Ultra-lightweight rainwear you can't miss this season 2018 , we've introduced a bunch of rainwear you can't miss this year. There are a lot of new releases, the features have evolved, the lighter and the design is cool, so I'm honestly not sure which one to choose. The basic story about ultra-light rainwear is to look at " What is the best ultra-light rainwear in the first place? What kind of people are it suitable for? ", and we have selected three pieces that we would like to wear this season.
table of contents
Finally, we are taking on the light-weight clothing world
Until now, we have used standard rain gear, with safety first to prevent coldness and prevent exposure to wind and rain. However, I often go low mountains, and I do day trips on sunny days, so my heart is throbbing, thinking it might be a good idea to take a step into the lightweight clothing area soon... So I finally decided to try out the choice of lightweight clothing.
The standard is less than 200g, and since I'm not so hot, I chose this loose yardstick, which is breathable, comfortable, and looks nice. I'm sure there will be more requests, saying, "More authentic! Look at more details! Think more about the price!", but I hope you will take it as if you could say, "There's a way of looking at it like this, hmm."
table of contents
- About the items we compared and tested this time
- Test results and spec comparison table
- Impressions of each model
- summary
About the ultra-lightweight rainwear compared this time
In this comparison, based on the criteria mentioned earlier, we took into consideration a variety of points, including the brand, type of material, thickness of fabric, pockets, and whether or not there are ventilation, and the following three candidates for comparison reviews were given.
- THE NORTH FACE Optimist Jacket
- Mountain Hardwear Leroy Jacket
- NORRONA bitihorn ultralight dri3 Jacket
Although all of these cover the use of jackets as lightweight examples of summer mountains, the new North Face product is a light all-round product, the Norrona is a speed hike, and the mountain hardware is trail running, and the emphasis is different.
I think it would be fair to compare all the activities, but this time, due to various reasons, we only have to go to summer mountain hikes and the local area. Sorry about that.
Test environment
- In early June 2018, he was worn at Mt. Iwaki (altitude 1,625m, climbing from the 8th trailhead at approximately 1,250m), Aomori Prefecture's 100 most famous mountains. There is no snow accumulation. The weather is cloudy and fog. The temperature near the summit is about 13°C. Tested with a quick-drying T-shirt on top of a merino wool base layer inside the rainwear.
- In early July of the same year, I wore it while jogging on the beach in the evening. The temperature is about 30°C. Tested while wearing a quick-drying T-shirt inside the rainwear (assuming it is humid).
- Since the weather was not raining very often, we tested it by recreating the light and heavy rain in a typical shower.
Evaluation criteria
- Waterproofing... Since rainwear is a gear that protects you from the rain, waterproofing is the most basic evaluation point.
- Windproofing: How windproof (heat retention) is it in strong wind conditions such as on ridges?。
- Breathability: Not only is its specs, but how dry it will keep your body dry in situations where it is prone to getting stuffy.
- Comfort: Not only is it comfortable to wear, such as the feel and fit, but it also has a lack of tension when swinging your arms.
- Weight: literally the weight of the jacket. The lighter the better the lighter the better.
- Functionality: Overall usability, including pockets, hood, sleeves, hem, etc., and storage.
- Design... it's a complete subjective opinion. Anyway, it feels good to be able to wear it stylishly.
Test results and spec comparison table
| comprehensive evaluation | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
|---|---|---|---|
| item | ![[The North Face] Optimist Jacket Women's](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Su9qCuG7L._SS300_.jpg) |
 |
 |
| Reference price | 27,000 yen | 42,120 yen | 21,600 yen |
| Waterproof | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Windproof | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Breathability | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Comfort | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| weight | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Functionality | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Specs | |||
| item | THE NORTH FACE Optimist Jacket | NORRONA bitihorn ultralight dri3 Jacket | Mountain Hardwear Leroy Jacket (Unisex Model) |
| weight | 195 | 120 | 171 |
| material | HYVENT Flyweight | dri3 | Dry Q Core |
| Waterproof (mm reference) |
20,000mm |
20,000mm | private |
| Breathability (g/m2/24h reference) | 40,000g/m2/24h (B-1 method) | 20,000g/m2/24h | private |
| Layer | 3 layers | 3 layers | 2.5 layers |
| Cuff (sleeve) | Two-stage adjustment with buttons and elastic rubber | Stretch rubber | Velcro |
| Security pocket inside the ventilation on the right chest | One on the left chest (also also ventilation) | One on the left chest | |
| Ventilation | Two from the chest to the armpit | One on the left chest | none |
| Storage | Comes with storage bag | None in particular | Storage in chest pocket (packable) |
Impressions of each model
THE NORTH FACE Optimist Jacket
By far the most comfortable jacket! Perfect for the light outdoors
This is ◎
- Large ventilation makes it comfortable and not stuffy
- There is a pocket inside the ventilation on the right
- Sleeves are not velcro but buttons
- Good design, color, shape, etc.
