Eddie Bauer IgniteLite Hybrid Jacket Review

First Impressions

About a year ago, we did a piece on hybrid jackets. Love these things. Warmth where you need it — primarily the core — and coverage to keep the weather out elsewhere. The top scorer in that test was Eddie Bauer’s IgniteLite jacket. As much as we liked that jacket, the IgniteLite had one fatal flaw, its zipper. After a while, the teeth wouldn’t mesh. And no matter what form of repair we attempted, we couldn’t get the zipper to heal. Thanks to Eddie Bauer’s Guaranteed for Life warranty, however, we were able to return the original and pick up a brand new IgniteLite prior to the holidays.

Features

The new IgniteLite builds on the original foundation with a handful of new features. Eddie Bauer still fills the IgniteLite with PrimaLoft Silver Active insulation and adds a durable water repellent to the exterior for warmth and protection. The company constructs the sleeves and jacket back from a stretch polyester/spandex blend.

Specs
Weight: 13 oz. (mens medium)
Fabrics: PrimaLoft Silver Active insulation, nylon, polyester/spandex

There’s a hood that rolls into the neck in case you hit some rain or heavy mist. The exterior now boasts three zipper storage pockets, two at the side and another on the sleeve. Two interior pockets are deep enough for your phone and other gear. Thumb loops complete the offering.

Fit

Eddie Bauer bills the fit at “active.” The Eddie Bauer does run tight but not overly so. We tried the Eddie Bauer MicroTherm StormDown Jacket late last year as well. That jacket — despite the stretch inserts — proved way too snug and required going up one size from our usual. The IgniteLite, however, fit as it should. Big enough to accommodate a base layer or even two, but close enough to the body to not sag or flap when running, hiking and the like.