Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie Review

The softy, lofty, technical Alpha Direct 90 fleece of the Burgeon Hoodie puts this base layer in a category all on its own. This top pulls off impressive warmth retention while also being surprisingly breathable; a feat which few others can even dream of. Gram counters will also rejoice, as all this comes in a top that weighs less than almost any other base layer in our lineup. Lightweight not only looks good on a planning spreadsheet, but it also closely correlates with fast-drying times both on the line and when you're wearing it while moving briskly on a spring backcountry ski or during a sunrise hike. The Burgeon is the base layer to choose for maximum warmth retention for the weight. Just be aware that it's best to wear it under another layer to protect the magical, yet somewhat delicate, fleece fibers from damage.

Warmth

For its weight, the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie delivers impressive warmth retention while doing its best to keep you dry and comfortable. This phenomenal feat is accomplished with the use of Alpha Direct 90 as the main – and other than thread: only material that this top is made out of. This technical performance fleece is comprised of light, airy insulation attached to a loose film, allowing perspiration to travel through the fabric easily.

This is a stark departure from many of the conventional wool and synthetic base layers in our lineup, which, for the most part, use a double-jersey knit construction to produce the fabric. It does require you to think of base layers in a slightly different light: for the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie, it's best to understand it not as a stand-alone top, but as a supporting player to whatever is worn on top of it, greatly increasing the warmth of your layering system, while keeping you as dry as possible next-to-skin.

Breathability

The airy Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie defines “breathable” for this category of activewear. Visibly semi-transparent, the next step up in flow of both air and water vapor would have to be literal holes cut into the fabric. With no face fabric to speak of, the Alpha Direct 90 fabric does an excellent job of trapping warm air near your skin while wicking perspiration out, keeping you drier than almost any other base layer fabric.

This is, of course, a double-edged sword. Being this breathable, even the slightest of breezes will blow off both the accumulated sweat on the surface of the fabric, and also all that warm air we want to keep! This would appear to be a major weakness of the Burgeon Hoody, except that your outer layers should do the job of shielding from the wind that the missing face fabric on the Burgeon won't.

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Comfort and Fit

Next-to-skin feel of the Alpha Direct 90 fabric used in the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie itself is heavenly. The performance fleece rests softly upon one's skin, and the wicking performance of Alpha Direct is legendary. You may have to get used to feeling warm without also having a sweaty back to realize that this is the experience you've been seeking all along.

Unfortunately, the actual fit of the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie is a little funky. We found the hoodie's length to be on the short side, measured at only 25.5 inches for a men's size “large”, leaving us with an exposed mid-drift when we raised our arms. This is coupled with a hood that is way too oversized, even when worn under the bulkiest of helmets. Torso width felt wide as well, meaning that sizing down isn't the answer either. Overlock-like seams are used instead of flatlock seams, most likely because flatlock isn't an option for this fabric. The Alpha Direct fabric has little stretch, which may explain the loose widthwise fit, though it does not account for the somewhat abbreviated length.

Durability

Lacking a face fabric, don't expect exceptional durability out of the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie. You'll have to treat this top with care when both wearing and washing.

When wearing, this just means keeping it underneath another layer, be it your warm layers in winter or, for fairer weather, a sun shirt and/or wind shirt. Wearing alone while sleeping in a sleeping bag to boost warmth in the night is also perfectly fine. For washing, we suggest using a mesh bag when washing in a machine and always hanging it up to dry.

Drying Speed

You may be bewildered at first by the quickness of the drying speed of the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie. Even while wet, this top will feel dry to the touch. A men's size large only comes to 4.8 ounces, hood included, and it is one of the lightest hooded base layers in our lineup. When measured after taking it out of the wash, the Burgeon weighed only 1.4 ounces more than when dry, which unsurprisingly evaporated quickly.

Fast drying times on the line are not only convenient but also usually translate into good wicking performance when worn. This is certainly the case with the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie. Not only is the fabric lightweight, but the technical fleece also has an incredible amount of exposed surface area, giving the environment plenty of opportunities to evaporate everything off quickly. The fleece material is hydrophobic as well, all adding up to fast drying while wearing.

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Layering Ability

As base layers go, the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie is an absolute standout, delivering amazing warmth for its weight, while also showing incredible breathability. The Alpha 90 fabric itself rests well under most fabric types, although be a little careful with the hook side of velcro straps, as those hooks will certainly grab onto the Alpha Direct and could cause damage.

Because of the delicateness of the fabric itself, use this as a base layer first and foremost, and only use it without an outer protective layer worn over it in environments that you know won't damage the easily snared fabric.

Should You Buy the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie?

The biggest drawback of the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie is its relative lack of durability: use this top primarily as a base layer under a more durable layer. Wash by hand and dry on the line. Follow those simple rules, and you'll be gifted an almost futuristic layer that keeps you feeling dry as well as warm, in a spectrum of different conditions. For keeping our pack weights light while still feeling comfortable, Alpha Direct 90 base layers like the Burgeon Alpha Direct 90 Hoodie have been revolutionary gamechangers.

What Other Base Layers Should You Consider?