>>406448>The alternative is to sweat in your softshell jacket and die for hypothermia.Ohhhh...kay. So in other words, you don't really know a lot about outdoor gear, or how to use layering?
>>406468>WindbreakerNot as effective as synthetic fabric and blocking wind.
>Warmth Modern layering strategies provides warmth too, and can provide significantly more warmth for much less weight in clothing.
>BlanketYou could always just bring a blanket if that's what you want. Or a sleeping bag if you know what you're doing.
>Shield from sunAny shirt and hat will do this.
>Easily removable This is a nonissue. Almost any article of clothing is easily removable, particularly things like jackets. Why do you need to strip so quickly?
>Rain protectionMost of these cloaks are wool. Rain is going to go right through them and then stay in them, adding pounds.
>$250 jacketYou don't have to spend that much on a single piece of gear. What you want is a good layering system with a base layer, insulation layer, and a shell layer. The individual pieces may be adjusted to fit conditions, but this kind of system can be used in all conditions, from Everest to the Everglades, and perform great at doing what it's supposed to do: keep you dry and warm in the cold and keep you cool in the heat.
By contrast, a cloak is really only useful for moderate activity in dry, slightly cool - but not truly cold - weather. They are too heavy and too warm in hot weather. They are not truly waterproof and will gain many pounds once they become wet, so they are a terrible choice in wet weather. Even dry, they are still too bulky and too heavy for outdoor activities like backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, biking, canoeing, spelunking, pretty much any activity in the outdoors where you have to carry more than just a bottle of water and a handful of snacks. The only real benefit remains fashion-related, and even that is limited to LARP circles.
