Macpac Traverse Jacket

[Tony]

Due to some recent problems with my Marmont Precip jacket I have been looking at getting a new rain jacket and the Macpac Traverse Event at 356g has caught my eye.

I am wondering if there are any bushwalk.com members that have had any experience with the MacPac Traverse jacket.

Tony

[Capt DropBear]

After months and months of deliberation, I picked up the Traverse yesterday (thanks to the Sydney and Chatswood store crews for putting up with my persistant window shopping over the last year! And my ever suffering girlfriend for letting me drag her around Kent St for about the same length of time...) - to use as a lightweight, packable shell for day hikes, overnighters and trail-running (no scrub bashing, and only putting it on when needed). So although I can't give you a review just yet, as it's not been used in anger, I'll post up my thoughts in this thread - it's looking like it'll rain this week, so fingers crossed.

My alternatives were:
Macpac Traverse
MD Flash
Arc'teryx Beta SL
Paddy Pallin Mission

Arc'teryx was too expensive to buy locally (and seemingly online only, I wanted to try it on first), Mission has too clunky and heavy and had features I didn't want (I hate velcro storm flaps).

Came down to the Flash and the Traverse. Very, very similar jackets (almost identical weight - within a few grams) and I was torn between them (currently on sale the Flash is $250 and the Traverse $338). In the end, went for the Traverse based on:

- No pit-zips, I really don't see the point of them on such a light jacket - they're another point of water ingress, even when zipped up, and feel annoying.
- Larger chest pocket
- Heavier eVent on the shoulders for a bit more durability under a pack (and on the wrists as well) (the Flash is just one thickness Paclite all over)
- I felt like taking a punt on the eVent fabric, given the good review of the eVent Prophet elsewhere on this forum.
- Colour - more choice in the Traverse, and the Citrine one looks pretty scmick (see below)

(note to blacksheep - hassle the website guys into getting a pic of the "Citrine" Traverse up on the wbesite, as I'd pretty much written it off based purely on the small colour swatch - but in the flesh, it looks as awesome as the new "Citrine" Prophet XPD, with black shoulders and black wrist patches - so I changed my tune and bought it.)

Good luck with your decision, as mentioned, I'll review it as soon as the weather lets me.

Cheers,
Capt DropBear

[Tony]

Thanks Capt DropBear,


Thanks for your views and thoughts, they are very similar to mine.

On Saturday I had a good look at all of the jackets that you mentioned, In Canberra Macpac, PP and MD are all within 50m of each other, as is SnowGum, Kathmandu is a bit further down the street as is another shop called Adventure sports (best shop of all), I am weary of Paclite as my regular bushwalking mate has a paclite jacket and it wets out easily, at PP the Arc'teryx jacket that PP had on display was on special for $800, I paid around $70 for the Precip and got three years out of it.

I will probably get my Traverse jacket by the end of the week.

Tony

[Capt DropBear]

Yeah, that Arc'teryx one at PP would be the Theta AR, which is full Goretex Pro-Shell and a lot heavier/more rugged than the Flash/Traverse. A Canadian friend raves about their stuff, but when they're CAD$250 on the Arc'teryx website, AUD$800 is a bit rich...

edit: Nice, our equivalent in Sydney is Kent St - wall to wall outdoor stores for a whole block - it's dangerous, particularly around sale season!

[sef]

I looked seriously at it, but it seems to inherit a bit of alpine cut. If you're short-to-average, it'd make a good short rain jacket. It seems to be a bit of a theme with minimalist event jackets -- even the below-the-snowline offerings from Integral Designs, Rab, etc are short.

Best mild weather option that I've found is a Patagonia Houdini, but it's more weather 'resistant' I think.

[Tony]

Thanks Sef,

I looked seriously at it, but it seems to inherit a bit of alpine cut. If you're short-to-average, it'd make a good short rain jacket. It seems to be a bit of a theme with minimalist event jackets -- even the below-the-snowline offerings from Integral Designs, Rab, etc are short.

Best mild weather option that I've found is a Patagonia Houdini, but it's more weather 'resistant' I think.

I am not sure if the Patagonia Houdini is suitable as long term rain wear.

I purchased a MacPac Traverse jacket yesterday so time will tell if it is suitable for the walking that I do, the sales people in the local MacPac shop gave me great service and looked after me.

Tony

[sef]

Let us know how it goes? I've taken to the Houdini (bought it for climbing ages ago) for most three season trips near Canberra... long fit, nothing to it and it takes the sting out of the wet. Not really what you need in the winter, though, or if the weather's particularly bad.

