Review: Eddie Bauer Alpine Front Jacket
For the next year, I’ll be running and drinking my way through Costa Rica.
Two months out of the year, the Guanacaste province is deep in what the tourism board calls the “Green” season and what locals call the “Rainy” season. In short, it’s going to rain. A lot.
Eddie Bauer’s Alpine Front Jacket checks all the right boxes for a runner in Costa Rica or any environment that is hot, humid and prone to massive downpours. The jacket is lightweight, repels water, has a durable construction and it breathes.
Normally, I’d rather get wet than run in a raincoat; but the storms in Costa Rica can be epic. And when it’s really coming down, the Alpine Front is a perfect choice. The bill of the hood has just enough form to keep the pounding water out of your face. The underarm zippers prevent heat from being trapped inside. And it beads water like a beast.
As an added bonus, the designers at Eddie Bauer somehow found a way to make the jacket look stylish. Far too often, gear marketed towards runners and active outdoorsmen veers into neon abstraction, seeming more like an advertisement for Miami Vice reruns than functional gear. The Alpine Front comes in two classic colors, Clover (pictured) and Lava (a muted brick red). Both have streamlined gray accents that hide zippers and mesh included for storage and comfort.
The Eddie Bauer Alpine Front jacket is on the pricier side, retailing for around $200. That said, I would consider this an investment piece that should hold up for years of regular, active use. It may even be the last weatherproof jacket you ever need, as it’s just as home on the trail as accompanying casual wear. Highly recommended.
Buy the Alpine Front Jacket at Amazon.com
