UKH

HI,
So my R1 has fallen apart, wasn't massively keen on the hood to be fair. And the bit at the bottom wasn't long enough to stay tucked in when climbing, and i'm pretty short (a massive 5'5'' ).

So, reading reviews this seems a decent alternative, well if I could actually find any where that stocks this. Any ideas? Online stock is sporadic in my size which I assume is small. I don't want the blue one, and defo not the lime one. The orange and green ones look ok.

Anyone got one and had an R1? Is it better? Is the bottom longer? Is the hood better?

Or any ideas for something similar? I mainly want this for climbing all year round, rather than alpine. My main aim is that it stays tucked in when stretching whilst doing routes so I don't freeze myself stupid at belays. And made of that stuff with the grid fabric similar to the R1.

Cheers,
Si

In reply to snoop6060:

I had an eclipse hood , which I liked very much and is every bit as good as most people will tell you, I think they are slightly lighter than the r1, however I only used it as a base layer for winter rather than as a light mid layer as the sizing for me didn't really allow anything else. I then got a mammut kala patar hoody which is similar but I found the fit to be much better and although it has a full zip it works as either a base or mid layer (currently if it's really cold I wear a rab al then the kala patar) and a shell which works really well, the stretchy bottom part is lenty long enough to make sure there are no gaps, I would recommend the mammut but it's just person opinions at the end of the day

In reply to snoop6060:

I have both, R1 in M and the Eclipse in L. They are both about the same size but the fit/cut of the Eclipse is far better. The fabric is a similar grid pattern but slightly lighter weight. The hood is far better and the overall cut is long.

The R1 feels more of a mid, the Eclipse a heavy base/light mid. Out of the two, I prefer the Eclipse.

In reply to galpinos:

Thanks for the replies, now if i could just find one in my size...

In reply to snoop6060:

I was in Needlesport on Tuesday and they had large in stock.

In reply to davebryan1970:

Watch the sizing on these there small and fitted for size I had to go up to
An XL , I agree fit cut is good nice top however I found the flap
On the hood annoying if you don't zip it up Ninja stylee!

In reply to stevieweesaxs107:



FWIW I think the flap gives it a classic Star Trek the Next Generation look.

I too own both R1 and Eclipse and would echo what folk have said above about R1 being warmer. (That's why I've got both: depending on how cold it is, I'll climb with a Brynje baselayer, R1 or Eclipse then shell of some sort.) The hood is very different to the R1 - looser, principally - so make sure you try it on first. I have both in a size medium and the Eclipse is plenty long enough.

In reply to snoop6060:

I have an Eclipse Hoody and a recently acquired Patagonia Cap 4 Hoody, both size M.

The Cap 4 is slightly snugger, shorter in body, thinner, smaller, closer fitting hood (doesn't stretch over helmet), wicks superbly.

Agree about flappy hood on Eclipse if not zipped up, fantastic when stretched over helmet, zipped up covers mouth. Have used as base layer and mid equally well, found that probably works best when take of damp thermal from walk in, pull on Eclipse and zip up, instant warmth!

Stuart

In reply to Stuart the postie:

What's the Patagonia Capilene 4 hoody like as a base layer? I have a ME Eclipse that's great but want something a bit simpler (no pocket or face cover bit) as well.

In reply to JayPee630:

It wicks superbly and has simple thumb loops, much trimmer hood, does have a small pocket though. As a base layer, better than Eclipse.

Stuart

In reply to snoop6060:

I bought an eclipse last week and I've done a few winter routes in N Wales and a few in Scotland too. I've been wearing it over a merino base and under a soft shell.

Its much warmer than I expected for the weight.

The hood is great when zipped up but can be a pain in the butt when the hood is up but unzipped. You have to keep tucking the flap in.

It's a great fitted shape and nice and long too.

In reply to Stuart the postie:

Oh thanks, sounds perfect! Is the sizing normal-ish? I found that despite being a medium or sometimes large in every other brand I'm often a small in Patagonia.

In reply to JayPee630:
I also find Patagonia can be a bit bigger than other brands for given size, I'm wearing a medium in both, if anything, Cap 4 is snugger fitting on me, especially the sleeves.

Stuart

The Eclipse is also good as a cold weather cycling base layer due to its hood, long body and thumb loops on the sleeves. I normally take a M in tops but this one is super snug. A very versatile layer. It's only let down is the face flap that slaps you in the chops in the wind unless you have it zipped all the way up. Thinking of adding a sew on press stud to sort that out.

In reply to thedatastream:

Right, thanks. I have managed to get a fancy orange onefrom Needle sports. Proper euro trash .

