A Superior Adventure

Now to get down to the nitty-gritty…we wanted to share with you all of our opinions about our new mont-bell gear. The U.L. wind parka is, in my opinion, top notch as a wind jacket and passable as a rain coat. At $79 and only 3.3 oz. the parka was an obvious choice for a bit of light-weight weather-proofing. In a stiff breeze the coat did an excellent job of keeping out the wind and had just enough room for me to comfortably layer a fitted fleece and down sweater underneath. The jacket features a hood, which most wind shells do not, a definite bonus if you’re looking to stretch the intended purpose of your wind jacket to a very light weight rain coat. The biggest drawback of the hood is that it doesn’t have any way to roll it up and stash it, making it a bit problematic when you’re not using the hood; it becomes a small sail on your back.  So far I have only tested it in a light sprinkle during our trip to South Carolina in March. The DWR treatment kept the jacket from wetting out right away and would have been more than waterproof enough to hike for a few hours in a light drizzle. I cannot attest to the jacket’s ability to cope with an absolute downpour, but that’s not really what the coat is made for and not what we plan on using them for. The jacket has a small zippered pocket on the arm, just large enough for a credit card or a granola bar. I think the pocket is a little silly and I will probably never use it, but I understand that pockets are a huge selling point for many people. I would have liked to see the weight that went to the pocket instead be used to add a drawstring to the bottom of the coat so that you could cinch it down in really serious wind.

As for the mont-bell Women’s Ex Light Down Jacket I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t be happier with the fit or the function. I purchased the Women’s Medium in a charcoal color that is described as  GM on their website – whatever that’s supposed to mean.  At first I was a little concerned about the elastic cuffs on the jacket being too tight, but at only 4.7 oz. I figured that wasn’t something that should keep me from buying the jacket. When I got the package in the mail I knew that I had made the right choice as soon as I pulled it out of the mailbox. The bag the jacket was shipped in weighed more than the jacket itself and the elastic at the wrists ended up being completely unobtrusive. The craftsmanship is superb. With a fabric this light I expected to have to be extremely careful with the jacket, but it has already held up to some considerable wear and tear. The insulation in the jacket is just enough to keep me on the chilly side of comfortable just standing around at 20 degrees F in the sunlight (more than I had expected from such a light jacket). I am looking forward to taking this jacket out on the trail with me because it has already become a staple of my everyday life. As you’ve probably noticed, I haven’t really discussed the extra features of this jacket (aside from the elastic cuffs). That’s because it has none, which happens to be a bonus because it keeps the jacket light as well as makes the layer comfortable enough to sleep in on a sub-zero night when your sleeping bag just isn’t enough.

Based on my use to date, I would highly recommend both of these jackets. Right now they are both tucked away in my backpack waiting to hit the Pacific Crest Trail in 8 days. I’ll probably get back to you on their performance after 2700 miles of abuse.