I thought the Namadgi costume was $3 pvc jackets besides

[Tony]

Hi Sef,

Let us know how it goes? I've taken to the Houdini (bought it for climbing ages ago) for most three season trips near Canberra... long fit, nothing to it and it takes the sting out of the wet. Not really what you need in the winter, though, or if the weather's particularly bad.

I will do a review of the traverse once I have used it in the rain.

I thought the Namadgi costume was $3 pvc jackets besides

You are welcome to join me while wearing a $3 pvc jacket on my next walk in Southern Namadgi.

Tony

[Amanda]

Hi CDB and Tony,

Out of curiosity did either of you consider the MDs alto? I would be interested in any feedback to pass on. I find the flash is most commonly used as a cycling jacket or a lightweight daywalk/travel jacket.

Cheers
Amanda

[Tony]

Hi Amanda,

Hi CDB and Tony,

Out of curiosity did either of you consider the MDs alto? I would be interested in any feedback to pass on. I find the flash is most commonly used as a cycling jacket or a lightweight daywalk/travel jacket.

Cheers
Amanda

I did look at the Alto, nice jacket, probably would have been my second choice, but I decided to try eVent instead. I do have a 15yo MD Jacket that I think is the Nimbus, I look after it and it is still like new.

With the Flash jacket, I am a but wary of Paclite as I have read mixed reviews about it, my regular walking mate has a Paclite Jacket and like my old Precip it wets out inside easily.

Tony

[Amanda]

Thanks Tony, appreciate the feedback, shall pass it on to MDs. I need to buy a new one at some stage, old 3 layer goretex has bitten the dust and cheap jacket was not so good in wet scrub last time I was out, water went up my sleeves, down my neck and just about everywhere else! It was not a pleasant day around the shores of Lake Rufus. Being an MDs girl I will give the alto a try my next big trip.

Amanda

[Capt DropBear]

Hi CDB and Tony,

Out of curiosity did either of you consider the MDs alto? I would be interested in any feedback to pass on. I find the flash is most commonly used as a cycling jacket or a lightweight daywalk/travel jacket.

Cheers
Amanda

Hi Amanda,

Actually I did consider the Alto along the way, and almost bought it when it was first released:

Pro's:
- Internal storm flap / no vecro external storm flap (I strongly dislike velcro storm flaps)
- Lightweight and durable: Despite being Goretex Pro, it was fairly lightweight - and has reinforced shoulders which was one of the criteria
- Length: Not a fan of longer cut jackets - the Alto/Flash/Cumulus/Traverse length is just right.
- Pockets: Plenty of 'em

Con's:
- Helmet compatible hood: I'm not a cyclist or an alpine climber, so no need for this function - and although the hood has plenty of adjustment to bring it back down to normal head size, it's still huge and I found it awkward to fit properly and it obscures my view (with the Macpac Prophet jacket being significantly reduced in price, I was considering it as well, but the hood has the same issue for me)
- Double-zip: Pretty trivial, but for some reason I always struggle with the double-zip on any item of clothing, and this one was no different (same with the Cumulus - which was also on the short list)
- Pit zips: Useful for the heavier material, but I found the ones on the Alto dig up uncomfortably into my underarms
- Less packable than the Paclite / lighter eVent

To be honest, for it's price point, material and weight, it's a pretty good jacket. It was pretty much the over-sized hood that did it for me.

If you do grab one for your next trip, be sure to review it on here - I've noticed this forum is a wealth of information, and has helped me a lot over the last year - the more information about the products available the better!

Cheers
DropBear

[Amanda]

Hi DB,

Thanks for letting me know your thoughts, I love to hear feedback on our gear, and will pass it on. I agree, it is a great forum for gear reviews. It is amazing how the forum has grown since it started.

I just have to decide on my next trip now, I think I will have a few new things to test

Cheers
Amanda

[Nuts]

I ordered one of these today. Seeing as there wasnt one I could try on within a days drive i ordered online. Seeing as how in a xmas sale you would expect to get an in stock item by xmas, we will see....
They seem to feature similar designs as the lighter montane jacket. At around $100 more i thought id give a 'more' local company some money. I do hope its the start of a return to local gear, lets hope quality is up to macpacs usual stand out risky 'all or nothing' claims.. The prices for some of this stuff are barely bargains at their sale prices, I'd suggest they are approaching true market skimming limits at sale prices, I doubt there will be any feature to warrant paying full price.