In reply to thedatastream:

Was wondering what the Arcteryx Konseal hoody in a 3/4 zip was like too, that's similar fabric and looks like a simple design and is about the same price. http://www.outside.co.uk/shop/Konseal+Hoody+3%252F4+Zip

In reply to snoop6060:

Eclipse is pretty much perfect IMO except for one small detail. The zip tab for the neck/face is absolutely tiny and not equipped with a pull string (nor a hole to fit one to) so with gloves on you have absolutely no chance of adjusting it. As the pocket zip has one why couldn't they have fitted the same. It drives me bonkers as I'm forever wanting to adjust protection/airflow and can't easily do so. Brilliant in every other way. Come on ME, bring out a new generation.

In reply to BnB:

Add a piece of string to the zipper...?

Move the pocket puller to the neck zip?

I regularly cut off the metal pull tabs (sidecutters through the metal loop) and replace with cord.

In reply to snoop6060:
TK Maxx have recently been selling a lot of 'Avalanche' brand fleeces. And I noticed a full zip hoody today, using a waffle-inner fleece that is remarkably similar to the variant of PowerDry used in the R1. Being of US origin, the sizing was larger than usual, and they didn't have one even in my notional S, so I couldn't sensibly check the design. The finish wasn't the greatest (e.g. the hem was finished with a rolled over locked seam, but the seam didn't completely enclose the fabric edge).

But they were only £25, and they had a pullover version for £20...

This, I think:

http://www.avalanchewear.com/ecommerce/mens/jackets-vests/kompass-hoody.htm...

In reply to snoop6060:

I have this
http://www.mec.ca/product/5026-604/mec-t3-hoodie-mens/?f=10+50001+50020+500...

In reply to brianblock:
That looks nice. Given the quoted weight, it must be in a lighter fabric than the R1. [checks] 138 gsm vs 6.8/5.4 oz. Assuming oz is per sq yd, that gives us about 230gsm, and using this 230/138 scaling with the MEC quoted weight of 206g, we'd expect a similar size to weigh 345g. Patagonia say 357g, but I recall they quote for M or L.

So the fabric weights make sense...

As I've said before, I'm sure earlier R1s used a lighter fabric; the current incarnation is heavier than a '100 weight' fleece...

And with CAD at 52p, that works out at less than £22. Wow. Shame about the international delivery charges. You could order 4 of them, and still not exceed the $50 charge for orders up to $200... And I bet they mean US$ for international, so you could buy 5... At just over £8 shipping per fleece...

In reply to brianblock:

I have one of them from about 4 years ago but it still looks very similar. It is noticeably lighter and less warm than my now 6 or 7 year old Patagonia R1 pullover (no hood, but I guess the same material as the hoody). Both are superb midlayers just for different temperatures!

In reply to snoop6060:

The original R1 fabric was slightly different, possibly it was lighter/less warm but it was certainly not as durable and the loft compressed earlier, in my experience anyway. It had regular powerstretch panels as well, the top that is not the hoody. The Rab AL Pull On is quite light for the warmth, similar fabric, quite long. I'm not sure how many different forms of 'Powerdry' there are but Marmot have some tops in possibly the same gridded powerstretch as the Rab AL Pull On. Both of those differ from the R1 fabric, which is heavier and warmer and the recycled content might make it less 'soft', not sure...Rab has an anti-bac treatment also.

The new R1 hoody may have more room in the chest as I think it has gusseted underarms, though they change it all the time as per Patagucci methods...the earlier ones had such a feature and I think it makes sense as the R1 fabric doesn't seem that stretchy.

If the zip puller is hard to use, try some Sugru - that is actually one of the applications they list in the packaging...available in places like Wilcos, B&Q ?, George Fisher; stuff comes with a use by date, however.

Jon

In reply to captain paranoia:


[Measures weight of Decathlon Techwinter 500 shirt without hood: 236g in S]

Yes, it does seem to be light. I note there are comments on MEC's website asking why the T3 hoody is lighter than the T2 hoody, ehn the T3 is supposed to be the warmer... The answer: "That's a good question"...

In reply to captain paranoia:

Another one on the market, looks great... http://www.montane.co.uk/range/men/baselayer/allez-micro-hoodie

In reply to JayPee630:

Yeah, but four times the current price of the T3...

In reply to captain paranoia:

Colour contrasted zip though, get that...

In reply to captain paranoia:


Hangs head in shame...

In reply to brianblock:

ParcelFarce finally delivered my MEC order... And the T3 hoodie is a perfect fit for me in S, as is the Ardent cycling top I bought to bring the order up to CD$200 to maximise the air freight charge. Both seem very well made and comfortable.

Even accounting for the air freight, VAT and ParcelFarce's ridiculous £13.50 'handling charge', it comes out at £27.50 for the Ardent top, and £36.10 for the T3s. Which is less than half the rrp of the equivalents. But still significantly pricier than the Decathlon Techwinter top. Without the freight, VAT & rip-off, it would have been £22...

So, what to do with the three spare T3s....