REVIEW: Arc’teryx LEAF Naga Hoody

When it's cold outside, it's warm in here. No wonder, what fits closely to the body is among other things the best Polartec fleece, innovatively processed by Arc'teryx LEAF, the luxury outdoor company's military line. The Hoody is called Naga and the cryptic name has nothing to do with a rodent. There are multiple ways to understand the title of Arc'teryx. The best explanation would be that it is a word from Sanskrit, which in Indian mythology refers to a serpent being.

Now, we are more of a thick snake, but from the pictures showing the Hoody from the front and back, you can see that the Naga fits closely. That's intentional, because this hooded sweater is actually meant to be worn under a plate carrier. It shouldn't crease, the zipper also doesn't go too far down, and especially, the material is abrasion resistant so the good (and expensive) sweater doesn't get damaged when the PC is over it. The cut is pleasantly long. It is windproof on the body, and the cooling by wind chill is intentional in the arms.

The Naga Hoody can be worn alone or as a mid layer. Just by the choice and processing of materials, you can recognize the signature of the Canadian designers, whose LEAF line constructs the finest gear for the elite of special forces.

The chest piece, which also has a pocket, is made of a special Schoeller fabric and is not sewn (seams could be bothersome), but bonded.

At the same time, in the picture, you can see that there is a thumbhole in the sleeves, which is very practical in cold weather because the palms are protected, as the sleeves reach almost to the wrists when the thumb is hooked in.

The collar is cut high, protects the neck, and closes softly when the zipper is up in the front. The hood itself is not part of the collar, it should fit closely to the body when not worn, so that it fits under a plate carrier. When the hood is up, it is reminiscent in fit of a beanie. It fits very snugly and would also fit well under a helmet without being bulky. It does remind one a bit of a snake... (a fat one 🙂)

The inner fabric of Polartec from which the Naga body is made. A wonderful material, because it is definitely much warmer than you would expect for such a thinness. What keeps the body warm, can "breathe" through the sleeves. The combination of the two plastics (be careful around the campfire) intentionally serves for temperature regulation.

The hood worn over the collar of the jacket here.

CONCLUSION: A frighteningly perfect hooded sweater at a hefty price. The branded product has an additional urban chic in Gray (Arc'teryx designation "Wolf") and fits excellently with Multicam in the brownish Crocodile, the second color in which the Hoody is available. For a fall day as clothing for night duty, the Hoody alone is ideal, when it gets colder, the close-fitting sweater fits perfectly under a jacket.

The Arc'teryx LEAF Naga Hoody is available at TACWRK in the colors Crocodile and Wolf for around 200 Euro.

Arc'teryx LEAF online

The Naga also wears ideally under the jacket - here an unbeatable winter combo with Carinthia LIG 3.0 (HERE in the SPARTANAT Review.)