When it comes to braving the elements outside–and looking good in the process–Goldwin is hard to beat. The brand has integrated comfort, usability and vast information about the demands of outdoor pursuits into streamlined designs that are so stylish you’d (almost) be forgiven for confusing them for functionless high fashion. Those qualities combine to produce a product lineup that works well for city dwellers who explore on the weekends and endurance athletes who train in any weather condition and environment.
Goldwin’s PERTEX SHIELDAIR Jacket’s minimal seams make it the ultimate lightweight companion, while its loose silhouette ensures comfortable arm movement. A mesh pull-out pocket in the right pocket is ideal for carrying your phone, keys or wallet with easy access. This jacket is thoughtfully designed to make your days spent outdoors as comfortable as possible.
To test Goldwin’s new, fantastically lightweight PERTEX SHIELDAIR Jacket, we found two athletes who constantly push their outdoor adventure limits: Dezmond Taylor-Douglas and Andy Cochrane. We caught up with both men on the West Coast to test Goldwin’s newest gear and learn about the extreme pursuits on their summer dockets.
Dezmond Taylor-Douglas, Endurance Athlete, Scientist
Gear Patrol Studios
Dezmond Taylor-Douglas is a scientist and endurance athlete based out of San Francisco, CA. In his words, his job’s focus is ” helping scientists discover biomarkers that can be eventually used as therapeutic targets and in drug development.”
When he is not working his biotech dayjob, Taylor-Douglas can be found exploring new trails, catching sunrises after a tough climb and running with San Francisco-based run club Midnight Runners.
We caught up with Dezmond just outside the city for a run on Mount Tamalpais where he gave Goldwin’s Pertex ShieldAir Jacket a solid wear test.
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Q: What are your outdoor goals for this summer?
DTD: “In June I will do a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to LA with AIDS/LifeCycle. After that, I will focus on adventure running, where I pick different destinations like Tahoe, CA, and Bend, OR, and put together 50k/50 mile weekends.”
Q: When it comes to buying gear for the outdoors what is important to you?
DTD: “Versatility is important to me. Can it carry all of the things that I bring on my run (GoPro, glasses, nutrition)? Can it regulate temperature well? And does it look and feel good?”
Q: What’s your impression of Goldwin? How did you first come across the brand?
DTD: “The Goldwin brand surprised me. This was my first time being exposed to the brand. The construction is high quality, light, and minimalist. I enjoyed testing this jacket in 30+ mph winds during a run! It kept me warm and I was able to tighten the hood and jacket so that the jacket stayed closer to my body.”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Q: How did you find hiking in the PERTEX SHIELDAIR Jacket?
DTD: “This jacket was super comfortable and kept my core body temperature warm – between 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit. The jacket is also good at wicking rain, so that you do not become wet during hikes/runs. I loved the green color and the ability to tighten the hood, bottom of the jacket, and areas around the wrist to keep the wind and rain from leaking inside the jacket. ”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
PERTEX SHIELDAIR Jacket
After five years of research and development with extensive lab and field testing, Goldwin has launched a new jacket with the Pertex Shield Air technology— an extremely lightweight and breathable material that is also powerfully waterproof and durable. Made using advanced lamination techniques, Pertex Shield Air membranes provide durable, waterproof protection, even after many wears and wash cycles.This means this jacket will last you season after season, no matter how rough (or wet) your adventures get. The breathability of the jacket makes it stand out from other competitors on the market. The inside chest pockets are made of mesh material which delivers added ventilation.
Price: $400
Andy Cochrane, Writer, Photographer, and Film Producer
Gear Patrol Studios
Andy Cochrane is an outdoor writer, photographer and film producer based in Oregon. “I follow athletes–backcountry skiers, ultra runners, mountain bikers, and big mountain climbers–in their element, capturing the stories as they unfold in the backcountry.”
We caught up with Andy for a hike at Smith Rock State Park in the Oregon High Desert to chat about his summer plans and what he looks for in outdoor gear.
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Q: What are your outdoor goals for this summer?
AC: “I have a handful of big projects: a pair of short films, a week of trail running in Ecuador, a hut-to-hut MTB trip from Durango to Moab, a week running across Greenland with a small group of pros, and a week of hut-to-hut running in Austria. So I guess my main goal is to survive?”
Q: When it comes to buying gear for the outdoors what is important to you?
AC: “Durability over pretty much everything else. I think the industry has gone a little too far into weight savings, often sacrificing quality in the process. I’d much rather take the weight penalty and have something I really trust when the going gets hard. Something that’ll stand up to the elements day after day, week after week.”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Q: How important is style and performance to you when choosing a jacket?
AC “This probably is the wrong answer, but very little for me. Generally speaking, I do more remote and longer backcountry trips than most people, so I care much more about warmth, durability, breathability, wicking, and how waterproof it is.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about being active?
AC: “I feel most alive when I’m out there. As far as I can go in the backcountry. It’s almost impossible to find that feeling anywhere but truly wild places.”
Q: What stood out about the jacket?
AC: “It’s super light and comfortable and beads water easily. Both the fit and color are solid. I like to keep things simple and basic and this jacket does just that.”
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
Gear Patrol Studios
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