Product Review: ‘Fall’ing for Noble Outfitters’ Fall Apparel

October 11, 2016Kristen KovatchKristen Kovatch#PRODUCT REVIEWLeave a comment

Autumn is all about cozy layers that perform, especially at the barn: check out the latest pieces from Noble Outfitters’ new fall line!

On Kristen: Downtown Flannel and Calgary Vest. On Erik: Kinetic Crew and Fortitude Quarter Zip. Photo by Kim Bentley.

A few weeks ago I openly made fun of all of those autumn memes and posts you see on your social media feed this time of year: you know, all those pumpkin-spice latte photos, artsy shots of a single amber-hued leaf lying on the sidewalk, cute ditties about wearing cozy sweaters and boots and so on. But truth be told, I do love the crisp weather this time of year — it’s the perfect excuse to layer a comfy vest over my favorite button-up and top it all with a cute jacket. This autumn, both my husband Erik and I are styling in Noble Outfitters‘ new fall line — here are our favorite looks of the fall featuring new pieces for both men and women!

Erik sports the Kinetic Crew. Photo by Kim Bentley.

Erik wore the Kinetic Crew as his base layer, which features a saddle shoulder and side gusset for ease of movement while doing barn chores or harnessing the horses. He particularly liked the Opti-Dry technology, which worked to keep him warm in the crisp air even after sweating and dried quickly, and found the Kinetic Crew to be a good breathable layer that worked as a system with Noble Outfitters’ outerwear. The only way this top would have been any better in Erik’s opinion would be to add thumb loops.

Homerun Crew Sweater. Photo by Kim Bentley.

I can definitely see the Homerun Crew Sweater becoming a versatile part of my closet for the fall and into the winter: the knit includes wool and alpaca as well as synthetic materials, giving it a cozy warmth and flattering look. Typically I don’t look at a sweater and think “barnwear” as I hate picking hay and hair out of the knit, but this sweater actually worked really well for an afternoon at the barn and it’s long enough in the front and the back to transition to the saddle when I go riding. This sweater does include thumb loops (not pictured) which I can foresee being a great feature especially when the weather dips into winter territory. I found this sweater to be figure-flattering and casual, and I actually wore it later in the evening when hosting some friends for a dinner.

The Endurance Jacket layered over the Kinetic Crew. Photo by Kim Bentley.

I think I’ll see Erik in the Endurance Jacket for a large part of the winter: while it’s a “jacket” by name, he found the 140g insulation to keep him quite toasty and that the jacket felt more like a lightweight winter coat. This jacket also includes a removable hood, internal phone pocket (anyone else’s phone die faster in the cold?) and large mesh pockets for carrying extra gear like gloves or a hat. This jacket was actually so warm that he had to shed it before we hooked up the horses and went for a drive, but I’d imagine the fleece-lined high collar would do a good job keeping out chillier weather.

Cheval Waterproof Jacket over the Homerun Crew Sweater. Photo by Kim Bentley.

The Cheval Waterproof Jacket is going to become my go-to barn raincoat this fall: seam-sealed and totally waterproof, this jacket sheds the rain and keeps me warm without adding a lot of bulk. One of my favorite features is the packable hood: instead of removing the hood when you don’t want it, this hood actually rolls right up and zips into the collar! The soft brushed lined pockets are such a treat on chilly evenings when I’m out riding or feeding and need to warm up my hands. This jacket is figure-flattering and transitions just as well as the sweater for going out to run errands before or after a trip to the barn.

I did find that sometimes this jacket feels as though it’s a bit tight across my upper arm when I’m reaching over my head — while I’d love to think it’s due to my toned arm muscles I’m guessing it’s probably more because of the cut of the coat.

Fortitude Quarter Zip over the Kinetic Crew. Photo by Kim Bentley.

Fortitude Quarter Zip over the Kinetic Crew. Cheyenne Cowhide Glove also by Noble Outfitters. Photo by Kim Bentley.

If the photo at the top of this page didn’t indicate already to you that both my husband and I are tall with long limbs, I’ll state for the record that the gear I’ve reviewed for Noble Outfitters has always been friendly to long-torsoed and long-limbed people, and the Fortitude Quarter Zip is no exception — this is great news for anyone if you’re spending time in the saddle or performing barn chores as you move around, because no one likes a chilly breeze up the back from their jacket being too short. Erik in his words liked the athletic fit, and for working around the farm he really liked that the lack of bulk means no getting caught up on equipment.

On Kristen: the Downtown Flannel and Calgary Vest. Photo by Kim Bentley.

Definitely one of my favorite cool-weather looks is a vest over a button-down: the Downtown Flannel is wonderfully soft and warm and the trendy plaid keeps the top looking classic without sacrificing style. The Calgary Vest is a perfect layer for transitional seasons: the 200g fill provides plenty of warmth without bulk so I can still add a jacket if necessary. For riding and driving and other “active” jobs, the vest pulls its weight to keep me plenty warm on its own over a flannel or long-sleeve. I loved pairing these two pieces together, though the flannel also works great on its own.

These pieces are just a sampling of Noble Outfitters’ full fall line: check out NobleOutfitters.com for more pieces!

Get Erik’s look: