Ditch Your Melanzana! - Senchi Designs review and interview
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- The Senchi Designs Alpha Hoodie has replaced my Melanzana for all but deep winter backpacking. But let's face it, when am I going to be doing that? This new piece is incredible, and I tell you why including an interview with the owner himself, Ryan Windus.
THIS IS NOT A PAID REVIEW, I PAID FOR THIS GEAR MYSELF, SENCHI DESIGNS DOES NOT SPONSOR ME.
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Watching this a year later, I apologize for the crappy outdoor lighting caused by the sun moving quickly around the trees 😅
That hoodie is Steve Climber approved. Perfect match to the flex trek 5 trillion
Blast from the past! I haven't seen that video in years lol
pairs well with the french wedge as well.
Thank you so much for giving Ryan the space and attention, I had no clue about him or his gear! I’ll have to check out those hoodies whenever I decide to go back out for a longer hike. I’ll still keep my Melly around for lounging around / belaying / climbing in the shoulder seasons, but I’ll def reconsider my fleece of choice whenever I go out for a backpacking trip.
Good stuff as always duder!!
Yeah I still often use the melly for climbing/lounging around in, as it’s a bit warmer and I’m not moving around much in a climbing setting. Thanks man!
Polartec Alpha was tested and approved for use by Military Special Forces. Tested in Alaska in winter. Very disappointed that more companies aren’t using it.
I've had my eye on one of these for a few month now! Im hoping Santa will remember how I have not sucked this year and leave a sexy Senchi for me under the non existent tree in my apartment.. your video quality is definitely getting a lot better! Hike on and stay safe man
Why hope someone gifts you anything, buy it yourself
I use Patagucci. If I am ever cold, I will sue them. Besides, you can always remember the impressive figures you had to fork over, that makes you sweat anyways.
😂
common knowledge reminder: the normal alpha is designed to be sandwiched with shell materials to help reduce the micro plastics pollution. the alpha direct is the one that they released afterward that was designed and designated as having less (not zero) micro plastics pollution.
Great information! I personally didn’t know that, thanks!
Hi there! First off I want to say Mr. Brokaw that I'm a huge fan and never thought I'd find you in such a niche gear market!
From what I've come to learn in the fabric world and my connects at Polartec, alpha is designed to be layered in between fabrics to protect it from wear as well as to disperse heat to cold areas around the lofted insulation. This is because as I said in the video, the average customer is very keen on prioritizing warmth. Polartec did design Alpha Direct as a standalone piece, but they also are fine with the Alpha 60 (Light) used on it's own. Organic fibers also tend to actually shed more overtime than synthetic fibers, simply due to durability. Alpha has an incredibly high tensile strength. From personal use it has shown little sign of wear over a year of consistent backpacking/kayaking/skiing.
All this being said, despite the fact that alpha is mostly recycled, it is still a synthetic piece and made from petroleum. So that truly is a bummer. When you are buying any kind of synthetic fleece - you are buying into microplastics pollution. In a lot of ways we have to pick and choose our battles in our daily choices as consumers (and we are ALL indeed consumers). At the same time there is an incredible amount of greenwashing with products like organic bamboo/cotton that is some of the most polluting textile production in the world. If you are keen on sustainability - look into transitional cotton. Now I'm getting off topic..
If you have any info or sources on micro-plastics pollution please send me a dm! Information seems to change all the time, and I'd sincerely appreciate some extra info.
I love my mellys. I have 4 of them and wear them almost daily. Also get heavy use as a camp hoodie or car camping hoodie. On day hikes, a good summit layer. As far as active layer, you are right that I never use them for that.
Dude this is exactly what I’ve been on the look out for! Not to mention it’s comin from a sweet cottage company from a fellow hiker/nurse. I’m stoked to pick one up when they come back in stock!
Nice man, again really impressed with the lengths you go to, to make a great informative video. I’m using the Pa’lante grid fleece atm really happy with it. ✌️🤙
Good info! I’ve been using an AG alpaca hoodie for a while. It’s heavier for sure, but I think similar in style fit and performance. As I get older (63) and my body changes, I’ve discovered I am quite comfortable into the low forties, with just a sleeveless top, as long as I’m moving. I have to admit it’s been quite a revelation, and feels wonderful. As soon as I stop, I throw on the hoodie.
Doesn’t surprise me that this guy who make good looking gear is a vintage head. That shirt he was wearing is fire 🔥
I have both a meli and kulu Pelton 97, each has features I like but not together this is when Senchi emerged as the winner with both a half zip and kangaroo pocket, perfection!
