Kora Azog Jacket Review: Yak Wool FTW

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Christine Sarkis

Yak wool? Yes. The company Kora has developed a high-performance technical fabric from raw yak wool sourced from Tibetan communities. It then turns the fabric into outdoor clothing tested in long-term wear trials in extreme conditions (on an expedition in Arctic Greenland, for instance).

Kora’s Hima-Layer yak wool fabric is soft (and itch-free), breathable, warm, odor-resistant, and machine washable, and it has natural flex for movement.

Kora Azog Jacket Review:

Price and Where to Buy: The Kora Azog jacket is $270 for women and men on Kora.com.

How the Kora Azog Jacket Rates:

Usefulness: 10/10. For travelers, the Kora Azog jacket is a true find. Lightweight but warm, it can be worn as a very effective mid-layer in truly cold conditions or as an outerwear layer on milder days. It’s soft and comfortable, and it has nice extras like thumb loops, a hood with a slim profile, and zippered pockets. The Kora Azog jacket was designed with outdoor athletes in mind, but it’s just as useful for travelers looking for an easy-to-pack and lightweight layer that offers serious warmth and travel-friendly features.
Value: 7/10. At $270, this is a pricey jacket. But travelers who can embrace the higher price point will find an excellent return on investment in terms of comfort, performance, and ease of packing.
Durability: 9/10. This is a well-made jacket. The fabric is strong yet has enough give to be comfortable; it noticeably doesn’t constrict movement. The seams are strong and the zippers seem sturdy. A grease stain was treated easily and didn’t impact the color of the jacket.
Cool Factor: 9/10. Not only does this jacket have a flattering silhouette and deliver comfortable warmth, but it’s also a conversation starter because it’s made with yak wool.

Final Verdict: Is yak wool going to change your travel game? This jacket just might.

More from SmarterTravel:

Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us to test free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at editor@smartertravel.com.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.