[Nuts]

Was sent Monday/Arrived today. Delivery 9.5/10 (-0.5 thanks to the posty who tried to stuff it in the mailbox and run... 'free' registered post would be a nice touch ; ) )

(the fact that it probably would have fit (through the slot) would have to give it points for 'compactness')

[Capt DropBear]

Was sent Monday/Arrived today. Delivery 9.5/10 (-0.5 thanks to the posty who tried to stuff it in the mailbox and run... 'free' registered post would be a nice touch ; ) )

(the fact that it probably would have fit (through the slot) would have to give it points for 'compactness')

Keep us posted on field performance... after having a few months of weekly rain, it's been bone dry here ever since I picked mine up...

[Capt DropBear]

Finally got around to testing the Traverse in anger, in what better palce than NZ earlier in January.

It's first trial was during the downpour that preceeded the Auckland floods. It stood up really well to the torrential rain, nothing was wet under the jacket. It felt a bit clammy underneath, which concerned me - but I realised it was from the cotton/nylon blend t-shirt I was wearing underneath - as when I changed into a merino t-shirt underneath, the clamminess disappeared.

It's second trial was on Tongariro Crossing and around Mt Ruapehu, under a daypack carrying only about 6kg. It rained lightly but steadily for the section of Tongariro we did, and I did feel a damp sensation on my shoulders after a while. I checked my shoulders under the jacket, no moisture had come through - so I put it down to just a cold sensation from the pack straps compressing the rainwater onto my shoulders. Breathability was excellent, hardly felt like I was wearing a shell at all.

I've since taken it running around the streets of Newcastle, and it worked just as well as for that purpose too, no overheating (beyond that expected when you're puffing like a train) - the cuffs get a bit damp, but you can't help that when you're running in the rain!

The brim is sturdy, large enough to keep rain out of your face, and the hood is designed perfectly as to not restrict your vision, and it moves freely with your head (The hood on my Macpac Sabre softshell is unfortunately too large, doesn't move with my head and restricts vision).

The zips (main front zip, and breast pocket zip) are quite stiff - which suggests to me a good seal, and I've had no experience to the contrary as yet. The breast pocket is 100% waterproof from what I've experienced so far. I don't miss the lack of hip pockets - the arms have a good length to pull your hands up into if needed.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. It's minimalist, amazingly lightweight, and the breathability is astonishing.

For those considering the jacket, Tony's has also reviewed his Traverse in comparision with an equivalent Paclite jacket here: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5944

And for some gratuitous poser shots - here's yours truly near the Mt Ruapehu skifields (minus snow), modelling the Traverse:





Peace out.
Capt DropBear

[cams]

Awesome pics. I'm leaving for NZ tomorrow morning and am planning on picking one of these up aswell. Only other ones I'm tempted by are the RAB and Montane pullovers. But being able to try this on and being a jacket I think is worth the slightly higher weight.

[cams]

So I just got back from NZ last night. I did buy a Traverse Jacket as soon as I arrived in Auckland (taking advantage of the dollar ) which was lucky because I definitely needed it during my trip. I couldn't help but be a copy cat of others in the thread and go for the Citrine colour. The medium fit well but to get a bit more movement around the shoulders and to give a bit of space for an insulating layer in the cold or to help ventilate in warmer temperatures I went for the large. I've just weighed it at 389g. A bit heavier than the specs but it is the large. I think the hood stow system could have been simplified a bit to save a bit more weight. But I'm not too fussed. Still up there with the lightest Event jackets from any other brand.

So I used the jacket in a few different situations in NZ. Firstly was just walking around town in Taupo. There was moderate rain for the whole day and it handled this fine. The pace was easy going so no issues for the breathability. Secondly I used the jacket for our jet boat ride. I was a little dubious as to whether I should have gone with the long spray jackets that everyone else was supplied with but was laughing in the end because I had a hood and they didn't. Once again performed well.

Finally, it got a good work out down at Mt. Ruapehu. We were hoping to do the Alpine Crossing but the weather foiled those plans. It did mean that we got a heap of snow which was nearly as good. We ended up doing a walk up the road to the ski village and back via the Silica Rapids walk. I was wearing my BPL Cocoon hoody and an icebreaker lightweight tshirt underneath the traverse. I did start to overheat slightly on the uphill sections but never felt damp or clammy. And when I eased off the pace I cooled down to a very comfortable temperature. I stayed perfectly dry inside the whole time. My only minor complaint with the jacket is the hood pull cord system. The drawcord locks got pulled up into the material when I pulled them tight which made further adjustment a pain. I did find myself wanting a bit more face protection from the driven wind sometimes. The hood visor is great for keeping the rain off when it's falling down. But it did seem to leave my face fairly exposed even when pulled in.

Overall I'm very happy with it. It will be interesting to see how it performs in local conditions now.