I completely agree on the Melly. I've never drank the Kool-Aid, been using the Kuiu Peloton 97 after I saw Jupiter mention it. 4.5 oz and warm enough for me! I'll have to check out the one you mention!
Got an email from Senchi last week of new color hoodies having dropped. Jumped on a yellow hoodie/sleeves with robin egg blue body with pockets. Looks sweet. This will be my third Senchi product. Have an orange crew which works out quite well.
I've got one of the hybrids from Senchi. I kind of found it randomly back in like July and shot Ryan a message. This thing is legit amazing. I've been using it to run in low to mid 40s wth just a short sleeve tech shirt underneath and it performs amazing. You never feel too hot due to the thinness of the fabric. You never feel cold because it's still a fleece!
I'm anxiously awaiting the next drop so I can pick up another and when I see that sun hoody come out, just take my money!
Just got the Wren in Large for outdoor trips 4.1 oz and ordered the limited edition Lark 60 (60 g/m2 fabric) in 2XL at 5.0 oz for around town and general travel, to use easier to take on and off in a larger size. Thanks for the review and short podcast hope.
Thank you for making this video. Truly informative and possibly the only video that goes indepth on Senchi Designs. Definitely grabbed one for the next hike.
Clever intro. Great video. Plan to buy both models when site is up.
Thanks!
Damn dog you homaged the Flextrek Whipsnake Backpack infomercial! Deep cut! 🎉
It’s snags so so easy thou! My friends alpha fleece is a disaster now after a few hikes up here … I wish I could love this fabric
I hear that often, but I still use this one without snags. Maybe I’m just more careful? I think the sun hoodie combo helps protect the fabric, plus I don’t bushwack in it
This was everything I was looking for. Great job, great content.
These look awesome! I signed up for notifications when they restock! I just ditched my Melli and this looks like the perfect upgrade
Aww they’re incredible, hope you love it!
Thank you... Both of you! 🥰 Now to catch one in my size when in stock 😂
Enjoyed the interview, came across the mentioned Nitro fleece whilst in New Zealand and picked up two. Hope alpha will be more recognised in future.
Excellent job Jonathan , your production skills are rapidly improving, keep it up, so where does one buy this hoody and how much
Thanks Tim! He’s planning on having a website up this month, but in the meantime you can reach out to him on Instagram @senchi.designs I believe the fleeces are selling at $75, about the same as a Melanzana
Love my Kuiu Peleton and EE Torrid Apex jacket combo for same reasons you mention.
I have the same grey senchi, only thing I don't love is all the extra room in the upper tiddie area. Iappreciate that it exists to allow the hood to have enough fabric, but it looks a lil goofy when the hood is down. Shrug. Still rock it tho.
immediate upvote for steve climber holy shit I love it
it works very well with a light windproof jacket
I was and still do use the Alpaca hoodie but my Polar Tech Direct hoodie gets a lot more use. They both have the same attributes in being able to vent heat extremely well while maintaining a comfortable body temperature. I use the same Montbell sun hoodie and layer it the same way. In colder weather I use a 150 weight wool long sleeve base layer then the Polar tech fleece followed by the sun hoodie. Do you usually have a base layer under the hoodie? I also sometimes use the sun hoodie under the Polar Tech fleece in order to not trap as much heat.
I have the same question, I also have the alpaca hoodie.. love it
I’d love to hear the opinions on the alphas vs cap air, either way the ironclad guarantee makes the investment easier to swallow. I wear cap air every day and the warranty makes me not baby it like it’s a $130 wool blend super Long John shirt. So far so great
Love the design and the price.....but it's disappointing that they're as difficult to purchase as a Melanzana. Every time I check their site they're ALWAYS sold out. One can only be patient for so long before moving on to another product.
lol the first 30 seconds is worth a sub!! XD
Great humor, and content keep it coming....
I appreciate you 🙏
I can easily name 5 hoodies that are easily as good if not better than the Melly, the popularity of which is partly due to social media outdoor influencers. It’s almost like a humble brag.
Thanks for the intro to Senchi. All of his stuff is sold out.
He does his hoodies in drops, keep an eye out on his Instagram or online
trying to get a hold of one for my 2021 pct thru. im thinking just with an argo shell i'll be set
Hi. Thanks. Ill check out his website. 😊
Sold out...
Read other comments on this video to learn more
So why not ditch the puffy altogether for 2-3 Alpha hoodies, maybe also a sun hoodie, stacked under a breathable WP shell? Would save money, weight, and pack space, I reckon, be more modular/flexible, easier to de-stink than a puffy. Plus: up to 5 layers of hood. Think of the color possibilities!
