We tried it | Cotopaxi Kusa Hybrid Jacket
A modern, cool, and comfy jacket for layering or mild temps
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
The Kusa Hybrid first caught my eye for its funky, casual good looks. But as winter settles in around the Rockies, I care less about looking cool and more about staying comfortable, and the Kusa Hybrid has proven that it’s more than just a pretty face.
Fun fact: VP of Product Design, Cheri Sanguinetti, was visiting the Bolivian Alitplano. She was inspired by these communities she visited, their incredible traditional textile and agricultural practices, and wanted to create a line that used their mainstay, the llama fleece, as an insulation – this resulting in the Kusa Collection, Libre sweater and now the Libre sock.
The Kusa was perfect on a windy dayhike on the Daudy Draw Trail in the low 50s My next hike at Walker Ranch was much cooler (down into the 30s) and I layered it with a puffy over it. When the weather warmed up and I was ready to shed a layer, it packed down to about a cantaloupe size.
Water-and wind-resistant nylon covers the torso over the llama-polyester fill for added weather protection while the sleeves and hood are made from Polartec Thermal Pro fleece, which makes it breathable, fast-drying, and gives the jacket the feeling of a plush, thick sweater.
I love the unique look. The retro-ish bomber style gives it a casual (not ultratechy) look. I can wear it out with friends and grab a bite to eat without feeling like I’m rolling in from the mountains. Yet it works in the mountains, too. Being wearable in varying temperatures, I know I’ll get a ton of use out of this jacket.
$160
Available in men’s and women’s
