Zpacks Challenger Rain Jacket - Sizing & wear & tear

[onward]

Hi
A couple of questions for people with experience of the newer Event Zpacks Challenger Rain Jacket:
- Does the size on the website reflect what you have found in real life?
- How would it cope with a reasonable degree of bush bashing, mostly wattle and snow gum regrowth in the Victorian Alps (rather than Tassie scoparia)?
Thanks

[Giddy_up]

I'm big, think rugby prop big without the tummy and I have the XL I think. I've had mine now for over 18 months and it's still going fine. I've walked off track in QLD with it and it has no tears and still waterproof.

I washed it the other day and it came up looking really good, best jacket I have owned.

Oh and get the extra long version with the double ended zipper, it's brilliant and keeps your bum dry when you sit down. No out of the shop jacket will do that


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[andrewa]

I've had 2 - I prefer a looser fit, so have an XL, where I would normally wear a L. I've been very happy with them - the only reason I replaced the white/pale grey one was because I wanted a less obvious "colour" for fly-fishing. They breath well, and seem to last reasonably well - I've used mine in NZ scrub, and haven't had any tears. There is some wear around where the packstraps go in that it looks like it is delaminating, but it doesn't seem to leak there. Overall I think they are also the best jacket I have had.

A

[wayno]

review
http://maxneale.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/ ... pants.html

[Mountain Rocket]

Yeah that is a pretty damming review. But that said all other reports I've read were quite positive.
I've not had any experience with the jacket myself but am curious.
Nearly jumped on one numerous times, still holding out as I'm not convinced it would handle Tassie scrub.

[north-north-west]

...I'm not convinced it would handle Tassie scrub.

Does anything? Short of a Newt Suit, of course.

[wayno]

not sure what "scrub" it went through for the person who wore it in NZ, but i could take that jacket to a lot of places in nZ scrub and shred it pretty quickly...

[PedroArvy]

A knee length version of LUL eVent shell would be far more durable if that's what you are after. I know the Zpacks jacket was worn for the length of the Te Araroa in NZ but that's a track.

[wayno]

A knee length version of LUL eVent shell would be far more durable if that's what you are after. I know the Zpacks jacket was worn for the length of the Te Araroa in NZ but that's a track.

where the knee length one? 8.8oz or around 250gm is still pretty lightweight. given its three layer then the shell would be very thin material, similar to a 2.5 layer thats 200gm or less

[Giddy_up]

eVent delaminates, search on here and you will find plenty of jackets made of eVent that have made their way into the bin!


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[PedroArvy]

I contacted Luke and he said custom modifications were not an issue. Regarding the exact durability of this jacket, I can’t tell. But he puts it above his other garments so it should be better than Cuben. I became aware of this jacket from someone posting either here or at www.backpackinglight.com and they said it was quite durable.

The issue of required “durability“ is quite ambiguous. Do you really need this jacket to be able to sustain the worst possible scrub bashing for days on end in the rain? Or just occasional light scrub? Personally I can’t see myself smashing through fabric destroying scrub when it’s pouring with rain anyway and go with the lightweight stuff but your mileage may vary. I had no issue with 2.5 Paclite on a Federation Peak trip some years ago. It was quite wet most of the time although it wasn't a scrub bash, just brushing past prickly vegetation. Also used it on a very poor track in wet Tassie last year around the Walls of Jerusalem. The problem with a jacket for the worst possible case is you end up with a 750-800 gram weight.

I have seen those threads about eVent delamination. Also heard it was solved. Not 100% sure.

[wayno]

eVent delaminates, search on here and you will find plenty of jackets made of eVent that have made their way into the bin!


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delamination was more of a historical issue, one of the factories was putting out event that wasnt quality checked well, Macpac had issues with some of their clothing when they first started using eVent, I think that issue has since been addressed.
you have to wash event regularly, oil from your body left to accumulate can affect the membrane otherwise.

i've got three event rainshells. none are delaminating. I thought one was , the fabric may have just distorted taking on a textured appearance but the membrane hasnt come away, and that is one of the first macpac event shells that came out. i dont even wash it but i only wear it around town in town clothes so it doesnt get oil off my skin on it...

[andrewa]

Wayno - the NZ "scrub" was a trip up the Roaring Lion in the Karuhangi NP. There are no tracks, and it takes a full day to get 6km up the river from the RL hut. I personally found it quite slow and difficult going, as I have each and every time I've been there. The Mokihinui Nth branch gorge was another slightly less miserable trip, but again had no issues with jacket in there. The failure was my wrist, when I fell and broke it!

A

[wildwalks]

(thread moved to ultralight forum)