After much success with their Prima Lochi Reversible Jacket, Beyond Clothing went back to the drawing board. To further develop and improve one of their best jackets. And came up with the new Ultra Lochi. Keeping with their reversible design and well thought out color combinations, Beyond Clothing concentrated on the smaller details. Some visible, and some not so much. One of those behind-the-scenes updates is the insulation itself. Shifting from Primaloft Alpha used in the previous iteration, the Ultra Lochi gets a new offering from Primaloft. PrimaLoft Black Bio insulation.
PrimaLoft Black Bio insulation
“PrimaLoft® Bio™ is biodegradable* synthetic down crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled content, representing an important step toward drastically reducing the amount of micro plastics in our landfills and oceans. In accelerated test conditions, PrimaLoft® Bio™ fibers reach near complete biodegradation in under two years, while standard polyester remains almost completely intact.” ~beyondclothing.com
This new insulation is 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Polyester, water-repellent, breathable and retains warmth when wet. All great features in a lightweight packable insulation layer. Plus, you get a fully reversible jacket. Basically two jackets for the price of one. Paying homage to my days in the 75th Ranger Regiment, I opted for the Black/Woodland combination. Back in the 90’s, we rocked the hell out of that woodland camouflage. And black is fairly versatile while still maintaining a low-vis profile in a crowd.
Comparing the New Ultra Lochi to the previous Prima Lochi
Notable improvements
Other notable improvements to the Ultra Lochi are a fully adjustable hood with pull cords. A hood that, in my opinion, fits better than the prior Prima Lochi’s elastic hood opening. The woodland camo side of the jacket features an exterior wind flap for the main zipper. With a new chin guard to avoid zipper to chin contact. And zipper hoods for all three exterior pockets. Making this side of the jacket a bit more tolerant to wet or adverse conditions. However, both sides of the reversible jacket are finished with a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating. Ensuring maximum versatility when worn as an outer layer.
The back of the Ultra Lochi features a drop tail hem that is more exaggerated than the previous jacket. At first I thought it was a bit excessive. But after a pretty solid rain storm, its functionality became apparent. Even the elastic material at the cuffs evolved a bit, making for a more comfortable fit. Both the Prima and Ultra Lochi jackets I own are sized in XL. The sleeves on the Ultra Lochi are a bit less baggy which I like. But they seem to ride up a little more making them seem shorter. Although they don’t actually measure shorter.
Lightweight materials
Beyond reduced the outer shell material from 70 denier micro rip-stop to a lighter 20 denier fabric on the new Ultra Lochi. Dropping the weight of a size large from 19.8 ounces to 17.6. All in all, the improvements made to the Ultra Lochi make for a better jacket. A little more streamlined fit with small details that add up to a more refined garment. Although the switch from 70 to 20 denier material lightened up the jacket, time will tell weather durability will suffer as a result. But so far, there are no signs of wear.
Beyond has always been high on my list for quality garments and the Ultra Lochi lives up to my expectations in spades. Pair the Ultra Lochi with Beyond’s comfortable Makers Pants for a versatile and durable combo. At $225, I feel the sum of these design upgrades make the Ultra Lochi worth a little extra money.
Ultra Lochi Features
- Reversible
- Insulated
- Breathable
- Wind resistant
- Water resistant
- Durable
- Self stowing
Hood Details
- Streamlined, adjustable hood
- Fitted design that also accommodates helmets
Design Details
- Fully reversible jacket
- Reversible, adjustable technical hood
- Front zipper wind flap
- High collar with chin guard
- Elastic wrist cuffs
- Droptail hem with minimalist self-fabric finish
Fabric Treatment
- DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish repels moisture
Pocket Details
- Four zippered hand pockets (one pair for each side of the jacket)
- Stows in the right hand pocket of the non-quilted side
- Zippered chest pocket (internal right when quilted side is out, external left when non-quilted side is out)
Construction
- Shell: 20-denier 100% nylon micro ripstop
- Insulation: 1.8 oz. PrimaLoft® Black Bio insulation 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Polyester is water-repellent, breathable, and retains warmth when wet
- Weight (Size L): 17.6 oz.
- Imported | Bangladesh | TAA Compliant
- SKU: K3-M051-S21
Sustainability
- Insulation is crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled content and is completely biodegradable
- Certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® | confirmed free from harmful levels of more than 100 substances
- bluesign®-certified textiles have been verified for ecological safety at every step of manufacturing
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