the payette collection: a puff piece
THE DOWN-LOW ON THE PAYETTE PUFF COLLECTION
This fall, we launched our first mid-layers in the form of three synthetic puffy pieces. This is a huge milestone for us, and while these are all pieces we had thought about, tested, and tweaked extensively, we were extra excited (and a tad anxious) to send them out into the world and see what our community of athletes thought of them. These gals eat sleep and breathe gear and spend a LOT of time getting after it outside, so we knew they’d put them to the test. One of our recent testers was Ariel Kazunas — an avid biker, skier, writer, do-gooder and all-around badass. Here’s her hot take on how they held up in her daily life in the Teton Valley.
WR: Hey Ariel! Ok first off, tell me about where you’re at and what’s happening with the weather.
AK: Hi! I’m located in Victor Idaho, right under the Tetons.
We had QUITE the fall here in the Mountain West, with the aspens and cottonwoods putting on a serious show in yellows and golds. But that’s given way, now, to the first snowfalls of winter, which means it’s time to stop trying to convince my tomatoes to grow in a zone they were never meant to grow in - and also that it’s absolutely puffy season!
WR: So let’s talk puffies. What are you looking for in this transitional puffy season? What are your make-it-or-break-it features for layers?
AK: This time of year, when it’s still relatively warm during the day but breezes are brisk and nights downright cold, cozy is absolutely a requirement, but artic, mid-winter fill is not. I want to feel bundled but not suffocated by my jacket - and bonus points if it’s also small enough to stuff in my bag when it inevitably hits 60 in the midday sun. The Payette is the perfect cozy, packable, and good looking layer for this in-between time.
WR: What were your first thoughts on the Payette Collection?
AK: My first impression of the Payette line is that it is absolutely perfect for transitions. Transitions in season, transitions from slope to bar, transitions from big backcountry day to cooking dinner in a yurt. The pullover has a bit of a boxier, trendier silhouette that makes it excellent for Campari cocktail o’clock. The pants are going to be perfect for covering up my skivvies after I release my legs from my Gore-Tex after a full day on the ski hill. Both are the perfect cozy, packable, and good looking layers for this in-between time.
WR: Where do these layers fall in your line-up between Campari cocktail hour and a big day in the mountains?
AK: The pullover is not going to be the coat I reach for for a technical or high-output day in the mountains this winter — but it will likely always be in my truck, because it takes up no space stuffed into my day bag, and is literally the perfect layer for pretty much anything and everything between the extremes of sleeping naked and bundling up for a -20 wait at the bus stop. The pants I absolutely plan to use on yurt trips where the only way I can convince myself to go pee in the middle of the night is to basically still be wearing my sleeping bag while doing so. And the full zip has surprised me by turning into my favorite shoulder season coat! I’ve used it on everything from hikes where it’s snaining (snowing and raining) because the synthetic fill stays warm even when wet, I’ve used it to break out my fat bike to commute around town in the slush because it’s warm enough to stave off the headwind but not so warm that I immediately burst into flames pedaling. I’m seriously impressed with how versatile and legit this piece is!
WR: What matters most to you when looking for new layers, aside from the techy bits?
AK: I think the things that matter as much if not more to me than technical features are more ephemeral: as a small brand, I know you’ve always limited your production line focus to stay true to Wild Rye’s company ethos. I love that you gals incorporate sustainable and eco-friendly materials, listen (and deeply) to feedback to dial in fits, and work hard to make sure your gear can work even harder. There’s no “one season and done” here: a Wild Rye piece is meant to last for years.
WR: With that in mind, what are you most excited about with the new Payette launch?
AK: It was clearly an intentional choice to start making outerwear this year. And that has me hyped. I live in Wild Rye mountain bike gear all summer, and put your base layers through the wringer all winter, but never had that piece to take me from sunset lap to tailgate, from locker to aprés… until now! I’m sure that’s why ya’ll made it in the first place: I know your tiny-but-mighty team is also full of year-round athletes, who want, just as much as I do, to be able to reach for a favorite layer no matter what calendar page we’re all flipping to.
Wow, I think I actually just got excited for winter talking about all this! These puffies really are magic.
Ariel is 5’10, 170-ish pounds, with broad shoulders, and long arms, but no boobs (her words, not ours),and wears a size L in the jackets and M in the pants for reference.