In the mid-1960s, the U.S. military began issuing a poncho liner that soon became legendary. Nicknamed the woobie, it served as a protective cover as well as a blanket. It’s lightweight and warm. It can be compressed into a small size for storage and transport, which is always a bonus. Now, the woobie is available as a zip hoodie from Zero Foxtrot.
The Zero Foxtrot Woobie Zip Hoodie
Over the years, various modifications were made to the original design, particularly with the materials used in its construction. Countless people have found the woobie to be a very valuable addition to their gear.
The folks at Zero Foxtrot have taken the venerable woobie to the next level and fashioned it into a comfortable hoodie, conveniently called the Woobie Zip Hoodie. I first heard about it when my buddy Wendell Adams at The Prepared Wanderer mentioned it in passing in a recent video. What got my attention was that it’s a warm jacket that can be easily carried in a smallish stuff sack.
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I reached out to Zero Foxtrot, and they were kind enough to send over a Woobie Zip Hoodie for evaluation.
First Impressions
Zero Foxtrot offers the Woobie Zip Hoodie in seven different patterns. I chose Advisor Tiger Jungle, though I was torn between that and straight black. Tell you what, if they came up with an urban camo design, full of dark gray and black, I’d be all over it. As it stands, though, the tiger stripe pattern is pretty cool.
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A notation in the product listing on their site indicates that the hoodie runs large. I requested XXL, and it’s perfect. I have plenty of room for additional layers without feeling like a stuffed sausage. The material feels just like the woobie I ordered years ago from some other outfit. It’s soft but has some structure to it.
The two outer hand pockets are roomy. There are also two interior dump pockets that are quite large.
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There are elastic knit cuffs and an elastic hem, all of which serve to reduce drafts as you move around.
The hood provides great coverage. There’s a drawstring to cinch it tighter in particularly nasty weather.
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The stitching and overall construction are excellent. I went over it front to back and couldn’t find a single flaw.
Performance
I’ve used the Woobie Zip Hoodie as my primary coat for the last couple of weeks. It’s gone with me running errands as well as on a couple of hikes. The weather has been pretty cold, with highs barely into the double digits and wind chills well below zero most of the time.
The hoodie is very comfortable. It’s roomy without feeling awkward. I routinely wear thick sweatshirts all winter long, and I had no issues doing so with this hoodie as my outer layer.
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As for warmth level, I wouldn’t consider this on par with a parka or anything like that. I was okay in the cold with this hoodie, but under it, I was wearing a couple of other layers. That said, I didn’t expect this hoodie to be ideal for bitterly cold weather. It falls somewhere between shoulder season and true winter.
One of the things I really like about the Woobie Zip Hoodie is that it packs up small. It easily fit into one of my smaller stuff sacks, with the end result being not a whole lot bigger than a GRAYL water filter bottle. I can toss this into my pack and keep it ready in case the temperature falls during a hiking or camping trip.
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I can’t recommend it enough. As someone who owns well over a dozen different jackets and coats, it means something when I say I’m impressed.
The Woobie Zip Hoodie retails for $99. At that price, it’s a great deal on a great piece of outerwear. Even better, at the time of this writing, it’s on sale for $79.
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