Tracksmith Harbor Women's Jacket and Olmstead Pack Reviews

Article by Sally Reiley

Tracksmith Harbor Jacket ($255)

I grew up in Minnesota where winters were real winters.  This Fall season here in New England has been freakishly mild and summer-like, but the winter chill is sure to come!

 Last week it was finally cold enough to put the new Tracksmith Harbor Jacket to the test on a run. It did not disappoint! I initially thought it looked like a really nice lifestyle piece that would be too heavy and too constricting to actually run in, but I was quickly proven wrong. Yes, it is stylish and can be worn around town on errands and out to dinner, but it is surprisingly functional and comfortable on the run. 

The Harbor Jacket is designed to embrace the cold temperatures on the run, without restricting mobility. The quilted insulation is powered by PrimaLoft® Gold, a lightweight synthetic material built for thermal efficiency that is strategically placed to concentrate the warmth in your core and throughout the extremities. 

It then features an innovative back vent lined with their 2:09 Mesh to allow for ventilation and breathability, topped with a soft woven weather-resistant shell.

It has a nice a stand up collar, two external hand pockets, one with an enclosed zippered pocket for small valuables, and drop-in internal pockets perfect for gloves and other items. 

There is even a sneaky cell phone pocket inside the side seam, similar to the pocket in the NDO jacket.  

The fit is tailored, but generous enough to support the necessary base layers underneath. 

My first impression was that this will be a nice lifestyle jacket for the shoulder seasons, but one run changed all that. It fits true to size snugly but not tight with plenty of run for layers, and the free range of mobility in the arms is surprising. The lightweight material is not stretchy but it has some give and moves nicely with your upper body. The jacket length is perfect - not too long like some of the current competitor jackets (disclaimer: I am only 5”2” and I am wearing a size Women’s XS) and yet no where near the cropped length of some others designed to be more “trendy” (here’s looking at you, Swoosh running apparel). 

The ventilated back flap over the mesh really does allow for nice breathability as you heat up on the run. I thought I might get too warm after a few miles, but I felt pleasantly comfortable each time I ran in this jacket. 

One of the few flaws I can find in the Harbor Jacket is that there are no reflectivity elements for running as the daylight wanes; the deep navy color is not all that visible on a runner in the dark. I might also add a two way zipper for additional ventilation from the bottom. 

The Harbor Jacket is a fantastic new addition to the growing and oh-so-attractive Tracksmith outerwear lineup. Enjoy it on your runs when temps hover in the 20s, 30s, and 40s (other runners may be fine down to zero degrees in this jacket, I simply run colder than that). And go ahead and enjoy it for casual wear, your friends will be envious! 

Women's Harbor Jacket

Tracksmith SHOP HERE

Tracksmith Olmsted Pack ($150)

Sally: As an unabashed fan of the Tracksmith brand and all that it stands for, I have coveted this classically attractive backpack for the past year. Its initial scarcity made me want it even more. 

 

This well made versatile 18L backpack is crafted of a sturdy weather resistant fabric for the runner on the go. Many runners commute to work on foot, and Tracksmith provides them a practical and comfortable solution for carrying that mix of soggy running clothes and muddy sneakers in the same bag as your laptop and papers. This pack is equally at home on campus or on the subway or in the airport. 

The Olmsted pack is loaded with features:

• There is a 12L hidden stowaway compartment for shoes and/or dirty running clothes

• A padded internal laptop pocket that can hold up to 16” laptop, and doubles as a hydration sleeve

•  Five additional zip pockets for organization 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• 2 exterior mesh pockets for water bottles

•  Removable/adjustable waist and chest straps

•  A padded sash on back that doubles as a luggage sleeve to loop over the handle of     your rolling luggage while traveling

•  The trademark TS white sash on the navy blue back hides a handy exterior zip pocket 

I find the pack easy to adjust to my frame and super comfortable, thanks to the padded back panel and nicely padded straps.

Tracksmith named this pack after the renowned landscape architect Fred Olmsted, who designed so many of the beautiful Boston and NYC parks we all run through (Franklin Park, the Arnold Arboretum and Emerald Necklace in Boston, and Central Park in NYC). The pack is intended to share the same design principles as Olmsted’s landscapes, rooted in utility and simplicity. 

I can’t wait to test it on a run! Tracksmith has an incredible and loyal following -I could not believe how much Tracksmith was worn by runners in NYC recently over NYC Marathon weekend, both during the race (New York 24 singlets galore) and on the streets in the days preceding the race! This backpack completes the look for any Tracksmith fan, and makes a great gift idea for that Tracksmith fan you know (and I won’t tell if you buy it for yourself as a gift).

Pack generously provided by Tracksmith for testing.

Olmsted Pack

Tracksmith SHOP HERE

Sally is a lifelong runner and mother of five who agreed against her better judgment to run her first marathon at age 54; she has since run the past ten Boston Marathons, two NYC Marathons, one Chicago, and one London with the WMM Six Star Medal now in her sights. With a Boston PR of 3:25:55 in 2022 (9th place in AG) and two consecutive 2nd place in Age Group W60 awards in NYC, she competed in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championships at the 2022 London Marathon and ran an all-time PR of 3:24:02, placing 6th in the world in her women’s 60-64 age group.  She also competes in USATF races with the Greater Lowell Road Runners team. To add meaning to her Boston Marathon races she runs with Team Eye and Ear and has raised over $275,000 for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital. Sally is 5’2’’ and 105 pounds and lives in Marblehead, MA, training outdoors year round. She blames her love of skiing out West for any and all Boston Marathon training challenges.

Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.

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