Comparison review: We compared ultra-lightweight rainwear that is great for mountain climbing and running [Summer 2016]

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

berghaus , THE NORTH FACE , MILLET , OUTDOOR RESEARCH , Teton Bros. , Rainwear , Comparison , Patagonia , Trail Running , Mountain Hardwear , Mont-bell , MONTANE , NORRONA , MAMMUT , Rab

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

table of contents

Detailed reviews of each item
summary

Detailed reviews of each item

Waterproof

Since rainwear is gear designed to protect you from the rain, waterproofness is the most basic evaluation point. First of all, all of the items featured here use fabrics with waterproof membranes, have a durable water-repellent finish called DWR (Durable Water Repellent) on the surface, and are designed to prevent water from seeping inside the garment by using highly airtight zippers called waterproof zippers and seam tape applied to the seams. Each manufacturer has also passed product testing in their labs. In that sense, all of the items offer basic weather resistance against rain (and wind as well). Even when standing in a moderate rain for several minutes, the falling rain itself rarely penetrated the fabric and seeped inside, and no significant differences were observed

However, this is not the case when you are hit by a large amount of water, such as during a heavy rain, with force for a long period of time and from various angles

Even in this case, it is unlikely that the water will exceed the water resistance of the fabric and penetrate directly through it, but what is more serious is that water may seep in little by little from various places such as the hood, cuffs, zippers, and pocket edges, or the water-repellent properties of the fabric surface may be lost, causing water to remain on the outer surface and making it difficult for moisture inside the clothing to be expelled, resulting in the body getting wet

When comparing the waterproofness of ultra-lightweight rainwear, which is not as water-resistant as full-fledged rainwear for mountain climbing, this was the point where differences emerged between the items, rather than the specs of the materials used.To compare them, we conducted a test in which we moved our bodies while exposed to strong rain (a shower that simulated that) for a certain period of time

In addition to normal activities in the rain in the field, to recreate heavy rain, the waterproofness was measured by holding a shower head over the head and shaking the face and arms from this position to simulate heavy rain

the THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket with a GORE-TEX® C-Knit Backer provided the best waterproofing in the heavy rain . Its reliable water resistance and long-lasting water repellency, airtight zipper and cuffs, large brim, and easy-to-fit hood provide excellent protection from the rain. The Rab Flashpoint Jacket , has changed its material to PERTEX Shield+, but its overall airtightness, including the hood, remains intact. On the other hand, the Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket's hood and cuffs absorb moisture, making it prone to seepage, and its small, non-adjustable hood was completely useless in the heavy rain. These jackets should only be used if you plan to descend before the rain gets heavy.

The cuffs' lightness and adjustability are determined by the intended use. If you're mainly running, elastic cuffs (the four on the left) that don't require adjustment are fine, but there's a risk that the elastic will break or wear out. On the other hand, if you're planning on hard, technical use, Velcro-only cuffs are safer because they open and close widely and are less likely to break

Breathability (ventilation performance)

For ultra-lightweight rainwear, which is likely to be used in the summer or during intense exercise, it is particularly important that it keeps the body dry (comfortable) when sweating or in humid conditions

However, "breathability" here does not simply mean the strict moisture (water vapor or water molecules) permeability of the fabric, as expressed in a certain numerical value. While this is a very important evaluation point, waterproof and breathable jackets can also keep the body dry and expel moisture from inside the garment through other means, such as sweat absorption (moisture absorption) by the lining and ventilation through zippers under the armpits. From the user's perspective, the breathability and ventilation performance of clothing must be evaluated taking these factors into account

was the Teton Bros. Breath Jacket, which uses Polartec Neoshell, which has outstanding breathability, and also has excellent sweat-wicking properties thanks to its ventilation and lining. the MILLET W7 50000 ST JKT , which uses a highly breathable 3-layer material that makes it comfortable regardless of what you wear underneath THE NORTH FACE Strike Jacket , MONTANE MINIMUS 777 JACKET, and THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket, all of which are among the most comfortable jackets available.

Also, although the fabric is 2.5 layers and the specs aren't outstanding, the NORRONA bitihorn dri 1 Jacket , with its huge pit zips providing excellent ventilation, is hard to beat in terms of overall comfort.

There are various ventilation methods. From the left, there is a large underarm zipper, a small underarm zipper, underarm air vents, and a double zipper on the front. The zipper affects weight and packability, but allows for dynamic ventilation, so each has its own advantages and disadvantages

Comfort and mobility

The models selected this time were a fairly wide range of candidates for comparison, ranging from general mountain climbing to extreme running. Therefore, even though we are talking about comfort, the required comfort varies depending on the intended activity and the clothing worn underneath. For this reason, the method of evaluating comfort has changed significantly since this year's test

The first is the simple feel of the garment against the skin, the lack of tightness, the fit of the cuffs, the fit around the mouth, and other elements that are primarily necessary when walking in rain gear, and these were evaluated as "comfort." The other is the comfort desired when running, such as the lack of flapping of the garment during vigorous movement, ease of movement due to its stretch, the reduction of clothing shifting when swinging the arms, and the lack of rustling noise, and these were evaluated separately as "mobility."

