The Dark Start is a time-honored tradition where the brave and the foolish unite in the same body to leave their tent in the early pre-dawn hours to get a head start on the sun for optimal riding conditions. The jacket of the same name is an ode to those times and also an enhancer for them. After using it the past two years as the go-to backcountry midlayer, here are some thoughts on the 100% recycled jacket.
With this lightweight unit you have a jacket that packs up well and moves freely without needing to puff it up as you need to with down. The polyester fill called Air Flake insulates even when wet which gives it another perhaps life-saving advantage. and repels water enough to where if you’re moving through weather but don’t want to put on a shell, you’ll probably be alright for a bit. Add in the fact that it’s 100% recycled and we have a recipe for a quality midlayer built for backcountry riding.
Jeremy Jones is one of the most qualified people to have an opinion on what works well for snowboarding in the backcountry. As the founder of the brand that bears his name, his hands-on attitude to the development of the gear shows a sense of creativity to the design process.
The Jones Dark Start Hoodie: First Impressions
Bottom Line: If you have the cash to invest, this jacket will keep you warm in all kinds of conditions but what sets it apart is when it’s wet. As in… it still works.
Weight: 510 grams (Medium)
Materials: Recycled polyester
Pros: Recycled materials, warm, allows great movement, good sized pockets
Cons: It’s a lot of money for recycled trash…
In packed form, the Jones Dark Start is impressively small, only adding a small addition to the pack. For a packable midlayer, the real surprise is when you pull it out and wear it. Unlike down there’s not a ton of compression fatigue, meaning it takes its lofty shape pretty quickly—especially if you get moving from the get-go.
It’s nice to have a quality midlayer with a hood. Some people might not like it for bulk’s sake, but in this writer’s opinion the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
As far as warmth goes, I found it to work perfectly well, especially when moving. It provides ample insulation yet is lightweight enough to not really be noticeable.
Notable Features of the Jones Dark Start
For a packable midlayer, the Jones Dark Start recycled hoodie has a few extra features that make it stand out from others. The big one is the large internal pockets. This is excellent for keeping skins warm when on the descent, allowing the glue to have better bonding the next time you need to stick them onto your skis or splitboard.
The next big feature is the adjustable waist and hood. This subtle feature allows for better movement when cinched up, particularly in the hood. There is nothing more frustrating than having a hood that doesn’t move with you when looking to the side, effectively cutting your field of vision in half, or worse. But when you have the hood cinched, it moves with you, giving full range of vision in any direction.
Finally, the packability of the jacket makes it easy to stash when not in use, making for a tidier pack. It packs into its own pocket, meaning you don’t need an extra stuff sack or anything else to potentially get lost.
Drawbacks
The big drawback to the Jones Dark Start recycled hoodie is probably the price. But in reality, it’s fairly consistent with everything else regarding technical outerwear these days. It’s one of those “buy once, cry once” scenarios where a well-made piece of gear might cost more up front, but hopefully it’ll be lasting you many years of fun times. And as long as you aren’t doing chores in it, the chance of ripping it while out in the snow is fairly low.
Another drawback is that the DWR coating Seems to attract dirt fairly easily. I tried washing it using the Nikwax Tech wash, which usually does a good job, however it was still no good. I know that Nikwax recommends their stain remover wash as well, so that’ll be the next step… and if I manage to get that covered there, I’ll let you know. It’s not the end of the world, of course. I’d much rather have some water protection than less dirty colouring, but I know not everyone feels the same way, so thought it was worth sharing in this review.
Final Thoughts
The Jones Dark Start recycled hoodie is a well-thought out piece of technical outerwear that shines where many other mid layers miss the mark. The internal pockets and chest pocket allow for convenient stashing without the need for a shell. Indeed, I opt to have this jacket on than a shell more often than not if the wind isn’t winding or the snow isn’t snowing. For the skin up, it allows for easy movement, and when you want to ride, it works fine without a shell (to a point).
Yes, it’s pricey, but pretty much everything new and specialized is these days. Add in the fact that it’s recycled materials gives a bit of hope that we aren’t producing more waste, and doing something good with the existing waste to keep it out of the landfill.
If you want something to help you stay warm without the bulk, and without having to worry about down getting wet (and rendering it ineffective), then I’m a big fan of the Jones Dark Start recycled hoodie.
Like what you see? We have plenty of other gear reviews for backcountry skiing and splitboarding to help you find the best quality gear out there. We’re not trying to hustle anyone and just recommend the gear we ride with. Read more on the Gear Review Policy. And to know more about what we do here at Alpine Islands, check out our about page.
