MEC’s Ionic HD Jacket is your crossover season specialist, and it’s Earth-Friendly to boot.
Words :: Bob Covey
Spring may be sprouting on the Canadian coasts, but up in the Rockies, as of this writing (April 3), winter is still holding fast.
That’s good news for local storm surfers, considering how dry the ski season has been. And it means I’ve finally been able to give the Ionic HD Jacket from MEC some proper reps after picking it up earlier this year.
MEC’s limited-edition jacket is notable because its ridiculously water repellent finish is made without polyfluoroalkyls—synthetics known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down. But I’ll be honest, on first glance, I was more keen on the classic, spartan style that MEC is throwing back to with this shell.
The Ionic HD has all the features you need, and none that you don’t. Its helmet-compatible hood stayed put in honking winds on Marmot Basin’s peak, and the underarm zipped vents did their job when I started to overheat on a steamy ski tour. Most importantly, I remained watertight during last month’s “March magic” series of storms.
Although the triple-layer, heavy-duty Taslan fabric (100% recycled) means this jacket is not exactly supple, I like its high durability and strength-to-weight ratio. In other words, this puppy will last—another win for Mother Earth.
Those elements—plus the fantastic price point—makes the Ionic HD a dependable, environmental and economical outer layer, and perfect for the Rockies’ rowdy crossover-season.
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