Jacket still wetting out after treatment.

[north-north-west]

Most hoods are like that these days - ski helmet ready. I hate it.

[wayno]

alas , to a certain extent you get what you paid for,, well designed clothing can come at a premium, some brands are making clothes for the average person going for an easish or occasional wander outdoors not someone who has a fit figure and sometimes lives in the gear..

[Hiking Noob]

Wayno, do you know much about the Mont gear at all? Their waterproofness and breathabilty specs are really impressive for the money but I know nothing about the membrane they use.

I am really leaning towards the Arcteryx Leaf Alpha Gen 2, it's dear as hell but has a proper WP pocket, the hood adjustment is exactly what I want and Gore Tex Pro is good enough for what I want to use it for. I'd be keen to see how the glued in zippers last, I'd imagine if they can glue a wetsuit together a few pockets should be no dramas.

[roysta]

Also check out the Mountain Hardware Torsun.
It's very similar to the Kepler, which I have, a great jacket.

[wayno]

I only know whats on the MONT website

http://www.mont.com.au/hydronaute-pro-info

Fabric Performance
Waterhead: 30,000mm
MVTR (Breathability): 28,000g+/24 hours

if those stats are correct, then its a good quality membrane, up there with gore tex.

[Joomy]

I only know whats on the MONT website

http://www.mont.com.au/hydronaute-pro-info

Fabric Performance
Waterhead: 30,000mm
MVTR (Breathability): 28,000g+/24 hours

if those stats are correct, then its a good quality membrane, up there with gore tex.

As we should all know by now, these numbers mean nothing. Sure, the hydrostatic head is a simple enough test but anything over 10,000 is totally redundant. Breathability ratings touted by manufacturers are complete and utter bunk and bear no resemblance to real world performance as has been shown again and again and again (the US Army's DMPC test may or may not be the exception, but hardly anyone uses it precisely because it doesn't give very good results for most technologies).

For what it's worth I just bought a Haglof's LIM Versa jacket. I was specifically after something with a long cut (as I am tall) and was light, preferably under 300g. I was going to go with an Arc'teryx shell but even their longest jackets are too short in the front for me.

I am totally happy with the Haglof's. It's not a bush-bashing jacket by any means but the cut is absolutely perfect (in their sizing I am XL, which is significantly longer in the front compared with the Large Theta AR and similar length in the back, i.e. covers the bum) and the weight is fantastic (286g), and the features are outstanding (perfect pockets which double as vents, fantastic NON-helmet hood, two way zip). For someone wanting a heavier duty version they have their ROC and Grym range.

[Hiking Noob]

Hi Joomy, thanks for the reply, can I ask what sort of hood adjustment there is on the rear of the hood? One vertical and one horizontal like the camo one above?

I forgot about the Haglof gear, is there an importer here?

[Joomy]

Hi Joomy, thanks for the reply, can I ask what sort of hood adjustment there is on the rear of the hood? One vertical and one horizontal like the camo one above?

I forgot about the Haglof gear, is there an importer here?

Actually the hood adjustment is unlike anything I've seen before. It has a fairly standard brim adjust to cinch it up around the face, but the volume adjust uses an external bungee cord which adjusts at the back. The external cord runs over the top of the head around the back through a few loops. This means that it cinches very well and hugs the head. Long story short, when adjusted right the hood gets really snug and moves with your head, both side to side and up and down. I would say the hood is easily as good as the best I've tried. It wouldn't fit a large helmet but for walking it's perfect.

Unfortunately I don't think there is a local supplier. I searched far and wide and eventually bought mine from Denmark (www.frifluftslageret.dk).

[GPSGuided]

On the question of hood fitting, what do people prefer? Hugging or having some room for air circulation? Personally I prefer the later, especially during the warmer months.

[Hiking Noob]

My current Macpac jacket has one rear cord but it goes vertically and horizontally but it makes the hood bunch on the back of your head which is crap.

I like one vertical one so you can have any excess hood bunch up in the void at your neck and a horizontal one at about ear height but yeah I have it fairly loose if it's not stupidly windy, just tight enough that it turns a bit when I turn my head.

I do really like having elastic and velcro cuffs too as it makes checking the time so much easier, I am normally shovelling dirt in the rain so I have them done up and having to un-fasten a sleeve just to check the time is annoying. Not many jackets seem to have any elastic at the cuffs now which is annoying.

I do like the Haglofs Grym but it is still a ~$1000 jacket and I'd assume made in China-

[Joomy]

On the question of hood fitting, what do people prefer? Hugging or having some room for air circulation? Personally I prefer the later, especially during the warmer months.

My main criteria is that the hood that moves with my head. Nothing worse than trying to look at something and and seeing nothing but the inside of your hood. Well, not nothing, but it's annoying.

That Grym jacket is a beast. If you are after something in that vein I can thoroughly recommend Crux jackets. They are Event fabric and built super tough. The Shok jacket is as beefy as anything on the market. And great cut with a great hood (and great zips). But again, no local dealer.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

My Mont hydro naut jacket started wetting out, esp. in serious down pours at the Prom . In the end I sprayed the crap out of it with silicone spray . Now it works really well . Nothing else works like the selley's spray on silicone you get from Bunnings. It may have become a tad less breathable but I don't care!!. The jacket is now waterproof so the water beads and runs off every time , snow proof, hail and sleet proof and wind proof. It has useful pockets too. I have tested it out in poo... conditions trekking in N. India, Spain and Oz.

[GPSGuided]

If you don't care about breathability, then there are far cheaper solutions.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I do care about Breathability but not a minor decrease in such a function. I am still glad I am not using an entry level spray jacket.

[GPSGuided]

Not sure of the exact Selleys product you used but in the most likely one, the manufacture has the following statement - 'Not recommended for fabric already treated with a water repellent such as DRW or made from waterproof fabrics such as Gore-tex[REGISTERED SIGN] or oilskins (Driza-bone[REGISTERED SIGN] etc)'

http://www.selleys.com.au/home-cleaning ... tershield/

[wayno]

you need a specific DWR treatment product made for waterproof moisture permeable membranes, other products could either damage the membrane and or kill the moisture permeability..

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I tried using all that stuff, the one you wash into the jacket and then you iron it and say hari raama three times. What bollocks. It did nothing !!!

[Hiking Noob]

Found another company that makes some sweet looking jackets and they make them in NZ.

Asked if they could add pit zips and got a speedy reply that it would be no problem, for an extra charge as you'd expect.

[Thaddeus]

If you want perfect get the Arcteryx Theta SVX

[slparker]

Now this is perfect:

http://everythingaustralian.com.au/oils ... green.html

don't pretend like you don't want one.

Mine never wetted out. ever. Can't say that it breathed much though.