A puffy in apex has much higher warmth to weight ratio than stacking alpha fleeces. My puffy weighs 7.5oz, and is VERY warm. Stacking 2 alpha fleeces doesn’t come close. The puffy is meant to trap a LOT of heat, while the alpha is meant to trap some warmth but be very breathable for being active. Some folks use a wind shirt, but I don’t find them to be great in a layering system personally
@@MeowHikes I don't contest that a puffy is great in warmth:weight as a standalone piece. But you still carry it separately in addition to say a fleece and a shell, so by leaving that 7.5oz at home you could carry multiple fleeces to combine with the shell you're packing anyway for a net savings, no? Seems to me that the liner layer of a puffy does little more than corral and protect the physical integrity of the insulation material, while Alpha next to skin seems sturdy enough not to need this, and why you need more than one shell layer for wind and water, well. Redundancy?
@@cleverchimp oh, I typically don’t carry a puffy at all, just in shoulder season temps or quick overnights with a friend/my girlfriend when we will have more time spent in camp. Most hikes would only need an alpha, sun hoody and rain jacket for warmth while moving, while your quilt would suffice for in camp insulation. But I still don’t think I’d choose an extra alpha, when I can get much more warmth for 3 more ounces, as well as an emergency rain turned snow situation layer like I showed in the video. I had a melly, EE torrid and rain jacket on in that little clip, and I still felt a bit cold, granted I could’ve used something for the lower body
@@MeowHikes most hikes, sure. I'm thinking for PCT thru (2023) plus I live in PNW where it's often kinda cold. +1 on the quilt for static warmth: I use a JRB Sierra Sniveler for extra dork points.
thats why you always buy the archwood flextrek 37,000,000. its called just being smart.
This hoody seems to be what I'm looking for. The thing it's missing is the ever helpful kangaroo pocket.
He’s planning on bringing it back :)
Hi~~
What’s your pants? So cool pants!!!!👍
I want buy your pants …tell me brand name!🙏
whats the first fleece you show. the yellow/mustard one?
It seems they no longer have the Alpha hoodie....which one would you suggest?
They’re all Alpha hoodies, but the weight that I have as shown in this video is I believe roughly 90gsm, which is what Senchi Designs now calls the ‘Lark’.
The Wren is lighter weight and the Merlin is heavier
Great content! I'm a trail runner/fastpacker pretty new in the UL world and i was curious about this material, but never really found good information's about the Polartec Alpha.
Do you think it could be a good layer also for more active scenario, like trail runners/fastpackers where the production of heat and sweat it's higher?
Thanks, keep going whit this contents! Ciao from Italy :-)
Absolutely, I feel like high activity in cold climates Polartec Alpha would be a pretty perfect application. It’s basically a mesh with little puffs of insulation on it, so it’s as breathable of an insulating layer that you can get. I’d say give it a go!
Senchi hoodie sold out.
They sell in drops or presales. Check Vado, Timmermade or Farpointe OG too
s/0 Senior Hiker 77 🙏
i dig it
hey mate. whats that blue puffer?
Nunatak, they don’t make it anymore I don’t believe. Most similar would be Enlightened Equipment Torrid pullover
whats that blue insulated jacket?
For the first half of the video I got this weird feeling I was watching a younger Darwin. :-) Been looking for a good fleece for a couple years, so far they have all been "eh" or very hard to obtain.
What brand is the blue puffy you are wearing in the video? Thks
Nunatak
nice!! just bought one. how many miles on it so far and how is it holding up?
~500 miles so far, looks as new as the day I purchased, even with using a harness or having it directly under the straps. Ryan used the ‘light’ version for the length of the Colorado trail with similar results
@@MeowHikes sick dawg. i went for the light version. very stoked. ty for spreading the gospel lol
Gotta stick with Melanzana so you actually get a product. Senchi sells out in 60 seconds or less EVERYTIME. 😁🤣
There are multiple other companies out there making a fleece out of this material. Vado apparel, Farpointe, MacPac, and lots of MYOGers on Reddit. Tell Bernard I say hi if you hit up Vado 👋
@@MeowHikes I was able to slip into Ryan's most recent sale and pickup a Blaze Medium Lark. Truly incredible how quickly Senchi Designs sells out of product.
Great video too, BTW!
@@JChurchua sweet! Glad you had a chance to snag one
mmmmm not that I think theres anything bad to say about the Senchi, but this is a bit of an apples and oranges comparison. The everyday look, color and feel of the Melle is far superior. The fit looks better too. Pretty good backpacking as well. vs a specific task made piece. A pretty nice one too. IMO
I still use the Melly often for everyday stuff too! I just found for me, the best piece for thru hiking was the Senchi in terms of what I use a fleece for: active insulation. Imo 10oz+ for an active layer for hiking is kinda high considering the options out there. As is the warmth it provides. Now for climbing, I prefer the Melly, as I’m not moving as hard, won’t bring a puffy, and feel comfortable being abrasive on the fabric as it’s lasted me a long time.
