Looking for well-made outerwear for high-energy outdoor activities? Craft Sportswear’s Explore line of jackets and vests may be what you need for your next adventure. In this review, Scott explains how these mid and outer layers are a great fit for travelers and hikers alike.

Craft Sportswear is one of the “born in the garage” companies I love to support. The founder, Anders Bengtsson, was a Swedish athlete who saw a need for high-performance base layers and took matters into his own hands.

Since 1973, Craft Sportswear has grown to provide high-quality training and performance clothing and footwear to elite and weekend athletes. Their products are known for their comfort, flexibility, and durability. Craft is also committed to sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of its manufacturing.

At the end of the day, I was excited to see how Craft Sportswear performed in person and was happy they had reached out to us. I chose three products from their Explore line for us to review: the Men’s ADV Explore Lightweight Jacket, the Men’s ADV Explore Light Down Vest, and the Women’s CORE Explore Shell Jacket. We hiked, birdwatched, and traveled with the products at home in the USA and in the Amazon and Andes of Ecuador. I think we’ve got some winners here. Let’s start with first impressions.

Opening the Box

I have to admit that the first thing I thought when the shipment from Craft arrived was, “What a small box.” It was the size of a medium mailer, so I was surprised to open it up and find all three items. Super impressive to someone worried about packing all my items into my bag for the airport.

Unwrapping the clothing was also a pleasure. I found high-quality fabric, zippers, and great attention to detail. The hand feel of the Explore jacket and vest was especially nice.

The Craft website had been clear that their clothing is cut for athletes. When in doubt, order the larger size. So Angie and I opted for one size above our normal. That turned out to be a good idea for both of us. Now, on to the specifics of each.

Craft Sportswear Men’s ADV Explore Lightweight Jacket

I don’t own many hooded jackets because I prefer being able to hear and see things around me. I can’t do that in a hood. Well, I’m making an exception for the ADV Explore. I like the cut, size, and insulation of the hood. It’s great for variable weather when the mornings or evenings may be cold, but the afternoons are not. I even felt comfortable when I pulled the hood over a baseball cap. Maybe that’s not a big deal for you, but for me, that’s super rare.

As I mentioned above, the fabric has a great hand. The cuffs are made of a stretch material with a perfect balance of give and hold. They make me wish other makers would use it instead of the more typical bunched elastic.

That same stretchy fabric, when used on the sides of the jacket, is one of the details I don’t care for. It is just too ventilating for me. However, this is also what makes the jacket great for high-tempo activities in cooler temperatures, just as the designers wanted. So, be smarter than me when birdwatching instead of hiking and add a layer in cold weather. Sizing up made this possible without any issues.

Oh, and the jacket zipper pull is on the left side. Yes, yes, yes, I know. That’s not a big deal. Yet I did a double-take when I put the jacket on the first time, given my more than 50 years of wearing jackets with the pull on the other side. So, I’m over it. You can be too. Just wanted you to know.

Craft Sportswear Men’s ADV Explore Light Down Vest

I had only worn wool and fleece vests before I received the ADV Explore light down vest. I mean, I had a puffer vest in the ’80s and it wasn’t that great. So, I never really got the 2000s puffer vest craze. Well, I’ve changed my mind. This vest is great! It weighs nothing, packs into its pocket, and adds probably 10 degrees of warmth to whatever I wear it with. This vest is the Swiss Army Knife of my insulation layers, especially in Portland.

The construction and materials are identical to the ADV Explore jacket; super high-quality sewing, great fabric, and a left-hand zipper pull. The overall length of the vest and height of the collar are nice as well. Sizing up to large was the right move in order to be able to layer under the vest without looking like a sausage.

I could write more about this vest, but it’d be very repetitive. So, to summarize. It’s great. I love wearing it. You need one.

Craft Sportswear Women’s CORE Explore Shell Jacket

Right before we started talking with Craft Sportswear about looking at their clothing, Angie mentioned to me that she was looking for a new raincoat. I think she’d had her old coat for more than five years and two re-waterproofings. It turned out Craft had a really nice one she could try out, the CORE Explore shell jacket.

It’s a super lightweight, 2-layer, jacket with a removable hood, mesh lining, and taped seams. The workmanship, fabric, and attention to detail are great, just like the ADV Explore jacket and vest I discussed above. To be honest, I was a little worried the jacket might be too light and that the adjustable hood might not work well in a heavy downpour. 

Well, I was wrong on both counts. Angie loved how the jacket performed both in Tucson, Arizona and the Ecuadorian Andes and Amazon. She said the lightweight material and waterproof zippers were solid, with no leakage or wetting through in spite of walking blocks in a torrential downpour in Tucson.

The breathability was a winner too. Angie was able to hike with her Six Moon Designs backpack and full camera gear and not feel like she was in a sauna.

Colder weather wasn’t a problem either. A puffy jacket or fleece under the rain layer kept her toasty warm for a good bit of the winter here in Portland. Sizing up worked out for Angie as well. She was able to layer without losing range of motion or feeling constricted.

Bottomline on Craft Sportswear – Highly Recommended

Each piece we tested was well-made, thoughtfully designed, and a pleasure to use. Take note of the athletic sizing when you order; one size up worked well for both of us. All in all, we highly recommend Craft Sportswear the next time you are looking to upgrade your outdoor active wear layering game.