There are certain items you never leave the house without. It could be your sunglasses, your wallet, your lip balm, but most likely it’s a combination of these things. This summer, the Isabella jacket from Descente was quickly added to my collection of necessary things to have when braving the ever-changing weather in Colorado. Whether I was climbing Mount Massive, embarking on a sunrise mountain bike ride, or going to an evening concert in Vail, I made sure to have the Isabella jacket packed in my bag.
Pros: If you are like me and are perpetually cold, the Isabella jacket is for you. If you don’t want to forgo fashion for functionality, the Isabella jacket is for you. Are you in the market for a durable jacket that will withstand a variety of adventures? You guessed it, the Isabella jacket is for you. Usually, I wear the jacket as the top layer when I am hiking or biking and it keeps me comfortably warm. The jacket is breathable so when you’re trekking up a relentlessly steep trail, you won’t be sweating to death. As mentioned earlier, the Isabella jacket does not forfeit fashion in place of function. I wore this jacket to numerous concerts and outdoor events and always received compliments on how stylish it was. It’s fitted and slimming and so versatile it looks good with bike shorts or a pair of jeans. Another feature that I love about the Isabella jacket is the zippered side pockets. They are large enough to secure keys, phone, wallet, etc. and keep your hands warm on brisk fall mornings.
Cons: The Isabella jacket is made with thicker material (hence jacket), therefore it takes up quite a bit of room in a daypack and is pretty bulky. However, to me this was a small, nitpicky con for the Isabella and from my experience, the pros of this jacket heavily outweigh the con.
Where I took it: Mount Massive, Notch Mountain, Hot Summer Nights in Vail, Iron Edge Trail in Eagle, Nolan Lake in Eagle and pretty much everywhere else in the Vail Valley
