Aeris 250 Insulation Technology is a patented process that uses a combination of Polyester and Spandex over a Polymer foam to create a fabric designed to be worn against the skin.
Fortress is a small company out of Mt. Pleasant, UT, that is making a reputation in the skiing industry with its outdoor products. Recently the Fortress line has been discovered by avid snowmobilers who recognize a quality product when they see it.
Here are some impressions from our testing:
- Looks bulky, but boy is it comfortable. Really didn’t notice the bulk once I got my riding gear on.
- It is soft and comfortable. I thought it would likely be too warm … but I was wrong. It regulates body heat with perfect climate control. At first I tried to overheat. (I shoveled the snow off my driveway … but no sweat—literally.)
- I wore it inside for a while, then went outside in the cold; then back inside. My body maintained a constant core temperature.
- On a typical snowmobile outing (consisting of sitting in a hot truck cab for 45 minutes driving to the trailhead, then jumping into a cold trailer to change into snowmobile gear) I hopped on my sled and raced down a trail during the coldest time of the day. Still, my core temperature stayed constant in all conditions.
- I even overdressed to try to overheat (wearing an extra mid layer). After working in my shop for 30 minutes, I was still comfortable. So I went out in the snow to work … still stayed comfortable.
- I went to great lengths to find the weakness of the Fortress BasePro. There wasn’t one. This is good stuff.
The BasePro ¼ Zip Top retails for $139 and the BasePro Pant retails for $129.
For more information visit www.fortressclothing.com.