This is △
- Low water repellency
- The collar is low so water can easily enter
- When I put on the hood and close the drawcord behind my head, my face is loose
Ventilation contributes greatly
Without hesitation, it was the North Face rainwear. For some reason. That's because it has a large ventilation.
When I wore it on Mt. Iwaki, the temperature was low at around 10°C and was reasonably high, but as I walked it started to get hotter and finally I started to feel sweat and stuffiness. Immediately, the two ventilations are fully opened. ...How cool it is.
I also quickly remove the buttons on the sleeves and let in some outside air, and the air circulates and my body cools down.
The presence or absence of ventilation this time was a major point for me, who is a hot topic.
When I jogged on the beach, the humidity was incredibly high, the temperature was hot and hot, and of course the ventilation was still open. Even in the evening, if you wear rainwear at a temperature of 30°C, it's really hot.
It doesn't go the same way as Mt. Iwaki. People who are troubled with sweat and stuffy stay in rainwear, but when I unzip the front zipper and hit the rainwear several times in the wind, they're pretty much gone.
I'm concerned about the waterproofness and water retention, but it's a speciality from the North Face.
What caught my eye was how quickly the rain soaks in. It will soak into the fabric when there is a light rain. This is especially true when heavy rain comes.
In this case, the rainwear will store moisture, so if exposed to the wind or rain for a long time, it is likely that your body will get cold. The winner here has to be given to Mr. Norona and Mr. Mountain Hardware. I'm also concerned about the low collar and the loose hood.
However, it is also good that the parts that do not bring out the "we've been particular about ultra light" to the forefront, such as the beautiful color, the cuteness of the color, and the finer details of the secret mesh pocket created in the ventilation on the right, and it is also good that it is not unreasonable to think about the price.
Next page: Go to NORRONA bitihorn ultralight dri3 Jacket
NORRONA bitihorn ultralight dri3 Jacket
Perfect protection as rain gear! Minimal and high-tech crane wear that can't be underestimated just because it's lightweight
This is ◎
- Has heat retention
- It's soft to wear
- Elastic elastic hem and sleeves
- The collar is high and cool
- The logo arrangement is cool
This is △
- The price is high
- It has excellent windproof and heat retention, and can feel hot
- It is not packable, so it is not packable.
- The ventilation and pockets are insanely positioned
Anyway, the design is cool
As expected of Norna, Norway, Norway, is a Norwegian-born Norway, and is perfect in terms of design. Just wearing it makes you look cool. It's cool to face over there and face over here. Is this a technique that can be done by Scandinavian design?
My favorite is the height of the collar when the zipper is closed.
Not only does it prevent rain and wind from entering, but it also looks cool. It's cool without having to wear it on the hood. He's so cool that he can't help but wonder how many times he's been making cool stuff here.
Don't miss the way the Norona logo is located on the back and zipper pull.
As an aside, did you know that the Norrona logo is Viking? The Vikings of Norona are not commonly imagined pirates, but rather originated from the mountain hero who helped the king of Norway beyond the harsh winter mountains. This is the first time I learned about this, and it's been a learning experience. In fact, the logo printed on the rainwear (also on the left chest) is a reflector print, and it reflects even in dark places. So the heroes are protecting us even in the dark.
Comfortable and windproof for peace of mind
It is the lightest of the three items, but it doesn't feel as light as the lightest, and I guess it's just my imagination that the mountain hardware was lighter. I've been trying to reduce the weight of my luggage on a daily basis, but it was difficult to feel the weight of 120g. The reason lies in the fabric. Compared to mountain hardware, it is thicker and more sturdy. When I tested standing for a minute wearing three items on the windy summit of Iwakiyama, I was wearing one for a minute, and the only one who didn't feel "cold..." was Norrona, and the hottest thing I wore while running was Norrona.
The hem and sleeves are made light with elastic elastic, so it may have given the fabric a weight. In the rain test, water does not seep into the fabric with either light rain or heavy rain, and it repels the water in a breeze.
The fabric is moderately thick, so as a typical climber, it is calming to wear. What's more, it's soft to wear. That's nice.
If you could listen to your selfishness...
