Product Review: C9 Champion 3 in 1 Insulated Jacket

The cold weather has arrived and the warm clothes are making an appearance!  A few weeks ago, Target had a sale on its C9 outerwear, which I had been eyeing up for some time.  When I saw that the 3 in 1 Insulated Jacket was included in the discounts, I couldn't pass it up.  Since getting the product, I have worn it in all three parts - outer shell, inner insulated lining and the jacket as a whole.  Now that I have given all three elements of the jacket a test, I feel confident in reviewing my impressions of it.

Like I have mentioned previously with C9, it is one of my favorite lines for workout clothing that won't break the bank but serve its purpose.  And in getting a 3 in 1 product, I felt like I was getting even better of a deal.  So to break down this review and get it under way, let's start with the outer shell!

The day I purchased my jacket, the temperature was slightly mild for this time of year.  However, the wind was crazy and had a slight chill to it.  One of the claims of the jacket is its wind resistance and I thought, "What better way to see how true that is than running in 20 MPH gusts!"  I unzipped (which is a nice feature compared to snaps or Velcro) and removed the inner insulated lining and put on the outer shell.  I noticed the various number of cords that were throughout the jacket shell and, to be honest, had not the slightest clue what to do with them, since no instructions were included with the jacket.  As is my natural inclination, I decided that I would just figure out what all the bungees were for while on the go.  I then headed out the door and planned on covering a few miles.

I pulled the hood up in order to retain some heat, but due both to the wind and size of the hood, it quickly fell off.  I then remembered seeing a cord at the base of the hood and decided to give it a pull.  To my surprise, I began to feel the cords inside the hood conform to my head - it's ingenious!  The jacket didn't create any greater issues running in windy conditions than if I were just in shorts and a shirt.  I also liked having not only two front pockets, but a chest pocket for holding my phone as well.  Since I often over-dress for runs, I did have to let the jacket air out when I was finished with my workout so it could dry from sweat.  Overall, the first run with it was pretty successful.

My second run with the jacket necessitated a little more warmth than provided by just the outer shell, but not to the point of wearing the jacket as a whole.  I chose to wear the inner insulated liner with the temperature being in the mid-40's.  I was happy with how warm it kept me without feeling bulky or cumbersome.  In addition, the inner layer also has its own zipper pockets, so no need to worry about things falling out or not having pockets if just wearing the insulated liner.  So far the jacket was two for two!

In the last few days, the chilly air of autumn has finally set in giving me the opportunity to see just how well this 3 in 1 jacket can keep my toasty while the temperatures are hovering around freezing.  As someone who gets cold easily, I half-expected to be finishing my run icy and wanting more layers.  Boy was I wrong!  Not once during my 32 degree run did I feel cold but in actuality had to zip the coat down a little to cool off.  This jacket will be seeing many miles this winter and I won't be dreading my cold runs!

Overall, I am very pleased with the jacket.  The one big disadvantage to the product is that it does not have any reflective material on it.  Since some of my winter runs will be after the sun sets, I will need to invest in a vest or lighting system.  Other than this issue, I am happy to have found a quality 3 in 1 insulated jacket for the right price.

Happy running!
Sean