Elevator Pitch | 686 Multi Jacket

It’s just you and Michael Akira West, founder of 686, in an elevator bound for the penthouse. Here’s his 2-minute pitch on why his new Multi Jacket is the Next Big Thing.

This is one jacket to rule them all. It’s a closet-slimming quiver-killer.

For the first time in our 25-year history, 686 is releasing a 3-season jacket that truly does it all for adventure and travel. We call it the Multi, because it’s designed to hold its own in multiple environments and on multiple adventures. There’s no lack of 3-season jackets out there, but they fall all short in one area or another, usually in winter.

The Multi just doesn’t “kind of” work in the snow: It holds its own during resort riding or skinning/touring in the Pacific Northwest, hiking or pedaling in the rain, and during on- or off-grid adventure travel. Made using two-layer Gore-Tex Paclite technology, it weighs just 16 ounces and packs into an included small pouch. It features backpack-accessible, YKK Reverse Coil Water Resistant AquaGuard Zippers to keep water out, plus vented chest pockets for temperature regulation.

We added merino wool around the collar and chin flap – the areas that touch your skin most on the jacket – to reduce skin irritation, provide natural heating and cooling properties, and keep you stank free (thanks to merino’s natural antimicrobial properties). The removable Cross Strap System is another unique feature: These backpack-style straps allow you to quickly shed it in situations where you’re overheating – say hiking the backcountry or on a crowded New York City subway – but then slip it back on without missing a step.

We’ve personally tested this while ski touring, and with a little finesse, you can easily shed your jacket without stopping or having to remove your backpack during an ascent. Extra internal pockets make it easy to carry a camera or other gear and a refined cut allows easy movement whether you’re on your bike, hiking or simply walking around town.

Learn more here.

**If you want to ride the elevator with SNEWS, click here and make your pitch.

Elevator Pitches are written by the company and edited for space and clarity. They do not express the opinions of SNEWS or its editors.