Article by Sam Winebaum
Soar Operating Nano Jacket ($480)
Introduction
The Nano Jacket is the very best performing and highest priced operating jacket I’ve ever examined.
No large shock actually as Soar spares no effort (or expense) in specifying or having made the very best high quality materials to do the job. And so shock both as I additionally examined their path race package developed in a collaboration with Altra with the Path Race quick tights with Rheon assistive strips and glorious and significant pocketing is now my go to for all races (RTR Overview). In the meantime our Europe contributor marathoners all race within the well-known Soar Race Vest (RTR Overview).
So I used to be thrilled when Soar provided to ship me the Nano and their Marathon Brief (too wintrery to check it but) simply as our New England climate went “tremendous variable” with heat windy and typically moist days, chilly rain, snow, and windy properly properly beneath freezing runs alongside the coast.
Professionals:
Highest breathability (greatest at school near 3x most others)
Very robust water and wind proofing
Extremely versatile over a really wide selection of temperatures and circumstances in check
Very, very mild at 129g in a males’s medium
Quiet on the run-unlike most membrane/shell waterproof jackets
Accommodates winter layers with sufficient room and stretch (see Con beneath about entrance size)
Cons
Pricing..
Entrance could possibly be longer to cowl layers, rear drop down is okay
Single pocket is just too small for a cellphone and never fairly sufficiently small to simply stuff the jacket
Hood may be rolled up however not simply/clearly so
Key Options and Specs
Weight: 129g (medium) Spec and Pattern
50g sq meter extremely mild material.
Breathability: over 50,000 g/24hrs- UTMB spec 20,000 g/24hrsWaterproofing: Absolutely waterproof 20,000mm-UTMB spec 20,000mm3-Layer Building: Italian waterproof membrane, French outer shell fibers and as woven each DWR handledChest zippered pocket, adjustable and roll up brimmed hoodAbsolutely taped seamsBack and front black out reflective branding and particulars
The primary 4 options above are key and set the Nano aside. Now we have an extremely mild weight waterproof jacket with breathability near 3X higher than many opponents. The spec for breathability and waterproofing are one factor, the precise efficiency is one other. I’ve by no means had a water proof jacket that so clearly breathes this properly, even when overdressed, with its outer shell and twin DWR therapy resisting moist by in rain in addition to the Nano does.
Match
I’m 5’9” / 175cm and 162 lbs / 73.5 kg with a couple of 32” / 81cm waist. The pattern is medium and matches me true to measurement though with thicker layers beneath I feel the entrance is a bit too quick whereas the drop tail rear is simply effective.
I used to be in a position to comfortably match and run with a light-weight insulated jacket and medium baselayer beneath even when decrease layers weren’t utterly lined up entrance.
Whereas not significantly “stretchy” the ultralight construct has some give for layers and for positive on the run, disappears on the go.
Whereas Soar says the temperature vary of the Nano is 5C-18C, given its greatest at school breathability of fifty,000 g/24hrs, near 3x higher than most waterproof jackets, I’ve and plan to make use of it in a lot colder circumstances this winter with layers for nordic snowboarding and in summer time as my trekking jacket.
Efficiency
Given our climate I’ve been in a position to check in a really wide selection of circumstances with temperatures from about 50 F / 10 C down to shut to 20F / -6 C with at all times very good efficiency.
Within the combine at this broad vary of temperatures had been runs in downpours within the decrease 40’s, snow squalls round freezing, and really windy runs down near 20F.
In all circumstances the breathability and safety stood out. Within the very robust downpour which lasted about 25 minutes my technical T-shirt didn’t moist by as is generally the case though sure it was barely damp, possibly sweat. In each different jacket I can recall testing, it could have moist by in these circumstances. Tribute right here to the twin DWR therapy of the outer shell: first fibers are handled then the woven shell. It really works.
In chilly down round 20F with robust winds on the coast, the Nano offered excellent wind resistance, and because of the breathability and never producing as a lot internal moisture, I discovered I used to be snug on the run with fewer layers than normal.
But, on one run the place I wore a skinny insulated jacket and merino base layer beneath, so overdressed, I didn’t have the same old urge to shed layers to shed warmth.
You’ll be able to actually really feel, no kidding! that he jacket breathes and pumps out warmth. I can say like no different waterproof jacket or for that matter wind resistant one I’ve skilled and that features all the varied Gore-Tex flavors together with Windstopper and Infinium in addition to varied Pertex based mostly jackets . The “warmth pump” was actually noticeable but the wind and rain/ snow resistance had been nonetheless prime notch when wanted. Getting moist ( warmth sweat or in any other case from precipitation means getting chilly and right here getting moist is really minimized in all circumstances.
There isn’t any query that the Nano isn’t just for rain and snow however resulting from its breathability and wind resistance is a prime prime notch wind jacket rising its worth
I might additionally like to focus on how quiet this 3 layer membrane jacket is. Most all such jackets are noisy and crinkly. Not so right here with the material itself and the sunshine mild weight positively preserving issues quiet and easy.
When it comes to negatives, the chest zipper pocket is just too small for my iPhone 17Pro in a regular silicone case and too small to simply stuff the jacket and the entrance of the jacket could possibly be a bit longer for often longer hotter layers. That’s it.
Conclusions
As I mentioned initially of the evaluation: “The Nano Jacket is the very best performing and highest priced operating jacket I’ve ever examined.” The steep pricing comes from the unbelievable material used right here: extremely light-weight, extremely extremely breathable, and really waterproof for greater than the same old quick interval of most such extremely mild jackets resulting from its make-up and twin DWR therapy.
The very excessive pricing for positive provides pause however this finely and durably crafted jacket had such a variety of prime efficiency throughout temperatures, precipitation sorts, and winds in my testing that it might be the final rain and wind jacket you’ll ever want!
SHOP SOAR
Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th 12 months of operating roads and trails. He has a many years previous 2:28 marathon PR. Lately he runs halves within the simply sub 1:43 vary. if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at average paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Park Metropolis, Utah be it on the run, mountain climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he isn’t having fun with too many effective New England IPA’s.
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