Have you ever felt that first breeze of autumn’s chill, reached for your favorite fall hoodie, and, immediately upon wearing it, felt like the whole world was giving you one big, covid-safe, psychic hug? Gently rocking you, saying, “There, there, sweetie, you’re okay now. In fact, you’ve always been okay. You’re enough in this moment and each one going forward. You are loved. You are safe. You are seen and appreciated.”

If your answer to that simple question is, “No. No, I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” then you haven’t yet tried on the Gossamer Gear Full Zip Hoodie, a piece of apparel that our 5-star in-house copywriting team describes as, “a zip-up hoodie to keep you warm and looking HOT.”

But, if I’m being honest, I’ve been wanting to write this blog since I first got my hoodie in late May and then proceeded to wear it during the dog days of summer in any air-conditioned room I found myself in. Our team thought it might resonate with more people come fall, which is likely true. However, what’s equally as true is that after you feel its majesty this fall, you’ll still find yourself wearing it next summer whenever you need just a little reminder that storms pass and your community is here for you.

To bring this completely biased, yet surprisingly unbiased review back to some solid ground for a minute, let’s talk about what exactly the hoodie entails.Measuring in at 18.9 ounces (of course we weighed it!), this full zip hoodie comes in black with white detailing along the silver metal zipper and a white drawstring through the hood. On the back, it has a really-super-cool-looking custom graphic of a snake forming the Gossamer Gear “g” around a hiking pole, printed in white. The hoodie is American Apparel 50/50 poly-cotton fleece and has two pockets for your hands and stuff.

To experience the, well, ~experience~ of this hoodie, you needn’t drive all the way to Leadville, Colorado, or wait months to years on a list to be notified of a limited batch release, only to log onto the website and find they’ve already sold out, again, for the eleventh time. These dream hoodies are in stock and ready to ship your way today.

Possible use cases for this hoodie:

  • Hanging out around the campfire making s’mores with your vaccinated pals
  • Cuddling up on the couch with your cat and the latest episode of “Alone”
  • Rotating your laundry while working from home
  • Strolling along your nearby urban greenway while organizing an impromptu litter pickup
  • Laptoping outside a coffee shop well past patio season weather
  • Zooming with all of your best friends who also have the same hoodie and talking about how much you love said hoodie

That last use case brings me back to my own love of this hoodie. You see, as much as I actually do love the hoodie itself, I’ve realized that my over-the-top attachment to this inanimate object actually stems from what it represents for me—which is the Gossamer Gear community.I’ve had the joy of collaborating with Gossamer Gear now for approaching five years. I've gotten to be inspired by the ideas, support, and adventures of our brand ambassadors. I’ve been able to capture and share stories of the people and organizations that have used our gear. And I’ve experienced the joy of our small team’s silly and meandering, yet thoughtful and caring Zoom check-in calls. We show up for each other, and, especially these past two years, that has meant a lot.

When I wear my super sick snake hoodie, my years with Gossamer Gear are what I feel. I slip my arms through its cozy sleeves and I get that warm fuzzy feeling in my heart that happens when you’re all filled up with gratitude and love for the moments that make life sweet—including those moments where others show up for you when life isn’t so sweet.

If you’ve somehow read this far, you’re most definitely a part of this outdoor community that makes my heart swoon and that I feel so fortunate to be a part of each day. And if you do snag one of these hoodies, I hope that feeling also wraps you up when you wear it. I hope being a part of the Gossamer Gear community can give you a smile on cloudy days and a little extra comfort when times are rough.

Plus, it will legitimately keep you warm and looking HOT, if nothing else.

September 30, 2021 — Korrin Bishop