Bushwalk Australia

I'm definitely not in the lightweight category but I am starting to look at ways to strip weight. I have a old Mountain Designs Gortex Jacket that weights a sweet 890g yep heavy eh.
I'm looking to replace this with a good lightweight jacket, maybe in the 250-400g range to save close to half a kilo. Montane seem to get good reviews but I have no idea of all the different models.

Anyone own any of them or any other brand they really like the jacket of and it's lightweight.

Thanks

Was your MD a stratus (seems about right for 890g)? I recently swapped my stratus for an Arcteryx and am pretty happy. I like a bit of length below the hip so went with the theta ar at about 500g, but other Arcteryx models are as low as 300g.

Is this jacket going to see only track/trail use mainly. Or doesn it need to survive heavy scrub use. (some lighter coats will more than others)
Did you want just a chest pocket, 2x Hand pockets, pit zips ??
These small things can be a must for some users and fair enough I say, but each feature adds weight.
Let us know what features you would like to have.
Also it could be important to know what sort of weight your pack is too. Some of the really really light jackets might not stand up so well to a 20kg pack abrading on them.

Arcteryx make sweet jackets but they can be pricey (I have a Theta SL, 400g). Outdoor Research do nice light jackets. Rab have some nice light fully featured options like the viper jacket.
So many options to choose from. The internet is your friend.

Wouldn't call it scrub use, Overland Track, Milford, Sound, Vic High Country etc, in all seasons. Pack weight around the 10-12kg with food. Which I want to get down more, hence starting with my over-weight jacket

On the topic of UL jackets, has anyone tried the new 127g breatheable cuben rain jacket from Zpacks?

I wonder how it holds up to Australian (or god forbid, Tasmanian) conditions?

-icefest

Can certainly recommend Marmot Aegis rain jacket. Around 370g but fully featured with no compromise on comfort and conveniences. Good sized adjustable hood, under arm ventilation, angled wrist cuff, soft fabric collar material and no leaks in heavy downpours. Been using it for the last year or so and loving it. Got mine in the US at 55-60% local retail.

anyone looking at marmot and can wait till next year, they are revamping their range out a new more breathable shell

http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearca ... ology.html

if you're going to walk around with an overnight pack on , i'd be looking at a 400gm three layer jacket,
i've got a couple of westcomb jackets. great breathability. but the focus jacket is 250gm 2.5 layer event, its a new type of event and the durability is unknown, the fabric is really thin
i've got a "shift lt hoody" highly breathable neoshell. 3 layer 350gm, havent used it a massive amount and not with an overnight pack so not sure of the durability long term.
they put a bit of stiffening into the hood peaks which is handy in storms... high stitch count in the seams which makes them more resistant to failure, narrow seam tape to save weight.
those jackets only have small chest pockets on them, no venting

i've got a 550gm montane jacket, havent used it much, but like the design of it , well thought out, , great hood, vents. pockets... a few of their jackets are reinforced in the heavy wear areas, like the venture jacket which is around 450gm, they are due to bring out neoshell jackets at some stage in the near future.

i've got a macpac traverse 380gm. havent used that a massive amount with a heavy pack, or in heavy rain, dont know how good the breathability will be in heavy rain... had big issues with a heavier mapcac event jacket on wetting out and poor breathability and no vents... you can get better value for your money regarding jacket features and design than the traverse anyway like montane or westcomb.

i've got an outdoor research helium... good jacket but don't know i'd trust it with an overnight pack, its 180gm light as...

westcomb have better featured jackets if you want to go up to 450gms.. include decent pockets. pit zips

look around on gearbuyer.com for sales... no warranty if bought at sales price.....

Thanks for the suggestions, will have a look at what the local stores have, I know backpacking light have Montane and Bogong have Rab.

Quite like this jacket and still almost half the weight of the one I have now

http://www.montane.co.uk/range/men/shell/venture-jacket

i've got the montane superfly xt.. same cut as the venture. more pockets on it and dedicated pit zips. 550gm
great jacket, decent length, longer in the backside, reinforced where it counts. hood covers your face well in storms, toasty warm in a storm...

+1 for the Superfly XT
Although I went for a more subdued colour. Didnt want my rain jacket to match my bright red tent.
Roger

norts wrote:+1 for the Superfly XT

+2 - an eVent garment that works.

Definitely go for a 3 layer jacket for durability under pack straps, especially for Tas where you may well be wearing it for days on end. But I would say that 500+ grams is a bit heavy for even a 3 layer Event jacket. I love my Crux jacket, hip length in front and covers my bum in back, 460g for a large. Rab have a few nice lighter weight shells available and coming out. The Myriad is a great 3L Neoshell for about 420g. The Momentum is a perennial favourite at about 360g but short cut and no hand pockets. Or you could wait for its next year's Newton jacket (not too far off) which does have hand pockets, probably a longer cut and still under 400g. Check it here: http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-news/ ... 11133.html

My recently purchased Rab 'Bergen' jacket weighs 530g, is made of 3 layer eVent fabric, and is remarkably well engineered. I teamed the jacket with a pair of Snowgum 'Nerotech' 2 layer overpants (also 500g) in the snow at Mt Hotham last weekend, and the system worked a treat.

All the best.

Thanks for the suggestions, tried on quite a few different brands and ended up with the Montane Superfly. Weighed it when I got home and 514g so there's a saving of a days food over the old MD Gortex one I had.

Depending on how durable you want to go, but you can buy a tyvek "Sperm Suit" full body coveralls and cut to jacket length. Just then needs some seam sealing on the stitching and some tape (maybe) where your pack's straps sit. Under 150g after sealing. The suits cost ~$10 from BOC Gas & Gear

icefest wrote:On the topic of UL jackets, has anyone tried the new 127g breatheable cuben rain jacket from Zpacks?

I wonder how it holds up to Australian (or god forbid, Tasmanian) conditions?

-icefest

I haven't given mine a real good go in some decent rain yet or actually hiked with it on (only had the jacket and pants for 3 days). They seem to me, like they will be more than capable at handling what Australia has to throw at it. I also believe that they would suit Tassie conditions quiet well.

The zpacks jacket actually has an eVent membrane, so it should be pretty breathable....Although time will tell.

Glenn.

go and stand in the shower...

wildernesswanderer wrote:Thanks for the suggestions, tried on quite a few different brands and ended up with the Montane Superfly. Weighed it when I got home and 514g so there's a saving of a days food over the old MD Gortex one I had.

I have the same jacket

It is an awesome choice!

Supertramp wrote:The zpacks jacket actually has an eVent membrane, so it should be pretty breathable....Although time will tell.

Seems like as of this month/year they are using a new material. Keep us posted - I have always been interested in these.
Will probably end up buying one in the future but I am too poor for now.

review of the zpacks jacket
http://hikelighter.com/2013/05/23/one-y ... in-jacket/

Also more reading.

http://hikelighter.com/2013/08/07/water ... echnology/

This stuff sounds promising.