More action shots (from the same moutain as Capt DropBear's shots)

[justacouch]

Hello traversers

Macpac have this jacket for $300 at the moment, thinking about picking one up - are they still pretty much the duck's guts of weight and WPB?

http://www.macpac.com.au/shop/en_au/gear-and-clothing/mens-clothing/event-rainjacket-traverse.html

[Strider]

Hello traversers

Macpac have this jacket for $300 at the moment, thinking about picking one up - are they still pretty much the duck's guts of weight and WPB?

http://www.macpac.com.au/shop/en_au/gear-and-clothing/mens-clothing/event-rainjacket-traverse.html

Mine is going well. Still haven't used it in a really big pour though.

There are also some in the clearance section of the Macpac website at the moment.

Mainpeak have a good Montane sale on at the moment too.

[wayno]

380gm isnt that light, i've had mine stop breathing in rain, due to poor dwr and no venting.
if you want light there are much lighter but probably not recommeneded for heavy use
i got an outdoor research helium 2 for $100 through sunnysports.com under 200gm,,, mainly for days where there ont be constant rain. still exceptional dwr and breathability.
i switched my main coat to a columbia peak to peak omni dry pit zips, exceptional DWR and breathability.
picked it up through gearbuyer.com for half price $200
so for the same price as that travers on special i got two raincoats that outperform it , i can select the coat i need for the conditions. shop around. I think $300 is still too expensive for the traverse. light minimalist jacket, only one small pocket, mediocre performance in the rain, $300 is a lot to spend and if you shop around you can get some great deals for that price...

[justacouch]

I tried a traverse on today, it felt sturdy, light and looked ORANGE. Unfourtunately the large was tight in the shoulders, the XL was not much better and moo moo everywhere else.

Strider - thanks for the tip on mainpeak, will check it out.

Wayno - cheers for your thoughts, will consider some other options and hopefully save some cash.

[Rob A]

If its a lightweight jacket forget about breathability, its a total non issue. The things flap about and that provides circulation/ventilation.
Its more important that the cuffs work so that you dont lift moisture up the sleeves, and that the hood drains externally to the smock. Figure out what works for you under the thing.
Usually the lightweights are get out of gaol cards, they live in the top of your pack or slip into a dilly bag or your pocket so they are always with you.
Motane seem to understand pattern and shape with rigid fabrics better than others. I think its a pom thing.

[wayno]

when you've got a pack on the belt and chest strap will seal in the moisture without venting and if the wind isnt blowing it's worse

[blacksheep]

The traverse, and also the tempo, use the highest mvtr fabric from event in 3layer.

[blacksheep]

Hello traversers

Macpac have this jacket for $300 at the moment, thinking about picking one up - are they still pretty much the duck's guts of weight and WPB?

http://www.macpac.com.au/shop/en_au/gear-and-clothing/mens-clothing/event-rainjacket-traverse.html

They are drier than the ducks nuts

[wayno]

The traverse, and also the tempo, use the highest mvtr fabric from event in 3layer.

mvtr is measured in a lab that is dry with constant temperature and humidity.... it often doesnt equate to real world experience, high mvtr rating can be completely nulified by poor dwr in heavy rain,, a garment with poor mvtr and good dwr will always outperform a garment with high mvtr and poor dwr in steady rain..a
i've been in event jackets where i was so wet inside that might as well have been pvc or have no membrane at all

also in high humidity the breathability suffers...

[nq111]

[quote="wayno"][
mvtr is measured in a lab that is dry with constant temperature and humidity.... it often doesnt equate to real world experience, high mvtr rating can be completely nulified by poor dwr in heavy rain,, a garment with poor mvtr and good dwr will always outperform a garment with high mvtr and poor dwr in steady rain..a
/quote]

I totally agree with that. However if you had to make bets, mvtr has got to be a good starting point. Though it appears that each manufacturer has a measurement standard invented on different planet - so genuine comparisons are tough.

[blacksheep]

Wayno you are talking about a specific test condition. Mvtr simply stands for moisture vapour transpiration rate, or in layman's terms how breathable it is. Mvtr can be measured in any environment with any set of variables. The sweating hotplate and inverted cup tests were pushed as a standard test by gore as their fabric with its wet system compared favourably to the other PU coated fabrics. Theirs also needs a significant driving force of temperature and/ or humidity gradient to work. Sweat as modified vapour condenses when it hits the monolithic PU layer, slowly passing through to evaporate.
True microporous systems like event are direct venting, and are not significantly affected by temperature gradients. Of course if the face fabric has wet out your sweat has no where to go and will condense. Have you seen the testing conducted by US army where PU, ptfe/ PU, pure ptfe etc waterproof technologies are comparitively tested? You'll see there that event kicks put no matter the environmental variables.