Sugoi Helium Jacket

I was sent this jacket a long time ago to review. But the weather conditions never really presented themselves to be able to actually test it out. Here in NC, it went from blistering heat to winter weather almost instantly. But lately it has been quite nice out….perfect weather for a light jacket!

This is what Sugoi has to say about the jacket:

“Featuring impressive coverage and protection, our Helium Jacket weighs in less than 100 grams (3 oz.). Lighter than air, these jackets are both water and wind resistant, and have a packable function. This breathable Helium Jacket is perforated for ventilation, has a reflective element, and a signature zip pocket for functionality.”

First thing I LOVE about this jacket it its weight….or lack thereof. As implied by its name “helium”, it is literally as light as helium…..virtually weightless. It feels like what I would imagine parachute material to feel like. Very light and airy. It is also the perfect jacket to take with you on vacation. It wads up into a teeny tiny little ball and can easily be stuffed into a small bag, and it doesn’t wrinkle.

For as light and airy as it is, it is surprisingly warm. I would probably be able to wear this jacket up into the low 60s, but I am a very warm natured person and shed layers a lot earlier than most. I have ran in it on two 50ish degree days and it worked perfectly. It also says its water resistant, I didn’t get to test out this quality, but wonder how water resistant it is.

I am a tall gal, and often worry about sleeve length. I am happy to report that this jacket gives me ample length for my gorilla arms. The jacket allowed for my arms to swing freely without pulling feeling at any point. I love the fit of it in general. It is fitted without being tight and quite flattering, and I love that the back is a little longer. It fits pretty true to size, I wear a small to medium and was given a medium….fits perfectly.

There are some things I don’t like about the jacket though. I think it is meant to wear a long sleeve shirt under it because if any sweaty body part comes in contact with the fabric it kind of sticks to you, which I found uncomfortable. I wore it with a sleeveless shirt underneath and it stuck to my pits pretty badly, ICK. I also wish it had better pockets. It does have a pocket in the back, kind of on the side/flank area, but no pockets in the traditional areas.

Overall, I REALLY like this jacket and would recommend it. Visit Sugoi to check it out.

I was provided this product for free to test, no other compensation was received. This review is entirely my own opinion…..yada, yada, yada and all that good stuff.

DryMax Socks

Did I mention how nice it is to have connections???? A tri buddy of mine has an online sports apparel company called Racing Toes. You may remember the logo on butt of my tri suit (not to be confused with camel toes EMZ!)

Anywho, they sent me some sweet trail running socks to try and review. I received the DryMax Maximum Protection and the Lite Trail Running socks.

Lite Mini Crew

Maximum Protection 1/4 crew

These bad boys were meant specifically for trail running. They have a few key components specific to trail running:

~Debris prevention~They intentionally left out the “vents” found in a lot of other socks to help prevent debris getting into the socks. There is also a special shoe seal around the ankle area to help keep debris from entering the top of the socks.

~Moisture control~Wetness is always a concern for trail runners. We splash through creeks on a regular basis, sometimes by choice sometimes by necessity. And can work up a serious case of swamp foot by the end of a long trail run. These socks are made with a fancy schmansy “Dual Layer Moisture Elimination System” to help remove excess sweat, creek water, and pond scum. ~Extra protection~These socks are densely padded but not thickly padded. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but just keep reading. Think extra protection, without the bulk.

I wore the Lite Trail Running socks this past weekend and I was a very happy camper. I wore them around the house for a bit just to make sure they fit my foot well. They felt just like any other sock, I honestly didn’t expect to feel any difference between these socks and any other sock. But once I put my shoes on, I could tell an immediate difference. I could feel the “dense” padding. They felt fluffy and comforting, just like little bunny slippers on my feet (how sweet!) With a sock this “fluffy”, I would normally expect to feel like my foot was crammed into my shoes, but these socks don’t take up the extra room that a THICK padded sock does. Weird….it almost defies the laws of physics! I also worry a fair amount about the toe seams of socks. If a seam is too pronounced (or there at all in some socks) it gets bunched up around my toes creating a blister friendly environment. Happy to say, these flat seams do not intertwine with my toes at all…..no blistered toes. As for moisture control, I did not encounter any bodies of water during my run, but they do their job moving sweat. I have mondo sweaty feet (ewwww!) It was a warm day out, and my feet were toasty in them, but not overly toasty. I would have expected my feet to be dripping with sweat, but they were bone dry after my run. I do wonder how they will fare in the sweltering NC summers. These may be reserved for sub-70ish degree runs. But these will now be my go-to socks for cold runs. Also happy to report that the anti debris system does indeed keep the trail trash out of my shoes. Basically, these socks ROCK!

Happy dance, for happy feet!

So hop on over to Racing Toes and pick up some socks, peruse the rest of their site, they have some pretty cool things. And for you NC locals, check out the link to the Lincolnton Biathlon on their website while you’re at it, I will be there….you should too! Thanks again Kim!!!!!