Saturday 2 March 2013

Favourite kit of the winter #1

I had 2 of the old style Montane Prism jackets (and still wear one for cold weather biking) and after a brief dalliance with another soft-shell I got one of the newer type for this winter season.
The outer is PERTEX Microlight Rip-stop which has been the most durable pertex garment I've ever worn. Its done 50 days on the hill (mostly climbing and mountaineering) and shows no signs of wear at all which is saying something given how I normally seem to put a hole in most jackets within a day or 2 of getting them.
The fill is PRIMALOFT eco 40g and is a little warm for a fast walk in (but I still seem reluctant to take it off) but keeps me perfectly warm in even the dampest, windiest ming that Scottish winter has thrown at me.
The hood is my great love. This hood is my first point of call for temperature adjustment down when I'm climbing, except in the worst weather and back up at the belays- very effective as I can retreat back inside it. When its full on misery it outperforms any of the shell jackets I'm wearing at present helped by its wire peak.
If I could make minor changes I'd raise the hand warmer pockets an inch to get clear of a harness and I've put beefier zip pulls on to make them easy to feel in thick gloves.
Otherwise a really great winter weight soft shell that hacks the worst that Scottish winter can throw at it with apparent ease. I love it when kit works!



End of season update. The pic below was taken part way through a 15 hour day doing Viking Gully in Knoydart. 10 pitches of thin ice at about V,6. The Prism was worn all day long still loving it! (Gillet added for insulation in the wind)


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