Stio Trax Power Grid Half Zip Hoodie Review

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: everybody is piling into the grid fleece game. I remember when the Patagonia R1 felt like it was one-of-a-kind. No more. There are plenty of other options on the market today, and many of them give the good old R1 a run for its money. Stio recently released a grid fleece of their own, the Trax Power Grid, and I’ve been testing it this past Fall and into this Winter. It is among the good ones, I think, but it’s no carbon copy of the R1 either.

Stio Trax Power Grid Half Zip Hoodie Features:

• Polartec® Power Grid™ offers ultra-lightweight warmth and breathability that controls moisture and offers maximum thermoregulation
• Flatlock seams maximize comfort and ease of layering
• Action gusset for range of motion
• Thumbholes for easy layering
• Hanger loop on center back neck
• YKK® center front zipper with custom Stio® zipper puller
• Fixed hood with elastic binding at opening
• Concealed zipper pocket for small essentials
• Weight: 7.3 oz. (as stated)
• MSRP: $129

Warming Up to the Grid

I got my tester of the Trax Power Grid without having ever held one in my hands before. I always like to feel things before I commit to wearing them. If you ever see me perusing the aisles of REI or the local second hand mountain gear store, you’ll see me holding out my paw and feeling each and every garment. I’ll give each a light pinch and pass the fabric between my fingers to see how it’ll feel while I move, frowning a little from time to time. This tactile nature doesn’t always work perfectly in the age of internet shopping.

So it was with the Trax Power Grid. If I had felt it in a store, I would have kept walking, perhaps quicker than before. The Polartech Power Grid material was, to me, a sensory nightmare. Something about the friction of the fleece was too crinkly, too stiff, somehow sharing traits with the experience of scraping a pistachio shell against a smooth concrete sidewalk. I had very negative first impressions. To those with some sensory sensitivity, just know this one might be one to feel in person. And it is with that context that I’d like you to know that I ended up loving this grid fleece.

When I commit to testing something, I really do commit, and I keep using it for a long while, even if I have my reservations about it. I would say it was about a week or two into consistently wearing the Trax Power Grid when it softened up. Suddenly, I didn’t touch it and feel an urge to cringe. The fleece became comfortable, and the outer became smoother under my fingers. Thank goodness.

As I write this, a month and a half into my testing, I find myself wearing the Trax Power Grid 4-5 times a week. I’ve been running a lot, stacking up miles as I ramp up for some longer races this winter, and the weather is cold here in Bellingham. The Trax has been my go-to. Paired with the Mountain Hardwear KOR Airshell, you’ve got an excellent cold weather layering system.

Really, the key to its success is its breathability. I’ve said it before, but there’s a spectrum with gridfleeces. Some lean more towards warmth by keeping tight grid lines or incorporating thicker fleece, and others lean towards breathability with wider gridlines and thinner fleece. The Trax is well into the breathability bleachers. Its grid lines are good and wide, and it breathes wonderfully as a result. So much so that I really have found it to be a winter runner’s best friend. And as much as I love the old classic, I find even the R1 to be too warm for that purpose.

In spite of its breathability, when the air is still or you’re wearing a shell over it, the Trax Power Grid is a good insulator. The little fluffs of Polartech Power Grid fabric stand tall enough to create a little layer between your skin and the cruel elements, and that’s more than enough for coastal Washington, or even for many higher Cascades adventures, providing you’re on the move consistently enough. In running, hiking, and daily life, it’s been more than warm enough for me. Still though, I feel its biggest strength is in the breathability department.

Features-wise, there are a few things to note with the Trax. The hood is well shaped and proportioned, and it turns well with your head, thanks to fleece. The thumb holes on the sleeves fit a little small on my meaty hands, but they’re adequate and effective. There are two places on the fleece with a zipper – the ½ zip collar, and a little pocket at the right hip. The ½ zip collar zipper is good, but the little stash pocket zipper feels a bit cheap. I wonder about its longevity. The pocket itself is a decent feature though, and has housed a goo packet on a handful of runs with few complaints.

Other than that… well, it’s a grid fleece, and with some wearing, it’s a very comfortable one. At just shy of $130, it fits right around the middle of gridfleece prices these days, which feels about right to me. With a weight of 7.3 ounces and a packed size akin to a grapefruit, it’s pretty easy to justify bringing even on lighter missions. I certainly do.

Fit: I’m 5’11” and a lean 170lbs, and I tested a size Medium here. It fit close to the skin and had perfect proportions for me.

Buy Now: Available at Stio

The Bottom Line

9.0 Breathable

While each gridfleece comes to the table with its own place in the balance between warmth and breathability, in my experience, none have trended towards breathability more than the Trax Power Grid. It makes it an excellent hard aerobic activity partner, and helps quite a bit when it comes to weight and packability. If you’re not bothered by texture, or you’re willing to endure a break-in period, this layer really is tremendous.

The Good:

1. Comfortable after break-in period
2. Exceptional breathability
3. Warm when paired with a shell
4. Hood tracks well with your head
5. Small packed size
6. Lightweight
7. Little stash pocket is a fun perk

The Bad:

1. Unpleasant fabric feel when brand new
2. Stash pocket zipper feels cheap

• Mobility 9

• Warmth 7

• Breathability 10

• Versatility 9

• Fit 10