Lowe Alpine Warm Zone Top - Conceptual Look...

Lowe Alpine Warm Zone Top - Conceptual Analysis

Price: £65.00

Weight: 293 grammes (men's medium)

Features: Tight-fitting base to mid-layer top mapped to cold and warm spots, 97 per-cent polyester, 3 per-cent elastane fabric composition, zip-neck, Lycra cuffs, flat-locked seams, reversible(ish)

Ugly duckling Does seem to work though.

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The Concept Okay, to start off with Lowe Alpine is quite insistent that Warm Zone isn't quite finished yet, so this is a conceptual analysis rather than an exhaustive test. What it does is take the concept from Dry Zone, which places thinner higher wicking areas of fabric next to hot bits of the body and reverse it so that you get extra insulation where you need it.

Taken from behind... Rear view of the Warm Zone

It's a weird-looking thing, based on heat sensitive images of the human body with more insulation placed over the cold spots and less where you're pumping out the heat. Visually it echoes the raised grid pattern used by Polartec for some of its Thermal Pro base-layers, but the dense blocks aren't uniform.

It's designed to be used as either a super warm base-layer or a lightweight mid-layer top with greater efficiency than you'd expect from the weight.

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Features First, the Warm Zone Top has been hit quite hard with the ugly stick. Maybe that's a bit mean and you could just say it looks 'different', but a combination of a slightly harsh feeling fabric handle and the strange armadillo fabric blocks don't exactly add up to 'hanger appeal'.

Aside from the fabric, the design is actually pretty simple, just a stretchy close fitting, long-sleeved, zip-neck top. It does have one ace to play - the garment's reversible, not least because with the blocky side against the body, insulating effectiveness goes up by 25 per-cent. Actually although it's reversible, the presence of two big labels merely makes it look like you've accidentally put it on inside out. Iron-on labels next time please ;-)

If you're wondering why the 'normal' aspect is with blocks outwards, by the way, it's to showcase the Warm Zone's techiness on the rail.

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In Action We've been using Warm Zone on and off for a few months now and we're inclined to agree with Lowe Alpine that it's a work in progress rather than the finished article. We'd discount it as baselayer simply because the harsh feel of the fabric isn't comfortable against the skin, but we rate it more highly as a thin, close-fitting lightweight mid-layer where, block side inwards, it did seem to provide more warmth than we'd have expected.

It weighs about the same as an equivalent 100-weight microfleece or a Power Stretch top and performs about the same as well and as with Power Stretch, the close fit is great for layering under similarly snug outer layers. Whether the 'zones' are a huge advantage is hard to say. We liked the slimmed down feel of the forearm sections for example and the close fit does work brilliantly for fast-moving stuff when you really don't want bulk - the sleeves also roll up more neatly than thicker Power Stretch fabrics.

Opinions were divided over the appearance. Some OMers on a recent Meet Up actually liked the distinctive look, others were less sure and we have to be honest and say that the £65 price tag did bring on a quick double-take.

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Verdict

Lowe Alpine tell us that they're working on a second version of Warm Zone with one of the major fabric technology companies and it should be much more appealing. As it stands, we really like the basic idea and it makes for a really capable, close-fitting mid-layer that does seem to be slightly warmer than it ought to be while offering good mobility and decent wicking performance.

Right now we'd say it's a credible alternative to Power Stretch with reduced bulk in key areas and at about the same price and, erm, distinctive looks. With a softer feel and rethought cosmetics, it should be much more saleable. Watch out for next year's version which will come in a revised Ninja Hoodie design for nostalgic mountain tech-heads.

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Lowe Alpine web site

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