There are three things I would like to improve. One is that we would like the pocket and ventilation to be specialized in ventilation. Although the punching creates a small hole, even if the zipper is fully opened, it will get hot and stuffy.
If you could create dynamic ventilation under the armpits or front, it would be very helpful for your heat. The second one is storage capacity. There is no particular way to store it, so I used the standard method to roll it up and put it in a hood. However, it is bulkier than the other two items. If possible, it's a storage bag, then go upwards and it's not like it's packable. The third is the price. It has a beautiful Scandinavian design, is ultra-lightweight at 120g, and the fabric is moderately thick and soft, so you can see that it will cost more. I understand, but when I look at the price, I end up pulling my hand out of my clothes. This is a very waste. I hope you will study costs (Kansai style) and do your best. Please (silence).
Mountain Hardwear Leroy Jacket
The lightness you feel when you wear it and move is the best! Stress-free, fluffy 2.5-layer rainwear
This is ◎
- Packable pocket
- Smooth comfort
- Sweat and water dries quickly
- Feels lighter than the actual weight
This is △
- The fabric is thin, so it feels cold when exposed to wind from the ridge.
- There is no ventilation so you can feel a sense of stuffiness
It feels lighter than the weight and is stress-free and comfortable to wear!
After trying it on, I couldn't help but say, "It's light..." The Norrona is lighter, but the Mountain Hardware feels lighter in person. It's soft and light and comfortable to wear without any stress. Furthermore, I even wonder, "Are you wearing something now?"
The unique material, Dry Q teacher, struggles
Since it's "fluffy and light" to wear, isn't it waterproof? Non-non. There was no seeping in the rain test. Even in heavy rain, the water didn't seep in and it repelled perfectly. This is amazing. The North Face, which was number one, gently soaked and retained the water, but I never thought it would repel water with its thickness.
Furthermore, the only one of the three items is the hooded "brimm" that pops out, preventing rain from getting into your eyes. I feel a passion for "I will protect you from the rain."
I'll protect my backpack from the rain
This is a feature that you can't miss when your backpack is carried inside your clothes. If you have a backpack of someone who is on a trail run, you can easily get in.
However, I tried wearing the backpack from the author, who is a typical mountain climber, but it's probably a bit tougher after all.
It may be around 10 liters to be the limit. If you force yourself to wear it, the zipper will break, so you'll need to give up and deal with it with a rain cover or something similar.
Ventilation and thin fabric are slightly disadvantageous for normal mountain climbing
Mountain Hardware was slightly flushed by North Face and Norrona in this overall rating. What was the cause? That's because it's hot and cold. You might hear people saying, "It's not a basin."
First of all, there is no ventilation and the steam and heat that is covered in the body cannot be ventilated. That's why it's hot. When I tested standing at the summit of Mt. Iwaki for one minute, the fabric was thin and it was not heat-retaining, so it was "cold." For the last 20 seconds, I was able to withstand the cold. If possible, I would have liked the fabric on the inside of the chest pocket to be meshed and a pocket that also serves as ventilation... This alone makes ventilation different, which is a shame.
However, there are some circumstances that can be understood to some extent. This is because this model is specialized for trail running, developed based on feedback from Ueda Rui, one of Japan's leading trail runners. Since we are constantly running and sweating, even when it's raining, it's almost always "hot" and it's unlikely that there are any situations where we feel extremely cold. In that sense, it is expected that a high heart rate activity that was based on the assumption that it would have been better fit, rather than a normal paced activity like climbing. It is certainly easy to move around without any stress when wearing it, and the convenience of packable design in the pockets.
summary
"You'll never know until you actually wear it," a very frank impression. Even if you buy it because you think it's really light, cool, or comfortable, but honestly, I don't know if it will fit me until I try it locally. So, I'm trying it out on your behalf, as I hope it will be useful for you when purchasing, and tell you the results.
All of these were high basic levels, but there are many different points that everyone emphasizes: waterproofness, appearance, comfort, and lightness. These three items were deliciously distinctive in their distinctive features.
Even light rainwear has minimal protection functions, so I was planning to use this time to continue to move my feet straight from the safety-first rainwear world to the lightweight rainwear world.
We also recommend this article about rainwear.
- Check out the types of rainwear and how to choose them before purchasing
- Ultra-lightweight rainwear you won't miss this season 2018
- Ultra-lightweight rainwear you won't miss this season 2017
- Rainwear for mountaineering that you can't miss this season 2017 [For hiking and trekking]
- Comparison review: Which rainwear you should have if you're going to climb? ?
- Comparison Review: Which rainwear is the most useful on a trail run right now? Runners actually tried it 2018