As a result, we found that THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket . The knitted lining was extremely comfortable, and the slightly loose cut (top left in the photo below) meant that wearing a mid-layer underneath was comfortable. The hood and cuffs were also well made, as mentioned above. The Rab Flashpoint Jacket had excellent three-dimensional cutting, and despite its slim silhouette (bottom left in the photo below), it provided a more natural fit and ease of movement than expected.

In terms of mobility for running, THE NORTH FACE Strike Jacket and Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket are head and shoulders above the rest. As you can see from the photos above (top and bottom right), the jackets are tight enough to be worn under light clothing, preventing flapping, and thanks to the characteristics of the material, you won't be bothered by the sound of the clothing rubbing against each other while you're moving.

weight

Every year I'm amazed at how incredibly light new products are, but this time it's the Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket , weighing just 86g (measured in a size small). To give you an idea of how light this is, see the photo below. A packet of instant noodles weighs about 100g, so it might be easier to understand if you imagine it as being lighter than that (?). Basically, models weighing around 100g are so light that they're so comfortable you don't even feel like you're wearing clothes.

However, in exchange for lightness, you must be prepared to sacrifice durability and other aspects, so if you want to use it safely on a variety of terrains, such as hiking, it would be wise to aim for a bag weighing around 200g or more

The lightest bag weighed just 86g, less than the weight of a packet of instant noodles (100g). However, since it is designed for short distances and races, a model that weighs about the weight of three packets would be preferable for mountain climbing

Storageability

Packing size is closely related to weight, but the easiest way to gauge this is to look at the packing results (photo below). Incidentally, the models without stuff sacks (⑤, ⑧, ⑪) are simply rolled up and wrapped in the hood, so they're not necessarily fully compressed. Including these, the models with the best packability were the ③ Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket, ⑦ Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket, ⑨ MONTANE MINIMUS 777 JACKET, and ⑭ THE NORTH FACE Strike Jacket . It's becoming commonplace for these jackets to be smaller than a clenched fist.

①MILLET W7 50000 ST JKT ②MAMMUT DRYTECH FREEFLIGHT JACKET ③Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket ④MONTANE MINIMUS JACKET ⑤Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Jacket ⑥OUTDOOR RESEARCH HELIUM HD JACKET ⑦Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket ⑧⑨MONTANE MINIMUS 777 JACKET ⑩Rab Flaspoint Jacket ⑪NORRONA bitihorn dri 1 Jacket ⑫mont-bell Versalite Jacket ⑬THE NORTH FACE Strike Jacket ⑭THE NORTH FACE Strike Jacket

Durability

Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide an in-depth and accurate assessment of durability here, as it is not realistic to use the product for a long period of time or to test its strength to its limits. For this reason, we can only speculate on aspects such as friction and tear resistance based on the thickness and weight of the fabric and our impressions after several trial tests. However, we have added these as evaluation items, as we felt it would be inappropriate to not mention them at all

So, the bare minimum is that, if the entire fabric is made of the same material, the thicker the fabric (the higher the denier), the more durable it should be. Furthermore, at least with a thin 2.5-layer outer layer, strength relies solely on the surface, and the lining is only coated, making it vulnerable to friction and therefore at a disadvantage in terms of durability. In that sense, the Berghaus Vaporlite Hypershell Jacket and the Mont-Bell Versalite Jacket are relatively unreliable in terms of strength, not just in appearance but also in theory.

On the other hand, with a 3-layer garment, not only does the lining at least prevent degradation of the membrane due to friction, but the increased overall thickness of the garment also makes it relatively stronger, giving it an advantage in terms of durability compared to a 2.5-layer garment. In reality, the strength may also vary depending on the weave and tightness of the fibers (sewing technique?), but this is something the manufacturer hasn't disclosed, so it's hard to say. Taking this into account, and based on my impressions of using them, the THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket and MILLET W7 50000 ST JKT are 3-layer garments that use sturdy fabric and are highly rated for their durability among ultra-lightweight rainwear.

Easy to use

In order to avoid making evaluations based on impressions as much as possible, we have focused on the following five points as the main evaluation points

Number and location of pockets
Ease of opening and closing the zipper
Easy to adjust hood, cuffs and hem
Presence or absence of night reflectors (reflective marks)
Ease of packing (stuff sack, packable design, etc.)

the Mont-Bell Versalite Jacket has it all the Montane Minimus Jacket which received high marks in last year's test, is also top-class in terms of usability, with a large chest pocket, easy-to-use zippers, an adjustable hood, reflectors, and a stuff sack included.

If the hood is not adjustable, it may obstruct your field of vision if it does not fit your head properly, which can be uncomfortable and dangerous. Usability can be greatly affected by whether or not there is a drawcord at the back of the head that securely adjusts and secures the hood, and whether or not there is a function to adjust the height of the hood at the front of the chin (not shown in the photo)

summary

So, this year too, we've compared a wide range of ultra-lightweight rainwear, with each brand competing fiercely for supremacy. We hope you've all found your favorite piece

Honestly, choosing the best rainwear for you is no easy task. We have tried to explain the various and complex comparison factors as clearly as possible, so that this comparison will be of some help to you in choosing rainwear. However, there may have been some areas where our own preferences were involved, or where the testing was insufficient due to physical constraints. We would like to continue improving this, so please let us know if you have any comments or requests

Detailed reviews of each item

Waterproof

Breathability (ventilation performance)

Comfort and mobility

weight

Storageability

Durability

Easy to use

summary

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