Stio Pinion Down Pullover

Review by Kate Agathon

Designed for four season activities, the Stio Pinion Down Pullover and its kangaroo pocket is a welcome alternative to the traditional puffy jacket.

Because I am constantly freezing or overheating, I have long preferred to wear jackets rather than pull overs because they are so much easier to remove and put on (no messed up hair is a bonus).

However, I was intrigued by Stio’s Pinion Down Pullover because its kangaroo pocket looked so useful.

Perhaps the kangaroo pocket would help to solve my dilemma of overstuffed hand pockets.

I habitually put my energy chews, phone and other items in my hand pockets to keep them close at hand. The dilemma is that occasionally, stuff falls out when I unzip pockets to fumble around for something that I need. I hoped that the kangaroo pocket would resolve that issue once and for all.

Features:

• 800 ultralight fill
• Responsible Down Standard Certified
• Water-repellent finish resists water and reduces dry time
• Narrow baffles for uniform warmth and distribution
• Center front interior draft flap seals out elements

Fit and Style

Although it is advertised as a regular fit, based on reviews, I opted to size up and wear a size medium instead of my normal small so that it could comfortably accommodate a mid layer.

The Stio Pinion Down Pullover doesn’t appear as form fitting as it is depicted, but keep in mind not only am I petite (5’0”), but did I size up.

I liked the overall style and how the pull over with pocket was a nice change up from my usual- it seemed a bit more mountain chic.

The Stio Pinion Down Pullover is extremely colorful (I wore Deep Lagoon which was a little bit more blue in person than online). The lime grosgrain finish surrounding the contrasting purple zipper with pinecone detail pull provided a nice pop of color that matched the interior of the hood. Finally, the purple stitched logo and trademark pine cone provided attractive details as well and broke up the monotony.

Function

I most recently wore the Stio Pinion Down Pullover while nordic skiing at Grand Mesa, Colorado.

Despite it being a bluebird day in mid-March on the western slope, there was still fresh snow and cold wind blowing on top of the mesa rising 11,332 above sea level.

The day started out rather chilly. Even though I was wearing a beanie on my head, the wind was cold and I wore the hoody for the first 45 minutes of the morning.

I appreciated that the subtle elasticized liner in the hood didn’t gape and prevented air from seeping in. It also stayed put, despite the blowing wind.

As the wind died down, I no longer needed to wear the hoody up but I was thankful for the uniform warmth and elasticized cuffs.

Surprisingly, despite temperatures slowly inching up throughout the day, I had no need of changing up layers and wore the pullover the entire time.

While the side snaps along the right side bottom and the front zipper left fully unzipped helped to make removal easier, I regrettably left my phone and other items in the kangaroo pouch and they bapped against my face when I took off the pullover. Talk about a rookie mistake!

As for the main feature I was interested in -the kangaroo pocket- overall I was not disappointed.

With side openings to keep hands warm, the ample front kangaroo pocket is zippered and concealed under its own garage and has side openings to keep hands warm.

I loved how my phone, snacks, etc. were in one handy place and didn’t sag. The placement kept things secure and close by and I didn’t have to remove my gloves to awkwardly fumble around with zippers and pocket contents.

Also, I liked to be able to use the side openings to place my hands and not have to compete with limited space as I would if I had side pockets.

Finally, It is so much easier to reach in front rather than the side; especially if you’re wearing a pack of any sort.

Overall Thoughts

I was quite pleased with the Stio Pinion Down Pullover both in terms of performance, features and style. The stylish look elevated my mountain style and was a nice wardrobe refresh and the kangaroo pocket is practical.

The Stio Pinion Down Pullover is available in 7 sizes (XXS to XXL) and five colors (Terrain, Abyss, Cedar Blush, Mountain Shadow/Blue Heron, Deep Lagoon).

Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, and mom to her furbabies, Sansa and Benjen.

 

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment to her writing.

Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, road biking, nordic skiing, alpine skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers. She and her husband, Paul, live in Summit County with their dogs, Benjen and Sansa.

Kate earned a BA in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving two terms on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.

The Dr. of Stoke has been part of the Engearment team since 2016.