First Lite Challis Fleece Jacket

[Brock A]

The new Challis showed up 2 weeks ago and I am looking forward to incorporating it into the system. Fleece for the win! I have been wearing it around the house and outside, shooting my bow a little with it. So far its checking all the boxes. Plenty warm to wear on cooler spring day as a stand alone, yet, enough room to layer under it and wear it out in the field come late season. I can really see this softshell being vital for late archery. The fleece is dead quiet.



I am a big fan of the grid lined fleece on the interior.



Touted as windproof, the Challis should prove as valued glassing piece in those early season hunts. I have a Spring Bear hunt coming up at the end of May that will get it some time in the field. I will use it through the summer and have a full review towards the early fall, right before hunting season ramps up.



Let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them!

 

[feanor]

It looks like it has tricep vents. Have you used them? Curious to know how effective that would be.

 

[WoodBow]

I'm very interested in it if it is as advertised. I have yet to find dead quiet and windproof. In my experience, manufacturers throw around windproof real willy nilly, when what they really mean is wind resistant. And sometimes barely that.

 

[robby denning]

let us know on how it does with burrs. I love fleece but that was always an issue. Kryptek improved burr resistance quite a bit with their Vellus and hoping FL did the same.

Also, is the jacket a little cold when you first put it on? Sometimes windproofing makes them a little slower to warm from body heat. Small issue, but wondering.

 

[ChrisAU]

I also got one last week, I love it. Way too hot here to test it out, but its a piece I've been wanting. I do wish the sleeves had the same grid fleece lining instead of whatever they used, they are very loud compared to the rest of the piece.

 

[matthewmt]

I got one of these a wk ago or so, I'm pretty impressed so far. I live on a big lk that can white cap from wind and it was very comfortable in a mini squaw the other day.

I like the stretch and bicep zips. I put it on over a heavier hoody and it worked fine.
This with a light hoody and or vest under /over with a rain jacket would be a great piece. It's definitely heavier than the UL down hoodys but they probably aren't as wind proof as this either.

ETA this is definitely more of a "jacket" as described on the tag

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[Brock A]

It looks like it has tricep vents. Have you used them? Curious to know how effective that would be.

Yep, sure does. They open up pretty big and I would imagine they dump alot of heat quickly if needed. I have not been in a situation where I need to use them yet.

 

[Brock A]

let us know on how it does with burrs. I love fleece but that was always an issue. Kryptek improved burr resistance quite a bit with their Vellus and hoping FL did the same.

Also, is the jacket a little cold when you first put it on? Sometimes windproofing makes them a little slower to warm from body heat. Small issue, but wondering.

Noted with the burrs. I definitely come across some when pheasant hunting. The inside of the arms is a different material than the grid fleece that I could see be a little cold (if not layered up)

 

[Brock A]

I also got one last week, I love it. Way too hot here to test it out, but its a piece I've been wanting. I do wish the sleeves had the same grid fleece lining instead of whatever they used, they are very loud compared to the rest of the piece.

I would agree with that. The grid fleece is so dang nice...

 

[Swamppirate]

What makes this better than a Jetstream?

 

[camelcluch]

Is it really windproof?

 

[matthewmt]

Is it really windproof?

It's pretty good, idk how active I could be in this piece unless I was going slow and the Temps were pretty low.

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