Backcountry.com Rime Pullover Jacket

First thing's first - I'd have a hard time placing this piece in the jacket category, but rather in a category of it's own. Mid-layer? Hard to say. 4 season layer? More likely. But my criticism of the RIme stops there. The Rime Pullover from Backcountry.com is just the piece of gear I've been wanting and yes, needing for some time now. Similar in style to the old Alpine Shirt from Black Diamond which was a single layer Schoeller pullover, the Rime ups the ante with a couple of added features and a better fit. Made with PowerShield as the outer, which is darn near weather proof, it includes a very thin micro fleece inner making this piece so versatile that I'm going to be using it year round. Ok, summer may be a bit warm but it will have it's uses. I've used it for a few ski touring days and when worn with a zip-neck base layer it all but replaces my soft shell. It has a high collar that has a little fleece liner but is unusually stiff (easy on the starch) but it provides good protection from the wind unless you get on a ridge line where the winds are honking with spindrift, like I encountered two days ago. For times like those a hardshell with a hood is the ticket. A small zip chest pocket is a nice addition and the logo hits are subtle, which I appreciate. Best of all for me is the fit - I went with an XL because I knew it would be a layering piece with a zip-neck base layer or a performance tee underneath. But the bonus is the arm length - I have a 36" arm length and the old Alpine Shirt from Black Diamond was like wearing a size too small on the arm length. The Rime fits perfect for longer arms. Features of the Rime Pullover Include: PowerShield stretch material High collar with light fleece backing 1 zip chest pocket Lightweight for 3-4 season use I've seen the Rime come up on SteepandCheap.com a few times but the fact of the matter is that it's worth paying the retail price, and that's not something I say about too many pieces of gear. Buy Now: Pick up the Backcountry.com Rime Pullover and once you do, you'll wish you would have done so sooner.