Nau Urbane Jacket

www.nau.com, 22 ounces
In our endless quest to find gear that serves double duty, Nau consistently elbows to the top of the list—and the Urbane Jacket demonstrates why.  The fit and style embrace urban aspirations (treks to work, hikes to the grocery store, and aimless strolls through a local park), with twin flap-lapel pockets (secured by snaps), a bottom hem that cuts at the hips, a hearty zipper-and-button front panel anchored by twin snaps, and two high-riding zippered hand pockets. But the not-immediately-apparent details make this a clutch travel piece. The recycled poly is treated with a proprietary two-layer waterproof/breathable laminate that stands up to sizeable snow and rain exposure during fall, winter, and spring conditions. Waterproof zips on the pockets keep things bone dry, articulated elbows allows for movement to near Chuck Norris aspirations, and a removable hood (easily stashed in the jacket’s zippered back pocket) provides the other true travel essential: options.  Other details that make this our go-to: the high-riding hand pockets are accessible if you’re wearing a pack with a waist belt, a narrow zip inside left pocket is perfect for your passport, and a deeper side sleeve on the right can swallow your now-essential portable electronica….  Keeping with Nau’s commitment to sustainability, the material is made of recyclable, post-consumer and post-industrial polyester waste. All this without making it look like you’re posing for a summit photo on an 8,000-meter peak. One caveat in all this praise, however: no venting means it can get toasty in warmer temps.