Pack the Fluff

I've found a new best friend. It's not a person -- but rather a piece of clothing. And I think even calling it that is understating how awesome it is. I'd like you all to meet the Nike Aeroloft 800, my new winter cuddle buddy.

The vest is in the picture above -- I swear! The small rectangular pack with mesh across the middle is the vest. It actually zips into itself! I'll explain it a bit better. 

How many of us have been running in a jacket and have gotten hot half run and have either had to just deal with it and suck it up or take it off and tie it around your waist? How much do you hate it? The extra fabric around your waist, the arms of the jacket getting stuck between your legs as you run -- can I get an unanimous "UGH"?

Starting with the front, I purposefully wore a brighter color underneath so the details and perforations were visible. The front and back are filled with 800-fill down, which makes it super lightweight but still really warm. The one thing I've always hated about puffy vests is that they get in the way and they're hard to move in once you have it on, never mind trying to wear one while running. 

The exterior of the vest is Nike Dri-FIT polyester, which if you've ever worn Nike, you're familiar with their Dri-FIT technology of their fabrics. Not having the sides being filled with down may take away a little from the warmth factor, but that's easily made up with a great base layer. I'd rather have the range of motion and lightweight factor be maximized in the vest. 

So here comes the cool part. On the site, it explains that the zipper is reflective and that it can "[stash] the vest [when] not in use." When I got home, I started playing around with the zipper on the back. Not only can it fit my iPhone (which is fantastic -- fingers crossed it still fits it when I upgrade next month!) but I found a mesh insert on the inside, and given my curiosity for little tricks hidden in clothing (if you don't know what I'm talking about, ask any sales associate at Y-3 how many different ways some women's clothes can be worn or have their shape changed) I decided to play around with it. I grabbed onto the inside of zippered pouch and started rolling the jacket to fit into it. The little mesh piece makes the pouch a little bit more grip friendly, so you're not just randomly holding the pouch; you can put your fingers through it and grip it like those water bottles or little wristlets that hold your keys and cards. 

If you need proof that I was shocked and amazed, ask my boyfriend how long I had my mouth gaping open and repeating "This. Is. Awesome!" on Skype last night.

So, when I said that this is my new cuddle buddy for the winter, I wasn't kidding. Living in Boston has taught me to layer, layer, and well... layer for the winter. I don't ever believe in buying something for only one specific use or one specific occasion. So other than running, sometimes, it gets hot during the afternoon and that down jacket is going to have to come off. But then it's too cold to keep it off. For days that I don't wear this running, I can pack it up into it's little zippered pouch, throw it in my purse and I'm all set. Or the reverse of that, if I get warm during the day and I have it on, I can take it off and pack it up. 

With all this new gear, here's to hoping I can get more winter runs this season in! Who's with me?

And to help everyone get into the spirit of things, if you're on Spotify, I've made my Fall 2014 Running Playlist public, so if you're looking for some new music or just refreshing your own, check out mine below! Happy running!