What the west does good is cool off. Warm days, cold nights. That means transitions — weather hopping down from the 80s down into the 60s, dipping into the 50s. I grew up with it, on the coast of Southern California, and I love it. I love that sense in the late afternoon as the temperatures start to drop off, humidity dips, and the air turns from arid to cool and sweet.
Wyoming, in the high plains and the mountains, does temps like that — weekly patterns look like the steady rise and fall of an EKG. A 30-degree swing is the norm. Despite the heat of midday — when shorts and a t-shirt seem like too much — the evenings bring the coolness of mountain air.
As mercury drops, layers go on. In summer, when temperatures still stay mild at best, there’s no need for heavy protection. Something light but hearty will do. I reached for the shacket, or, in the case of the outer layer that served me best in Wyoming, Filson’s (equally terribly named) Jac-Shirt ($230).
Pulling the styling of a shirt and adding the weight of a thin wool jacket, the Jac-Shirt adds a touch of industrial formality. It’s fitted to wear over layers, slid on easily over a collared shirt. A two-pocket design adds interest, but the garment isn’t meant to draw attention. It’s simply an easy way to slide a comfortable extra layer on that’ll provide warmth, wind protection and even water resistance. It slips on casually and comfortably as the temperatures drop, and like a good western evening, its offers a crisp, cool layer to the end of a day.
