BEAR ROCK PRODUCT REVIEW: KLIM TORQUE JACKET – BY MIKE

The year’s just kicking off, and things are already busy here at Bear Rock. But it’s not causing me to flounder (unlike all of Boston’s sports teams). Actually, I’m taking the opportunity today to bring you up to speed on a product that you can always count on: the Klim Torque Jacket.

Versatility is everything in the North Country. The dirt paths that New Hampshire ATV riders explore during summer and fall are the very same trails locals and tourists glide over on snowmobiles once winter hits. Similarly, we like our outerwear to be just as adaptable.

THE KLIM TORQUE JACKET IS PERFECT FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE SNOWMOBILING

Klim bills the Torque as a mid-layer jacket, but I find that I can wear it anytime and still stay comfortable, dry, and warm, even on those two hours of sun days in the dead of winter. That’s really what I love most about it.

When I first discovered all that Pittsburg New Hampshire snowmobiling had to offer, I thought I would surely need a thicker coat, so I went out and got one. But it was overwhelmingly puffy, stuffy, and stiff. Honestly, I felt like the kid brother in A Christmas Story. It’s a good thing I never fell over while wearing it—I wouldn’t have been able to get myself up! So, long story short, I shoved it in the back of a closet three years ago and have been rocking the Klim Torque jacket as my daily driver ever since.

Even though it’s relatively thin compared to other winter jackets, the Torque is remarkably warm. Shockingly warm — warmer than something so light should be. I mean, this baby is lighter than a 2014 AFC Championship football! When I asked Franklin about it, he told me it’s the 100 grams of 3M Thinsulate insulation that’s woven into the interior. How less than a quarter-pound of insulation can capture so much heat boggles my mind. But hey, I’m not complaining!

The lightweight and thin feel allows for exceptional freedom of mobility. I can easily climb ladders and reach up high to grab top-shelf items at the Bear Rock Outdoor Adventure Store or get down low when I’m searching for antlers in the woods. It also has plenty of side, chest, and internal pockets that have stood up to three years of me stuffing them silly. Maybe that’s why it’s the jacket of choice for Bear Rock’s staff—each employee is outfitted with an embroidered Torque after they are hired. And, if it can keep us warm and dry as we switch between the shop and the trails, it should be plenty fit to take on anything your winter plans throw at it.

NOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: “THERE’S NO WAY YOU JUST ROCK THE TORQUE WHEN YOU’RE TEARING IT UP ON A SNOWMOBILE.”

Admittedly, you’re right. I do take off the removable, insulated hood and slip a shell overtop the jacket. While I find the Torque warm and water-resistant enough to take on the trials and tribulations of daily life during a New Hampshire winter, the extra layer keeps me impeccably dry while sloshing through the snow on the back trails.

At $249.99, I’d say this level of warmth is a bargain. And, if you come into the Bear Rock Adventure Store, I’d be happy to personally show you all the different sizes and colors we have in stock, including captivating shades of black, gray and fiery red. You can even look mine over to get a sense of what three years of everyday wear amounts to. If you’re a Red Sox, Celtics, or Bruins fan, however, you’ll have to wait outside while I bring you different options to try on—sorry, it’s just store…I mean my policy.

Go Seahawks!

Mike