primaloft Hoody

Designed for alpine and mountaineering objectives, the La Sportiva Alpine Guide Primaloft Hoody is a surprisingly versatile jacket. Warm, yet lightweight and breathable, the hoody weighs in at only 430 grams for a men’s medium and 350 grams for a women’s medium. It’s constructed with 100% recycled polyamide and polyester fabric and synthetic Primaloft Gold recycled polyester insulation.

The jacket is made with climbing in mind, offering excellent range and freedom of movement, especially in an arms-overhead position. It’s highly adjustable, with elastic drawstrings around the waistline, neck, and upper hood, as well as stretchy cuffs around the wrists. There’s also an elastic band on the underside of the hood to help it catch and stay in place on a helmet. Soft fabric is used around the neckline to prevent irritation.

The Alpine Guide is both windproof and water resistant. The jacket uses Vaopvent technology, incorporating a three-layer material construction for combined breathability and warmth. The back panel of the jacket is covered with venting holes, perfect for releasing excess heat when carrying a backpack. The external face fabric features Pertex Quantum technology, providing windproof properties while still being lightweight.

The hoody comes in both men’s and women’s fits. The men’s comes in three colour palettes: dark blue, red/blue, and black/lime. The women’s come in two colour options: blue/red and plum/white. The hoody features four pockets: two front hand pockets, one chest pocket, and one inner compression pocket for larger items. The jacket is very supple and easily squished down into a small pack when not in use.

While the Alpine Guide Primaloft Hoody is designed with alpine and mountaineering objectives in mind, the jacket has a much wider range of uses. It feel perfectly at home ski touring, ice climbing, rock climbing single and multi-pitches in cold conditions, and simply as a layer to help you stay warm at the crag. When paired with other layers, the jacket can be used in the mountains in essentially any season. It can be used as an outer layer in non-rainy conditions in warmer seasons. With a base layer and shell, it makes for a great mid-layer. The tapered arm cuffs and slim profile of the jacket allow it to fit comfortably under a shell or larger puffy layer.