OR Gear Fraction Vest

In early November, I loaded the lift at Copper Mountain, Colorado at 6:30 a.m. to watch the U.S. Ski Team train super-G. At that hour, the temperature was in the single digits but with OR Gear's Fraction Vest, coupled with a capilene shirt and a Columbia shell, I was good to go—and the layered fit didn't make me feel like Randy in A Christmas Story. Plus, two hours later, when I took a run with the team, it held up.

I know what you're thinking: "It's just a coat without sleeves, man!"

Oh contraire. Lined with Permaloft, a 100 percent polyester insulation, and a wind-proof polyester shell, the Fraction is lightweight, was easily stuffed into my travel bag, and proved terrific at keeping my core fired-up.

I wore the Fraction for the first time on a chilly night in Arizona's Sonora desert about a month ago and, thanks to a warmth I haven't felt since my grandmother hugged me last Christmas, haven't taken it off since.

Sure, I got some funny looks the other day walking down the streets of Santa Fe when it was 70 degrees, but every time I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window, I realized that I looked so damn good it didn't bother me. So I ignored my cell phone, which was tucked into a convenient chest pocket, and kept walking...and sweating.

Besides the vest's sex appeal—mine's classic brown and seems to fit my short torso perfectly—there are also other practical touches—like a flap that hangs a little lower in the back and keeps my butt toasty when I'm sitting on a cold bench reading the paper—that make it stand out above the other Michelin Man get-ups I've had in the past.

All of that is well and good but you know what really sealed the deal? The fact that the green interior brings out my eyes. $99; orgear.com

•	Subscribe to Outside and get a FREE Gift!
•	Give the gift of Outside Magazine!
•	Subscribe to Outside Online's free weekly e-mail newsletter featuring gear reviews, fitness advice, galleries, podcasts, and more.

RECENT POSTINGS
•	Dakine District Bag ( Accessories )
•	Bianchi San Jose ( Bike )
•	Knog Toad, Bullfrog and Tadpole bike accessories ( Cycling Gear )
•	Teva's Karnali Wraptor sport sandals for women ( Footwear )
•	Shimano and Hutchinson's Tubeless Road Setup ( Cycling )

TODAY'S GEAR GUY
•	I'm looking for the lightest breatheable bivy sack out there, any suggestions? answer

FEATURED GEAR ARTICLES
•	2005 Buyer's Guide
•	Private Airplane Review (September 2005)
•	Commuter Gear (September 2005)
•	Trail Runners (August 2005)
•	Boxing Gear (July 2005)
•	Summer Sunglasses (June 2005)
•	Storm Chasing Gear (May 2005)
•	2005 Bike Review Special (April 2005)
•	Rock and Roll: MP3 PLayer Review (March 2005)
•	Cold Weather Clothes (February 2005)
•	Watches of the Year (February 2005)
•	Home Gyms (January 2005)
•	Holiday Gift Guide (December 2004)