UKH

Hi all again,

I've had an ME Kongur jacket for some time now (2 years) and I'm wondering about downgrading as I have often wondered if it's a little bit on the overkill side! The jacket weighs a good 635g, which whilst it has an amazing array of pockets etc. I have a tendency to only use two of the four vast chest pockets. A jacket which has caught my eye is the ME Gryphon, but it uses their Drilite and I can find very little about how good this is as a jacket in contrast to Goretex Pro Shell (which is what my Kongur has).

What do people think about Drilite in jackets? Will it be a daft step back or is the difference negligible, particularly compared to the size and weight difference of the jackets?

Use it'll get is all round year use when it's wet enough, from Scottish winters and climbs to summer downpours in the Peaks.

Your suggestions and advice will be appreciated on this one.

Regards,

In reply to RJP:

I know it's not Drilite, but you can't go far wrong with one of these: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hardshell-Jacket-Reviews/Arcteryx-Alpha-FL The current edition isn't any longer the Active Shell but a type of Pro Shell. So you might be able to get one of the "older" ones on the cheap online. I've got the Beta FL which is the same other than the pocket arrangement and I can testify to its being plenty rugged enough.

Cheers Adam,

I have had a quick look at your suggestion, in fact a friend of mine has one in medium and size wise it fits very well on me! They aren't the cheapest though and I'm wondering if ME's Firefox is any comparison or is that like comparing apples and pears?

In reply to RJP:

I've got an ME firefox. Does the job in lots of rain. Not leaked yet and is a few years old even with a repaired hole

In reply to RJP:

Daft step back IMHO. Much of any weight saving will be down to a lighter, i.e. less durable, fabric.

635g is nothing anyway. I don't get this obsession with light jackets, unless you never wear them, in which case a cheap and light emergency hardshell might fit the bill, but not a £££ super thing.

In reply to RJP:
If it's a laminate rather than a membrane, I wasn't too impressed by the durability of my Mountain Equipment jacket with a laminate waterproofing, compared to Goretex XCR that is. I had to layer up an extra layer with my insulation to compensate for the lighter weight fabric too, so in snow with strong winds any weight saving mightn't amount to very much, or amount to anything perhaps.

In reply to RJP:
If you have the money you could pay somebody who is qualified to make and repair jackets out of goretex to pay a minimalist jacket for you I guess, I could get the number of a lady in Rotherham for you from my joiner who made his goretex jacket.

I'm tempted to give her a design to copy and remove the features I don't need.

In reply to RJP:
The Drilite whilst decent isn't really full on Scottish winter material, but then again the Kongur is a bit overkill for summer Peak rain. So why not just get one anyway. Horses for courses... use the Kongur when appropriate and the ME one the rest of the time. Some good deals on the Aeon - which is like the Gryphon but with a stow away hood.

In reply to RJP:
I think if you get the Gryphon you'll end up leaving the Kongur in the cupboard all winter. Not sure but f I remember not all the zips are waterproof on the Gryphon either. The fabric is 40d, the same weight as the lightest fabric on your current jaket to give you an idea of toughness.

In reply to RJP:
Fit is really important, so you are part of the way there with the suggestion of the Arcteryx. However, you could probably buy an ultralight jacket (Montane Minimus? Needlesports?) and a winter heavyweight one as well, right now in the sales, for the price of that brand at RRP. I am personally weary of anything less than 40 denier but that might just be ignorance --- I want to try something ultralight but every time I look at them in the shops, seeing how thin they are, I hesitate. An ultralight could be used for cycling and running as opposed to pack-bearing activities, as well as being a summer just-in-case rain jacket. Something in the 600g range could be used for general out and about as well as all-day shitty winters. I think if you are really torn between weights then you might also be be limiting your approach to function. I wouldn't consider 'downgrading' to a single, lighter jacket, but 'upgrading to two. Get a lightweight jacket now and get a heavyweight jacket in time for next winter --- if you can spend as much as the Alpha FL demands, that is.

I never use more than two pockets either. I would also consider a smock design with a single pocket, maybe two (Montane and Crux, for example). Length at the hem is important also and the Alpha looks a bit short at the front, perhaps? Edit: I don't like the 2.5 (?) laminates, think they are called 2-layer laminates, as I found they DE-laminate after about 5 years of 'normal' use.

In reply to RJP:



Yeah, would never have paid full price for mine! (First rule of outdoor life: Never pay full whack for Arc'teryx!) Got it on the cheap on eBay.