Review: Mont-bell Storm Cruiser Jacket - Greatly improved comfort! Mont-bell's reborn masterpiece

Wear

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Gear review , rainwear , mont-bell

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

table of contents

The use of new materials brings it even closer to perfection as rain gear
Detailed Review
Summary: Who is this recommended for?

The use of new materials brings it even closer to perfection as rain gear

The Storm Cruiser is a representative rainwear product from Montbell that has been a long-selling product and has enjoyed consistent popularity in Japan since 1982. I was a student and greatly cherished its reliable, conventional functionality and reasonable price. To be honest, I had lost interest in it for a while, but this year it suddenly appeared before our eyes in a new form. What has changed? Let's take a look at the review of the 2015 model

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Detailed Review

Item name (price)

Mont-bell Storm Cruiser Jacket (Reference price: 19,872 yen)

Front/back

Main specifications and evaluation

evaluation
waterproof	★★★★☆
Breathability	★★★★☆
Comfort (feel and feel)	★★★★★
Mobility (ease of movement)	★★☆☆☆
weight	★★★★☆
durability	★★★☆☆
Functionality (ease of use)	★★☆☆☆
design	★★☆☆☆
price	★★★★☆
Overall score	★★★★☆
Specifications
material	GORE-TEX with GORE C-KNIT Backer Technology [Outer: 20-denier Ballistic® nylon ripstop]
Layer	3 layers
Color variations	Dark Teal (DKTL), Flash Orange (FOG), Green (GN), Indigo (IND) , Mustard (MST), Primary Blue (PRBL), Signal Red (SIRD)
weight	257g
pocket	2 (left and right)
pit zip	none
Food	Triaxle hood (helmet compatible)
Storage method	stuff sack

This is amazing!

Highly waterproof and extremely comfortable and soft to the touch

As expected from GORE-TEX, its water repellency lasts longer than any other waterproof/breathable material! Even when hit by a heavy rain, it stays like this↓.

The biggest improvement in this latest renewal is the lining. As we've mentioned several times before, the secret lies in GORE C-KNIT Backer Technology, a circular knit fabric developed after four years of trial and error. The 3-layer construction, made with a circular knit fabric made from ultra-fine yarns, feels much softer and more flexible against the skin than a 2.5-layer construction like Paclite, which is simply specially treated. It stays dry no matter how much sweat or rain you get and how much humidity rises inside .

Comfortable cuffs and ample pockets

As is common with Montbell rainwear, the adjustable Velcro cuffs with tabs also have elastic, which not only prevents wind and rain from entering but also provides a more comfortable fit around the wrist .

The pockets are well placed so they won't be blocked by a hip belt or harness, and they're large enough .

Lightweight, compact and low-cost

To see just how light and compact the 2015 Storm Cruiser model has become, we will compare it the Mont-bell Torrent Flyer Jacket THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket a product from another company that uses the same material .

evaluation	Mont-Bell Storm Cruiser Jacket	Mont-Bell Torrent Flyer Jacket	THE NORTH FACE Climb Very Light Jacket
waterproof	◎	◎	◎
Breathability	◎	◯	◎
Comfort	◎	◯	◎
Ease of movement	◯	◯	◎
weight	257g	215g	250g
durability	◎	△	◯
price	19,872 yen	22,680 yen	39,960 yen
material	GORE-TEX with GORE C-KNIT Backer Technology (20D)	GORE-TEX Paclite (12D)	GORE-TEX with GORE C-KNIT Backer Technology
pit zip	none	can be	none

As you can see from this table, with the introduction of the 2015 version of the Storm Cruiser, the lightweight advantage that was a major feature of the Trent Flyer has been largely eliminated. On the other hand, the gap in breathability, comfort, and durability has widened significantly , so there is no longer any clear reason to choose the Trent Flyer. Montbell is surely aware of this, so the Trent Flyer will likely be redesigned in the near future. In any case, the evolution of the Storm Cruiser is incredible.

Also, compared to the TNF Climb Very Light Jacket (also an excellent product) made from the same material, it is inferior in weight, fit, and ease of movement, but is about twice the price. The Storm Cruiser is also more durable, with a thicker fabric for added reliability. Incidentally, as you can see in the photo below, the packed size of all three jackets is almost the same.

From the left: Storm Cruiser, Trent Flyer, and Climb Berry Light. They are almost the same size when stored

This is not so good

Fit and mobility

Although it claims to have a "sleeker, more streamlined silhouette" than previous models, the waist is still looser and the arms and hem are shorter , so it doesn't quite fit perfectly (though I'm open to disagreements). Regarding mobility, while the elbows are three-dimensionally cut, I was bothered by the tightness of other joints, such as the armpits when raising your arms and the hood when moving your neck .

Internal hem adjustment drawcord

It's Montbell's original "Lead-in Cord System," which allows you to adjust the hem from inside your pocket. This is the first time I've seen this system, and it's a bit of a hassle. It seems like it might get caught on some kind of sign, or it might break easily

Summary: Who is this recommended for?

If you don't go into too many details, this rainwear is incredibly comfortable and easy to use!

The power of this new material, developed through four years of hard work and Japanese technological expertise, is immense. From beginners to veterans, this is a great product that anyone will not regret using, regardless of the type of activity. However, it is not a reliable hard shell for the harsh winter

This is the only choice for Montbell rain gear for the 2015 season!

Rainwear that does not use Gore-Tex is not very reliable in terms of functionality, and even though the Torrent Flyer is light, the difference is now so small that it barely weighs more than a glass of water, so there is no reason not to choose this model

As always with Montbell, we are blown away by the "excellence in basic performance and high cost performance" and then the "usability and design of the finer details..." pattern continues, and this time too the basics remain the same. However, this time there is nothing to complain about in terms of the most important aspect of rain gear, "comfort in the rain", and it can be said that it more than makes up for any shortcomings. If you are Japanese, this is a recommended rainwear that every household should have!

Storm Cruiser Jacket

Mont-Bell

21,060 yen

257g

GORE C-KNIT backer technology (3 layers)