Judging by the name, it’s easy to mistake the Outlier Alphacore Long Sleeve as a tactical garment that will fend off bullets and give you superhuman strength during battle. It won’t. If your winter outdoor activities are restricted to less violent pursuits, though, then it’s about as fine as any sweatshirt you can don, with its mercilessly soft fabric, unforgiving warmth, and killer action hero looks.
Designed to deliver some impressively hardcore warmth, the sweater uses two layers of Merino wool that sandwiches a layer of Polartec’s Alpha insulation. To the unfamiliar, that’s the same material the company developed for the US military Special Forces as an advanced insulation for their wet and cold weather combat uniforms. Outlier describes the merino-Alpha combo as a “comfortable and dry warmth that feels a bit like you stayed under the covers yet somehow made it outside.” Basically, you should be toasty as a baby in a warm blanket. Or something like that.
The Outlier Alphacore Long Sleeve uses ultra-fine 17.5 Merino layers, along with a 120-gram Polartec Alpha, turning out a garment that’s highly-breathable, odor-resistant, and heavily insulating even when wet. It comes with a slim fit to show off your physique, along with a mock neck for a more stylish look. Features include X-open side zips for ventilation, a dry hand-feel, and just enough warmth to make it comfortable in a wide range of temperatures during the colder seasons of the year.
Made in NYC, the Outlier Alphacore Long Sleeve is priced at $320.
