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Image courtesy of Beyond Clothing
The Beyond Modus Jacket is a well-build and nicely featured lightweight hooded jacket, designed for active use in warmer weather
Pop-up thunderstorms can be particularly hazardous in mountain environments. Lightning crackles, creeks swell quickly, hillsides become slippery and more difficult to navigate and an adventurer’s morale can be … shall we say … dampened. Warmer months find people particularly unprepared, as a jacket isn’t exactly the first thing tossed into a backpack on an 80- or 90-degree day. Which is probably why I’ve latched onto the lightweight — yet amazing durable and versatile — Modus Jacket by Beyond Clothing. I spent a few summer weeks putting the Modus to the test along the trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Beyond’s product lines are particularly unique because they are created to be integrated as layering systems — complementing and building off of one another. The purpose of each system, which consists of eight layers, is to improve breathability and fast drying at each level, protect the wearer from the elements and, according to Beyond’s website, function in climates as low as -70 degrees. This chart should help to visualize how each piece, from baselayer to polar insulation, fits into the system:
The hooded Modus Jacket notches in as K5 — the softshell layer that’s part of the KYROS system. This is the hardest-working layer of a Beyond system, responsible for the final step of kicking moisture to the outside. Protection from the elements is balanced against breathability and mobility, making this the go-to protective layer when on the move. Beyond has an unhooded softshell similar to the Modus called the Testa Jacket, and the Modus has some similarities to the A5 Rig Light Jacket, which is part of Beyond’s AXIOS collection.
The Modus Big Picture
What sets the KYROS system apart from the AXIOS system is that the AXIOS is Beyond’s U.S.-made collection while the KYROS, instead, utilizes international trade-compliant sourcing. This also helps the KYROS collection — and, specifically, items like the Modus Jacket — come in at a more accessible price point for most people, while still having been field tested in some of the harshest environments in the world. Beyond is adept at making clothing that works together and is a good fit for both the mountains as well as transitioning to life on the city streets. It wasn’t long ago, we were even able to put a KYROS hoodie (the K2 Celeres) to use in wind and rain — and loved it!
There is more than 20 years of experience that has gone into making the Modus a functional and well-outfitted piece of clothing, and it shows.
The Modus fits into the system as a jacket designed for active use in warmer weather — think late spring or early fall adventures, when the temps are in the 45-degree to 75-degree range, or if you are heading to a little bit of elevation. It’s part of why this jacket has been so valuable to me during a few trips into the mountains, where temps can fall 10 to 15 degrees rapidly the higher and higher I climbed.
Details of the Modus Jacket
The fit and feel of the Modus Jacket immediately drew me in. It was tailored in all the right places, and some of the most recognizable features, such as the stitching and zipper construction, readily stood out. It also offers a four-way stretch, which is vital for any premium jacket that wants to earn its spot in a world of highly mobile adventuring.
While not part of the complete wind and rain protection layer from Beyond (that would be a K6 jacket), the Modus Jacket absolutely did a nice job keeping me comfortable and dry during a light rain or when a 30-minute pop-up storm snuck over the mountains.
But staying dry throughout a day of hiking had a lot more to do with the inner fabrics of the jacket than with the outer shell. The lining of the Modus is made of bamboo charcoal yarn, which is naturally antibacterial, antifungal, moisture wicking and insulating. The lining also is a mesh construction, which enhanced its wicking characteristics and made for pleasant travels even as I descended to some of the lower (and warmer) elevations.
The Modus Jacket has an interior right breast pocket and an external left breast pocket, both of which are zippered, as are the hip pockets and sleeve pocket. The cuffs are adjustable, and the main zipper has a garage at the chin (so there were no worries about it snagging on my beard). The hood fit snugly, even without cinch cords, which helped to streamline the look of the jacket. It also had underarm gussets and articulated sleeves.
In Conclusion
The Modus Jacket comes in four colors — navy, coyote, black and rustic green — and is available in sizes Small to XL, with long sizes also available (mine was a medium long). It retails for $140.
The Modus is one of the best technical outdoors jackets I’ve ever owned, and will become even more valuable as daytime temps drop heading toward the winter months. Weighing in at barely over 1 pound, this jacket is an essential item to include in your pack to ensure you’re prepared for the unexpected.
Ryan Tipps is Managing Editor for ActionHub and has years of experience in a variety of digital and print media. Ryan lives along the Blue Ridge Mountains, is an avid hiker, backpacker and runner and has been a part of the wilderness search and rescue community since 2005.
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