Trail running hybrid: The Ternua Kinetic Hybrid in test

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What is special about the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid? The jacket is a true 2-in-1 hybrid: a lightweight fleece that doesn't make you sweat and a windproof waistcoat in one. A hybrid that was specially developed for trail running.

The Ternua Kinetic Hybrid is a hybrid jacket designed for trail running in mid-season or on cold and windy days. Thanks to the additional insulation in the chest area, it protects against wind and light rain while offering excellent breathability.

Ternua produces its garments from recycled material and the hybrid jacket is no exception. The Kinetic Hybrid is made from the plastic of seven used bottles. The water-repellent treatment (DWR) is done without perfluorocarbons (PFC).

I tested the jacket during the Adamello Ultra Trail in September 2022. I run in the clouds at over 2000 m. I was exposed to temperatures of up to 5 °C and high humidity in the night.

Thanks to the hot summer, I was also able to use the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid jacket above 3000 m in fine weather and light wind.

As soon as you put on the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid Jacket, you feel like you're wearing at the same time a lightweight microfleece and windproof waistcoat . Indeed Ternua has equipped this product with a windproof Microshell 15D recycled fabric on the front and shoulders, which are the most exposed areas to wind.

The heat insulation in these two areas is achieved by a layer of Warmshell Breathe, which is sewn in the inside of the jacket, under the windproof layer.

The sleeves and back of the jacket are made of Stormfleece Pro, a material especially designed to wick sweat away from the body.

I also really appreciated the sleeve cuffs. They are elastic and have the hole for the thumb, perfect to keep warm my hands which are often cold.

The insulation and wind protection performance is simply outstanding: comfort is absolutely maintained even in cold and wet conditions. 

The night before the Adamello Ultra Trail, the temperatures dropped to around 5 °C, and although I was in the clouds at an altitude between 1700 and 2600 m, I always had excellent thermal comfort either uphill and downhill. And this despite the fact that I was only wearing a breathable short-sleeved jersey underneath (but it’s also true I’m quite tolerant to cold weather).

During my training stages I used to wear the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid jacket even under the rain. As long as it is moderate rain, the jacket offers good protection, especially in the front area and on the shoulders where there is windproof material.

As the rain intensity increases, the only limitat of this jacket becomes clear: it is not waterproof Indeed the DWR treatment is not enough to protect from heavy rain. But on the other hand this jacket is not an outer shell.

Thanks to the hot temperatures of summer 2022, I used the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid jacket during the one day “Traversata delle 13 Cime”, a demanding traverse over the 13 peaks of the Ortler Alps, usually done in three days at an average altitude of 3000 m... 

This jacket proved to be the perfect garment in this situation, offering excellent protection from (moderate) wind and great breathability.

The fit of this jacket is slim, I am 178 cm tall and weigh 65 kg, and the size M fits me perfectly. Personally, the slim fit and the elasticity of the fabricsensure maximum freedom of movement without creating any gaps for cold to come through.

I recommend the Ternua Kinetic Hybrid Jacket to any trail runner for long training sessions or runs in typical autumn or winter conditions, if combined with a thermal inner layer.

I can also suggest this jacket during ski-touring uphills in spring time.