Russell Outdoor APXg2 L3 Zephyr Jacket Review

Russell Outdoors™ APXg2™ L3 Jacket

Editor: Darren

Basic Description:

 Light-weight, single layer, weatherproof, Mossy Oak® Treestand®  jacket by Russell Outdoors™
Just the Facts:

A light-weight, single layer, rain resistant, wind resistant, soft shell jacket.  Can be used as stand-alone or as part of a layering system.  Utilizes a 100% Polyester, multi-directional stretch fabric.

Story:

This jacket was given to me as a very generous gift. Otherwise, in all honesty, I probably would not have even tried the jacket on.  I’m particularly cost conscious and likely would not have gotten past the price before I gave it a fair try.  Now, after just a few uses, I realize that would probably have been a big mistake.
You will note that the Overall, Value, and Durability ratings for the jacket are missing.  This is because without significant use, I don’t feel I can fairly evaluate items such as value and durability.  The garment appears to rate highly in the durability area but only after multiple uses and washes will I feel like I can provide a credible rating.  This will be forthcoming in an update to this review.
First of all, I must comment on the general appearance of the jacket.   It has the appearance of being very well crafted.  You won’t notice any untrimmed strings commonly left over from the sewing.  All of the seams are flat or double stitched.  The material is very light but smooth and quiet.  The tail of the jacket has been extended to provide extra protection of your backside.  This is particularly helpful if you are bending at the waist or sitting often.  It reminds me a lot of the jackets I use for wind and rain protection wile biking.
Like the tail, the sleeves also have a slight scallop on top of the wrist.  It looks nice but the functional part is that it covers my watch face so I don’t have to worry about it reflecting light and busting my cover.  Also, speaking of the sleeves, the elastic cuff is on the bottom side only. This is a nice feature because traditional cuffs that go all the way around tend to get wet and even though the jacket is rain resistant, the wet cuff wicks in moisture to the jacket lining and you get wet anyway.  With the top of the sleeve completely protected and the elastomer being only on the bottom, this should make the jacket more comfortable in wet conditions.
The cut and feel is so comfortable I could literally forget that I was wearing it.  It fit me perfectly, didn’t bunch up and provided no noticeable resistance to motion.  Considering how well it fit my form, this was surprising.
My initial use was on a winter wild game viewing excursion on the Wasatch front in Utah.  The starting weather conditions were 41 ⁰F, calm and partly and 38 ⁰F and dark and breezy upon my return.  Underneath I had a light cotton shirt and a light fleece vest.  I was carrying about 30 pounds of camera and optical gear and the slope ranged from 8% to 18%.  As such, my wattage going up was pretty high and I generated a lot of heat.  Surprisingly, I never got hot and never felt any moisture.  After stopping and spotting for about a half an hour before returning, I did not feel any cold seeping in that I am used to when my sweat cools down.  This was evidence that the jacket breathed well and did not trap internal moisture.
I’m not sure I reached the lower temperature limit for this jacket but with  the clothes I was wearing, I am pretty sure I was close at 38 ⁰F.  Adding a full fleece layer underneath would certainly improve comfort at even lower temperatures. Subsequently I have also worn the jacket in a light rain and it kept me dry.
My next big test will be done while bow hunting.   The jacket fit and weight are perfect for bow hunting in the West where you can see fairly large shifts in temperature and weather during the day.  It fits snugly so it won’t interfere with the string, it Is light-weight and not bulky so it won’t be a liability if I backpack in.  It provides sufficient warmth for the cool mornings, is breathable so I won’t overheat during the day and is water resistant so I won’t get soaked in the afternoon thundershowers.
What I am curious to see is how well the water resistance holds up under frequent washes to keep the odor down?
Bottom line; I’m pretty sure when I need to replace this jacket or get additional clothes such as pants, I’ll give the Russell Outdoors APXg2 products a try.

What they could do better:

It is nearly perfect, nice job