As I prepared to relax at basecamp after a brief hike in the Texas hill country, the air was brisk and a front was slowly meandering its way as the sun began to set. It was early spring, before the world was turned upside down by the current pandemic. It was just another day of enjoying the backcountry and trying to stay comfortable before preparing our meal.
Earlier that weekend I knew the weather would warrant some moderately warm and comfortable clothing and as a budding adventure motorcyclist, I had been introduced to Klim products from fellow OutdoorX4 contributor Bill Dragoo. Klim’s versatile product line had me thinking their products aren’t just for motorcyclists and snowmobilers but crossover exceptionally well for all of us who enjoy a four-wheeled adventure or getting into the backcountry for a hike, fish, bike ride, or other outdoors endeavor. Enter the Klim Yukon Pullover.
Klim’s Yukon Pullover is a versatile piece of clothing that can be used as an everyday pullover or work as a mid-layer when conditions require it. This is its greatest appeal for me as I am constantly looking for products I can use that are multi-functional and this was a major theme of our most recent Gear Issue, highlighting products that can be used for multiple purposes. The Yukon Pullover is built using POLARTEC Thermal Pro material that’s equally durable on the exterior as it is soft yet warm on the inside. The design is minimalist with a touch of color on the left chest (the pullover itself is available in three different color options including monument grey, blue, and black), which incorporates a pocket large enough to store a compass and other small items while on adventure or around town, with stretch nylon overlays on the shoulders and elbows that aren’t ripstop but certainly provide durability when hiking or biking along narrow trails where tree limbs could be protruding.
The Yukon Pullover is also quite breathable despite its insulated fleece and while the pullover did get wet when I stupidly dropped my Nalgene water bottle and poured half its contents onto myself, the Klim Yukon Pullover was quick to dry and didn’t leave me with any cold spots despite temps in the low 50s. My only small complaint is sizing as the Yukon Pullover is true to size and doesn’t run “big” meaning its framing is slightly athletic in fit. If you prefer a looser fit, I’d recommend ordering one size larger than you might normally wear.
Regarding quality, the stitching is meticulous and because the design is intended to be minimalist in nature, there are less pieces of fabric which means there’s less likelihood of cold spots long-term. Plus, the Klim Yukon Pullover not only functions well during virtually any outdoors pursuit, whether in the vehicle or not, it also looks great while walking around town without looking like its an outdoors piece of clothing. Pricing is moderate at $129 and over time I’ve come to recognize you pay for what you get and in this case, I feel the cost of entry is worth what you get.
I don’t typically write about a lot of clothing items because there are so many good options out there. That said, Klim’s Yukon Pullover is becoming an essential part of my backcountry clothing gear list and given the pedigree of Klim’s voluminous catalog of products that truly crossover into a variety of outdoors pursuits, Klim is a company I highly recommend looking into if you seek quality products that’ll provide versatility while on your various backcountry (or in-town) adventures.
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