All great points you made, however I prefer something a bit more utilitarian/weight conscious for my hikes. Thanks for the comment, I enjoy the discourse
What size senchi are you wearing?
Small, I’m 5’6”, 135lbs
What does he mean when he says "light version"? He means the Wren, or something else?
So this was before he ever adopted names for the different models, but yes, the ‘light’ he refers to would be similar to the Wren
@@MeowHikes Thanks!
What shell do you find works well with this?
My upper layer options while on trail consist of sun hoodie, Senchi, synthetic puffy, Montbell versalite
@@MeowHikes Thanks! Making gear shifts ahead of a late ‘24 AT through attempt. The versalite is the missing piece I need to look at. 🤓
@@KrizAkoni I hiked with a silnylon jacket on the AT and do not recommend it. The versalite has been the best jacket I’ve found thus far. Most other jackets are far heavier (think REI) or cheaper and less featured (think Frog Toggs). I haven’t tried shakedry yet.
What is your jacket? Blue puff !
Nunatak, however I’m not sure if they make em anymore
Any idea if they're making leggings too?
What is your puffy 🤔
Nunatak custom puffy. 7d water resistant face fabric, 10d soft inner fabric, 2.5oz apex for core of jacket, 2.2oz for arms and hood, kangaroo pocket. Only thing I’d change is an inch or two in length and a cinch for the waist hem (I had them mod the JMT jacket, which is barebones on features)
what synthetic jacket is that?
Nunatak JMT jacket with some tweaks
Wish people would stop buying new fleeces, they’re not great for the environment. I like nuyarn wool garments
Another unobtainable grid fleece 😒
A bit easier if you follow them and know when product releases, but if not, there are other companies out there doing similar
Back when the melly was hot you were likely raving to your hiker friends about how amazing it was, now that alpha is the hot thing it turns out melly was mid all along? hmm
Nope, I remember saying that the cut of mine was awkwardly short, and that it was too warm to hike in unless it was a particularly cold morning. I used to just use my rain jacket for warmth while moving, and the melly + rain jacket for in camp.
But hey, haters gon’ hate
The same people who buy Melanzana, buy Altra - fashion over function.
Altra are ugly as f though haha
He seems to always be sold out of all of them every time I check the past few months.
He releases them basically in drops. Check Vado, Farpointe_og, Timmermade Gear etc. multiple companies make something similar 👍
@@MeowHikes ok thank you. I was trying to get a macpac didn't know anyone was making shirts out of the same material. I will check out Vado, Farpointe_og, and Timmermade Gear version using the tis same fabric. Big help pointing me in that direction. Thanks so much.
10$ fleece off a discount rack while on the CDT. works just like all the silly $$$$$ fleece out there. Don’t believe the hype
A. That’s just plain false, this doesn’t perform the same as ‘any old fleece’, and even fleece you get off of a discount rack varies in how they breathe/insulate. You are also giving an opinion on something you haven’t used.
B. This doesn’t support sweatshop made cheap fleece, this supports one of our own hikers living in the PNW putting himself through nursing school.
C. This wasn’t a video about budget options, there are plenty of those out there talking about cuddlduds, old navy fleece etc. This was clearly for us gear nerds. I never stated that someone couldn’t buy something much cheaper and be fine with what they’re using.
@@MeowHikes Perfectly said. I get and support the cheap used rack gear decisions (which Senchi actually states in their website too), but on top of the huge benefits on this fleece you outlined on your videos and comments, you are supporting a small UL cottage company making really cool new gear. The more of these types of companies we support today, the more of them there will be tomorrow.
Also, great video and great interview.
Put the interview in the title please. You gonna need some SEO to get clicks and get paid.
People wear Melanzana hoodies for impractical reasons and as a fashion statement. I can never take the people who wear Melanzana while thru-hiking seriously.
But but... I did for both the pct and at 😂 although no one should probably take me seriously
@@MeowHikes yeah but see, you wouldn't wear Melanzana if you were to do PCT and AT again.
I used to think this way after I saw through the Melly craze but then I started to not take myself so seriously. I find it’s really easy to gatekeep who is a “legit” hiker and who isn’t when you start looking at what gear people choose to bring / not bring on their hikes.
I believe there are still practical uses for the Melly, just not for setting FKTs or getting the absolute lowest pack weight. Just my two cents