Black Diamond Deployment Hoody Review

COMPLETE REVIEW OF Black Diamond Deployment Hoody

The Black Diamond Deployment Hybrid Hoody performed excellently on its promise to keep winter athletes comfortable while active and warm when not. It was just slightly colder than the Brooks-Range Hybrid Down Sweater.

Benefits of Black Diamond Deployment Hoody

• The Effective Material Combination
• Durable
• Breathable
• Hood that is insulated

Negative of Black Diamond Deployment Hoody

• Inadequate fit over base layers
• Uncomfortable pocket design

Comfort & Fit of Black Diamond Deployment Hoody

The Deployment Hybrid fits snugly over heavier base layers. The materials are soft and forgiving, and they travel with you wherever you go. The insulated chest and shoulders make it hefty.

The Hood is meant to go over a helmet, and the pockets are intended to be out of the way of waist belts and harnesses, yet they end up resting directly beneath shoulder and sternum straps. They are simple to open but difficult to close—I had to remove my mittens each time.

Quality of Black Diamond Deployment Hoody

The Black Diamond Deployment Hybrid Hoody is a tough piece of cold-weather gear. Despite the high degree of multi-directional stretch, I saw no signs of thread pulling or external damage. Everything is securely fastened and sealed.

Weight, The Deployment Hybrid Hoody is the heaviest jacket in the test, at 18.2 ounces. The Deployment is not meant to be hung from a harness and instead packs to approximately the size of a football. Additional

Examine the mid-weight Deployment. I would not wear a hoody when trail running, but I do like hiking and biking in it during the colder months. It is well-crafted and durable, composed of merino wool and nylon. While it is on the pricey side for such an item, if you can get it on sale, the durability, flexibility, and comfort will make it worthwhile.

Pros

• The Hood fits snugly over the head/helmet.
• Sleeve and body length fit true to size (though more athletic fit)
• Materials that are long-lasting and of high quality (fabric and zippers)

Cons

• it is costly (on account of merino wool blend)
• It is more of an athletic fit than a “regular” fit, as stated.
• Hoodies are often heavier than other types of hoodies (more mid-weight)
• Background Information and Expectations

Last year, when I was searching for a zippered hoody/jacket to replace an Arc’teryx cardigan, my wife got me this. My hopes were that I would be able to wear this in the wilderness, on the disc golf course, and on a daily basis. I wanted durability as well as comfort for the trip, without having to wash it after every usage (essential for the trail…and just in case I become lazy and forget to wash it!).

Fitness

In terms of length (head to waist) and sleeve length, the medium is true to size. The arm and waist fit is more athletic and slim. The hoody works well as a layering item under a down jacket or on its own. It is an excellent option because of the thinner style, particularly in the sleeves. I despise it when a mid-layer sleeve gets tucked into an outer layer jacket, but the slimmer fit makes this a moot issue.

On my clothing, I like elastic cuffs and elastic waistbands. I like more athletic-fitting clothing, particularly while participating in more strenuous hobbies like disc golf or hiking on rough and hilly terrain. The less that interferes with my range of motion without restricting it, the better.

I would have liked to see a little piece of cloth at the top of the zipper to protect the track from snagging on skin or hair. It is not a deal breaker, particularly because I seldom zip up the Hood all the way, but it is a great feature.

The Black Diamond Men’s Sizing Chart may be found here.

Layering and warmth

I have been pleased with the hoody’s capacity to block the wind and keep me warm. Because the sleeves and waist are tighter due to the elastic, there is no simple way for wind to enter. It is very remarkable, particularly given that the main jacket (save for the Hood) is just one piece of cloth. As previously mentioned, the trim design allows me to easily put on my rain or down jacket on top of it.

Resistance to water and drying

In addition to warmth and layering, I would suggest bringing rain gear if you are going to be in a location where there is a possibility of rain (even if it is only a light mist). When it comes to drying, this takes a long time. It retains its warmth due to the wool; however, once wet, it takes a long time to dry just like Bergans of Norway.

An extract from that testing is provided below (see Vargo review). Keep in mind that my findings are not precisely real-world scenarios, but they did provide me with an apples-to-apples comparison owing to the identical testing environment.

I completely soaked each garment before hanging them over a deck fence. I touched the mid-chest region of each garment to determine when it was dry. My clock/thermometer read 87°.

The Vargo Bedrock was dry after around 1 hour and 5 minutes. At 1hr 20min, the Black Diamond Hoody was nearly dry but still had a wet feel about it. It may have felt cold on the skin, but it was still saturated. It was not fully dry for almost 2 hours.

Durability & Quality

I have not had a single problem in the year I have had this. There were no problems with the zipper or any stitched edges. Normally, at this point, I would expect to notice some wear around the shoulders or underarm from my shoulder straps; thus far, no evidence of wear. I have always washed it in our top-loading washer (which can be a little harsh on clothing at times), and a year’s worth of washing does not really show.

The zipper pull, like the YKK zipper, is extremely robust. I have noticed that high-end gear often has the tiniest zipper and zipper pull. How much money have I spent, and this is all you have given me? I am pleased with this zipper. It is also difficult to separate (i.e., if I pull the two fabric sides, the zipper easily unzips). Zippers normally unzip with the twisting action of disc golf and pitching, but I have not had that happen with the hoody.

Last Thoughts

The BD Deployment Hoody lives up to the expectations I set for it (5/5). I considered deducting a half-star because of the price, but that simply comes with the territory when so much merino wool is bought.

As I stated in summary, it is pricier, but if you can get it on sale, the durability, flexibility, and comfort will make it worthwhile. I would suggest it since it has become one of my go-to pieces of clothing for the autumn, winter, and spring.

The Deployment Hoody is also available in a women’s version from Black Diamond.

Purchased brand new

Price Paid: 115 dollars on the sale

FINAL RESULT

The Black Diamond Deployment Hybrid Hoody is the most technical and mountain-ready jacket in our evaluation. When in action, the fabric mix excels at keeping the wearer warm and safe. When worn over anything except the most basic of foundation layers, it may be very unpleasant. The pockets are located away from harness debris. However, they are cumbersome to shut and need two hands to close.