chris
05-18-2005, 19:28
Yeah, I know $187 (on sale) is too much to pay for a jacket for the AT, but I'm going to be spending some time this summer in the Rockies and I want/need to have good weather protection and the ability to hike in my rain gear. The potential for cold rain is just too high to hike without solid gear. I got my eVENT jacket yesterday and spent a little time playing around with it. As far as I know, there hasn't been a thruhiker type test of the ID jacket, just things on BPL (which you have to pay to see). I'm going to put the jacket through a thrashing this summer and will write up a full report when I get back in late September. The following are some initial impressions.
Weight, for a size large, is 8.7 oz according to my scale. This is less than claimed, but I suspect that the claimed weight includes the small, zippered silnylon pouch that it came with. While not, quite, as light as Frogg Toggs, it is very close.
There is one pocket, and this is located on the chest and is accessible while wearing the pack. The pocket looks large enough to put a camera in and perhaps some food or other things you don't want getting wet in a downpour.
The material feels like GoreTex XCR, but thinner. So, not soft like Frogg Toggs, but overall just fine.
The hood appears to be functional, although a brim would have been a nice touch. The hood is shockcorded and you cannot adjust the tension of the shock cord. Forget about wearing a helmet underneath the hood. The hood seals nicely around my face, although I suspect that wind driven rain will present a problem. Still, the hood is far superior to those found on Frogg Toggs or O2 jackets/anoraks. It isn't as nice as the hood on my MEC Aquanator III jacket. I'm carrying a brimmed hat anyways for sun protection.
The jacket is definitely cut on the trim side, which is how I like it. There is enough room underneath for a thin shirt and a thermal top, but not much more. If you are expecting to use this jacket in conditions in which a fleece underneath would be good, I'd get a size larger than you need.
Cuffs are velcro closures, which is a nice change from the shock-corded cuffs on Frogg Toggs.
The bottom of the jacket is tightened or loosened by means of twin shock cords with barrel locks . Unfortunately, the locks are right at the zipper, which makes zipping up the jacket a little awkward. This might not be an issue, though.
The zipper is one of the Urtek(?) waterproof deals.
You can get the jacket in yellow or dark green. I got the dark green for more of a stealth effect, especially as I might have to do some night stealth hiking across priaate property.
Weight, for a size large, is 8.7 oz according to my scale. This is less than claimed, but I suspect that the claimed weight includes the small, zippered silnylon pouch that it came with. While not, quite, as light as Frogg Toggs, it is very close.
There is one pocket, and this is located on the chest and is accessible while wearing the pack. The pocket looks large enough to put a camera in and perhaps some food or other things you don't want getting wet in a downpour.
The material feels like GoreTex XCR, but thinner. So, not soft like Frogg Toggs, but overall just fine.
The hood appears to be functional, although a brim would have been a nice touch. The hood is shockcorded and you cannot adjust the tension of the shock cord. Forget about wearing a helmet underneath the hood. The hood seals nicely around my face, although I suspect that wind driven rain will present a problem. Still, the hood is far superior to those found on Frogg Toggs or O2 jackets/anoraks. It isn't as nice as the hood on my MEC Aquanator III jacket. I'm carrying a brimmed hat anyways for sun protection.
The jacket is definitely cut on the trim side, which is how I like it. There is enough room underneath for a thin shirt and a thermal top, but not much more. If you are expecting to use this jacket in conditions in which a fleece underneath would be good, I'd get a size larger than you need.
Cuffs are velcro closures, which is a nice change from the shock-corded cuffs on Frogg Toggs.
The bottom of the jacket is tightened or loosened by means of twin shock cords with barrel locks . Unfortunately, the locks are right at the zipper, which makes zipping up the jacket a little awkward. This might not be an issue, though.
The zipper is one of the Urtek(?) waterproof deals.
You can get the jacket in yellow or dark green. I got the dark green for more of a stealth effect, especially as I might have to do some night stealth hiking across priaate property.