Shells, if you’re game
By Cam Burns |
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The range of the shells in this selection was an idea ripped off from another rag (R&I, if I remember correctly), which we at MG pride ourselves upon. These babies weigh less than a pound and send skedaddling the notion that you need something weighty for alpine pursuits or trail lumbering or fixing a flat or dressing freshly killed marmots or anything else with your pal Les Montagnes.
Cloudveil Drizzle
One reviewer wrote that the Drizzle ($200) jacket looks like an Armani piece — true, I’d agree. This is nice attire, whether you’re fixing a tire in the rain, retiring in a leaky tent or Fat-Tiring down at the pub. Despite the propaganda that came with the 13.5 ounce (men’s large) Drizzle, there are several things about this fully waterproof jacket you’ll really dig. The round-the-face hood cinching cords are super-way-straightforward (they double in and out of the fabric — like most models these days) and the closed-panel breast pockets are insanely deep, letting you to fondle yourself all over the map. (I took a trip to the business district.) Two other features I really liked were the stiff wrist cuff tabs (no fumbling whatsoever) and the long bum, so you can squat in a squall and not suffer moisture creep. When it comes to sneakiness, the Cloudveil folks are out in front. While most of the other shells in this collection are made with PacLite, Cloudveil uses high-tech fabrics most of us haven’t even heard of (in this case, something called Toray). Great swaddle for a backcountry waddle. I suggest you buy three and donate a couple to the homeless. www.cloudveil.com
EMS Downpour
The Downpour ($200) is a Gore-Tex PacLite shell that checks in at 13.9 ounces (men’s large). The Downpour is a great little number with a chill cut, proportions and stylish lines. The best thing about it (to my mind) are the cuffs. They’re remarkably simple (incredibly flat, much like Mountain Hardwear’s Swift, below), so colliding multiple fleece layers and glove cuffs aren’t a bother. The wrist tabs are made of really stiff rubbery stuff (even stiffer than the Drizzle’s), so easy to grasp and yank that you can pull ’em down with wet paper bags on your hands. There’s a handy little pocket on the left arm, for a snack, lip jive or a small rodent. No such thing as a perfect storm with this beauty — just wimpy gusts. Long in the rear, too, and we like long bottoms. Also, check out EMS’s ripstop nylon Gust (not waterproof), which at 4.8 ounces (men’s large) is pretty light. Pullover style (no hood), it comes with a half-zip in the front for venting and bundles up into a small pocket on the left. Last time I looked at EMS’s website, Gusts (normally $75) were on sale for $45, so you won’t be shell shocked by the price. www.ems.com.
Arcteryx Alpha SL
Arcteryx’s Alpha SL ($249) weighs in at 12 ounces (men’s medium) and is also fully waterproof Gore-Tex PacLite. One thing I hate about most mountain jackets is limited roominess in the sleeves (I have lunch-lady arms). The Alpha SL has nice roomy sleeves, big enough to house a down coat or a couple of illegal weapons. Also, if you’ve got a humongous head or are just looking for a light shell with mega hood space, this is a good choice (when you cinch the hood tight, note the excellent maneuverability for the neck). It and the EMS Downpour have the biggest hood-to-rest-of-shell ratio of any jackets in this review (also with the twice-through hood cinches), which can be shrunk via a back-of-head-tightening elastic. The Alpha SL also has a nice long bum (great against big releases of wind) for you squatters and a handy, though smallish, closed-panel Napoleon pocket. A top frock — to feel really snugly in the cold, wear several. www.arcteryx.com
Outdoor Research Zealot
The 7.7 ounce (men’s large) Zealot ($199) is, again, a Gore-Tex PacLite job and the lightest PacLite jacket in this review. Indeed, OR Minister of Truth (and other stuff) Todd Walton says it’s the lightest Gore-Tex shell available. (I haven’t seen anything lighter, but as soon as this ink hits the page, I’ll likely get a call … ) Still, the Zealot’s a great jacket, and OR’s designers got pretty creative in order to cut the fat. The wrist cuffs are a minimal elastic design, the hem has only a left-side drawcord and cordlock (as opposed to the traditional two, as every other jacket in this review has), no round-the-face drawcord, and only one small, closed-panel pocket. But such lightweighting doesn’t seem to have hampered quality. All the seams are fully taped, and it works like a charm. Best thing is, this product brings Gore-Tex into the realm of the really svelte. Throw it in a river and you can go shell-fishing. www.orgear.com
Red Ledge Free Rein
Unlike most other contenders in this write-up, this 13.5 ounce (men’s large) jacket is not Gore-Tex PacLite. It’s a fabric called T-Core LX, that uses Red Ledge’s proprietary lamination; inside, there’s a “half” layer, which wicks moisture. And, unlike the others in this review, it has a double exterior storm flap up the main zip for extra protection against the elements. Like the Drizzle, Swift, Alpha and Downpour, there’s a soft lining for the chin. The Free Rein boasts two huge breast mesh pockets (“fondlers” in the parlance) with a smaller mesh hideout in the big righthand pocket. The price sure can’t be beat: The MSRP is $80, but a lot of dealers are selling ’em cheaper. (Campmor recently had these on sale for $59 on its website.) Get a black one and you won’t be sitting in the red at that next belay. www.redledge.com
GoLite Phantom
The best reason to give this seemingly straightforward Gore-Tex PacLite 13 ouncer (men’s large; $200) a thorough sounding-out is the hood — or rather, the hood’s visor. In pretty much all the old-school shells, the hood and the visor seem to come along as afterthoughts. (“Yes, Mr. Gear Designer, a slab of Gore-Tex nailed to the forehead is sufficient.”) The R & D folks at GoLite must have witnessed thousands of my belays, actions hampered by a drooping hood blocking my view of the business at hand (a great counter-argument is who really needs to see that anyway), The Phantom takes care of the problem with their impressive visor. And unlike all the other shells herein, the hood has no lateral tightening mechanism (i.e., a drawcord that pulls to a point at the back of the head), but it doesn’t seem to matter — the hood snugs up perfectly well with the round-the-face cord. The wristicuffs are a nice combo of elastic and velcro tab, giving a bit of flexibility for adjustment. Two beefy Napoleon mesh pockets round out the cool aspects of this livable sack. Great for burying a dead loved one in. www.golite.com
Mountain Hardwear Swift
The Swift ($260) is a really stylish Gore-Tex PacLite coat. It’s the only one in this review that features a hood (sans a round-the-face drawcord) that rolls up and stuffs into the collar. With the hood tucked away, it’s a spiffy-looking carapace; busted Wall Street brokers could even panhandle in the Swift. Like the Alpha SL, the Swift has really roomy sleeves (they “felt” longest of the seven coats tested here), and the wrist cuffs are simple and flat-like with stiff tightener-tabs. There are two medium-scale mesh pockets for stuffing unmentionables, and like some of the others herein, it has a soft-fiber-lined chin guard. The men’s large checks in at 13 ounces (women’s medium is 12 ounces). The Swift is the priciest in this line-up, but Mountain Hardwear isn’t known for making products that go south anytime soon. Great protection against a sad-ass appearance and the elements — almost as flashy as my gossamer trenchcoat. www.mountainhardwear.com
Cameron Burns can be reached at jonathanhemlock@hotmail.com.
