Warning, my bachelor degree is in History. So those of you with georteyphobia, you might just want to skip down a few paragraphs.
In May 1944, Lieutenant General Brehon Somervell, Chief of Army Service Forces, was credited with saying the following,
“Sea power can get us to enemy territory, air power can carry war into the heart, of enemy territory—it can weaken his powers to resist—but the man in the mud, the fellow with the bayonet in his hands, will deliver the final blow. His courage, his stamina, his devotion together with that of his brothers on sea and in the air are the ingredients of victory. But only good logistics will make it possible for them to gain that victory.”
Okay, where am I going with this? LtGen Somervell knew something very important, something you should know as well. You can only gain your goal through good logistics. You need good gear to run your best.
Hence, I blog my first public gear review. I say public because I sometimes test shoes for Under Armour and I’m not allowed to discuss those tests. And way back when they first came out, I tested Keen’s Ochoco trail shoes (super comfortable, maybe too soft for heavy runners or long runs and couldn’t hold up in just one run in the Massanutten mountains) trail shoes for Trail Runner magazine.
Product
The Skinny #1
A cold Christmas day allowed me to test my new Under Armour Fuego 1/4 zip. My normal outfit for a 25 degree day besides a hat, running gloves, and running pants, is a jacket and a thick long sleeve shirt underneath. I decided to test the Fuego as a jacket.
I warmed up nicely and started circling the high school track. This slight breeze allowed me to experience wind on the back and front of the fleece.
The Fuego performed well. I was never cold and believe it will handle 20 degrees just fine.
The Skinny #2
On the last day of 2010, I met up with my buddy Dan for a 8 trail run in Rockburn Branch Park. Our 8 mile course takes us into Patapsco Valley State Park. We used to run the main section of the park, but the Rangers kept stopping us to enforce the parks discrimination on Canine-Americans.
A typical 33 degree day calls for me to wear long sleeves and either a vest or a jacket depending upon which direction the temperature is expected move. I decided to go with a short sleeve as a base for the Fuego.
The high humidity had it feel a little colder than was advertised by my smartphone. Within a few minutes I started to get warm and at a mile and a half I had to stop to remove my base layer. We often stop on this run to let the dogs drink in the creek or talk to mountain bikers, today was no different. Even with occasional breaks, I never felt cold enough to put my base layer back on.
Features
Pros: The Fuego has slightly longer than normal sleeves. It also has nice zippered pockets that are attached to one another. The front zipper has a housing so you don’t scratch your neck. Light weight.
Cons: It’s 100% Polyester and can snag easily. They run a little small and tight, so check the UA sizing chart and consider going a size up. I’m a 38 chest and 30 waist but my medium is snug (I swear it got a little smaller after washing).
I highly recommend this fleece.
