Performance athletic apparel

Abstract

Performance athletic apparel disclosed herein is designed to help athletes during customized movements and activities for their chosen sport. The disclosed apparel has a hood that is comfortable to wear, stays in place during wear, and minimizes weather exposure for the athlete. The hood further allows athletes to maintain a wide field of view. To accomplish these functions, the hood includes seams that flex along movement patterns specific to the selected sport that allow the hood to move with the athlete's head during movement and cinch cords that secure the hood in place on the athlete's head and prevent water entry, such as from wet weather conditions.

1 . An article of apparel, comprising:
 a main body portion;   a hood attached to the main body portion, the hood having a flexible seam that extends along either or both of a vertical or horizontal axis, the vertical or horizontal axis corresponding to a vertical or horizontal head movement of a wearer when the article of apparel is worn by the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the main body portion is a jacket. 
     
     
         3 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the main body portion is a shirt. 
     
     
         4 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood has two flexible seams that run along the vertical axis. 
     
     
         5 . The article of apparel of  claim 4 , wherein the two flexible seams run along the vertical axis from a location on the hood that corresponds with the base of the back of the neck of the wearer over a top of the head of the wearer to a forehead of the wearer. 
     
     
         6 . The article of apparel of  claim 5 , wherein the hood further comprises a face opening and the two flexible seams run along the vertical axis to a position that is a distance short of the edge of the face opening. 
     
     
         7 . The article of apparel of  claim 4 , wherein the two flexible seams are parallel. 
     
     
         9 . The article of apparel of  claim 7 , wherein the hood further comprises a horizontal flexible seam that extends along the horizontal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The article of apparel of  claim 9 , wherein the horizontal flexible seam extends between the two flexible seams that run along the vertical axis. 
     
     
         11 . The article of apparel of  claim 9 , wherein the horizontal flexible seam is positioned on the hood is a location that corresponds to the base of the head of the wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood has two flexible seams, a first flexible seam runs along the vertical axis and a second flexible seam runs along the horizontal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood further comprises a facemask that extends around a portion of a face of the wearer. 
     
     
         14 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood further comprises a shock cord that extends around a portion of the hood to adjust a size of the hood at a location that corresponds to a neck of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood further comprises a shock cord that extends around a portion of the hood to adjust a size of the hood at a location that corresponds to a back of the head of the wearer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the hood further comprises a face opening and a shock cord that extends around the face opening. 
     
     
         17 . The article of apparel of  claim 16 , wherein the face opening is shaped to extend above a mouth of the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The article of apparel of  claim 16 , wherein the face opening is shaped to extend below a chin of the wearer.