Extrasport X-Posed Hoodie ($225) and X-Treme Pant ($150) Combo.

I spent a day and a half canoeing on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in Northern New Hampshire shrouded in an early fall sprinkle that turned into a downpour wearing this combination. I was pleased with the performance, comfort, and breathability, but didn’t feel like I could properly give such an X-Treme combo my stamp of approval until I gave it an extreme testing. With no major weather systems on the horizon we decided to create one.

Here’s the breakdown:

IN A CANOE UNDER NEW HAMPSHIRE SHVITZ: The coverage was so solid I honestly forgot it was raining in the mild showers. I was slightly turned off by the large size of the hood in the beginning, but was pleased with how it fit my head after I played with the hood cinch for a bit. I also thought the plethora of snaps and Velcro were a little overboard at first, but was happy at how dry I was at the end of the day and they didn’t effect range of motion or comfort at all. In fact I hardly noticed them during the long duration of paddling beyond when I was physically snapping or attaching them. I accidentally stepped in knee-deep water after lunch and was afraid the pants were going to hold on to that moisture and make a swamp out of my right shin over the course of the afternoon. It breathed right out and I comfortably changed into jeans at the end of the day without a sweaty swampleg.

IN TROPICAL STORM JOSH: I wore a grey cotton shirt to accentuate any water that came through and stood on a large river rock while Associate Editor Christian Knight’s older brother Josh punished me with splashes—the type an older brother has perfected after 15 years of paddling with his little bro. I put my arms out to receive the water as thoroughly as possible and spun around in circles while Josh showered me with a steady flow for about five minutes. I was very happy for the snaps and Velcro about which I was apprehensive in the beginning—barely any water broke through the top layers. The water clearly beaded off the jacket and pants—only a tiny amount came through on the direct face shots. When I took off the jacket, I was amazed at how little water was spilled down the front of my shirt. I spill more on my shirts drinking milk out of my cereal bowl in the morning.