Note: This item was provided for review.
Spend any amount of time around outdoor clothing, and you will have likely heard of Polartec, and likely still of their range of mid-layers — from fleece, grid fleece, synthetic insulation, and in the last half dozen years: Alpha. Polartec’s Alpha started making its way to consumers around 2017, and I reviewed one of the first ‘direct’ Alpha jackets here — in that time Alpha has gained (right fully so) a cult following, and is thus transitioning to more everyday clothing options.
Which brings us to Haven, a nearly 20 year old brand that you might not have heard of — they produce lifestyle clothing in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. They have set out to create fantastic everyday clothing, and sent me the Ascent Zip Neck to show off what they can do.
It’s exceptional.
Materials and Construction
As mentioned this is Polartec Alpha Direct, which the long and short of this material is that it was developed for the U.S. Special Forces as a mid-layer to keep soldiers warm when static, and keep them from overheating when exerting themselves. Or if you prefer, it’s a reimagination of the fleece mid-layer, with the thinking “what if we wanted to keep the warmth, but make this entire thing breathe better”. Polartec essentially nailed this. They have various weights, and what Haven has used here is not specified, but on the heavier end (which is more about lofty than physical weight).
It’s bluesign® Approved, OEKO-TEX® Certified, and Made in Canada. It is also made impressively well, and is one of those items you can tell was not only made with care, but attention to the overall execution.
For those new to Polartec Alpha, a few notes:
- It’s high pile, but low (basically none) on lint.
- It’s porous and see through if you hold it up to light.
- On its own it will not stop any wind.
- With a layer, it amplifies how warm it is.
- It dries insanely fast.
- It vents body heat fantastically well.
One of the larger tradeoffs with Alpha Direct is general durability, though that jacket I originally reviewed from 2018 is still going strong. So the durability trade off is more when not protecting the garment from rough backpacks, rocks, and such — and less so about it breaking down over time.
Wear & Performance
I threw everything I could at this layer, testing it: as a daily wear item, lounging in a mountain cabin, during my early morning rucking, and during a snow filled hike in the bitter cold. Each time I wore this, I liked it more than the last time — and I liked it a lot to begin with.
Testing the Ascent under my unlined jacket, holding it’s own in 34°F weather.
This is a very simple pullover with a 1/4 zip. But there are a few things to note about this setup which makes it a stand out for me:
- High collar: the collar on this is cut very high, and is cut well enough that it tends to stand up decently. It’s still a soft material so it’s not rigid, but it is structured to stand more than flop. This really helps with warmth and comfort of the collar.
- The raglan sleeves coupled with the gusset under the arms gives you a lot of articulation and keeps bunching down when wearing this for active pursuits, including while wearing a backpack over it. There’s no binding at the shoulders and armpits.
- The Umber color is really nice, and not a color you tend to see in items like this, a nice gray-brown that helps this look at home when you are not out in the woods.
The only problem I ran into with this layer was that my wife borrowed it as she was waiting for her sweatshirt to dry, and didn’t want to give it back afterwards. In fact, she kept borrowing it because she found it to be exceptionally cozy.
I typically do not wear layers like this outside of hiking and outdoors pursuits, but this one is designed so well, I can’t see myself not wearing it daily. Haven nailed the application of a highly technical material, in a way which works well for the city, or outdoors.
Overall
If you have ever wanted a Polartec Alpha Direct layer which looked good enough to wear day to day, then this is the answer to that wish. Haven nailed this — and kept the performance. Truly a layer you can toss in a bag and use to keep you warm whether walking around a city in the winter, or out in the woods — or both in the same day as I have done many times.
It’s held up perfectly, and is certainly a staple in my rotation now. I highly recommend it.