Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I had always intended to get some proper gear for BC hikes and the like, but spending half my time on Sunday taking my bulky padded jacket on and off and trying to cram it into my pack has made me think I should actually do something about it. I would rather pay more to get something that will basically be the last shell I need until it falls apart. Something that will be adequate for anything I might want to do. Obviously that will be overwhelmingly stuff in Japan, but also in theory expeditions further afield to Europe, North and South America etc. At the moment it's a bit of a pipe dream but if I ever get my skiing act together would love to do something crazy like heliskiing in Alaska. So I want something robust. But looking around Hakuba I see a lot of experienced people using more lightweight stuff, goretex paclite instead of the top of the range full on 2 layer or 3 later goretex. Obviously those jackets have the advantage of being light, but they also seem to offer adequate protection to the people using them. Considering my needs as stated above, is top-line stuff overkill? Is it going too far? Or will I be glad to have it if I really ever do manage to advance my skiing to more advanced places? I have a friend going by the states next week so would be a chace to grab something by arcteryx or whoever at slightly more reasonable prices than in Japan. What do you think? Link to post Share on other sites
dizzy 0 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Gore-Tex vs. eVent http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index....n.html]Gore-Tex vs.eVent the link takes a minute to load. i know some people (non-SJers) who have eVent and like it. did u check here ? Link to post Share on other sites
OkemoLoon 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Kuma was talking about this kind of thing today while we were hiking. Is it worth it to spend the extra dough to get top of the line stuff??? If your going to be touring your gonna sweat and sweat gets cold real effen fast. When your standing at the top of some line after a hike and the wind is kicken its really nice to be warm and dry. Today I started feeling a little cold and wet, Kuma was warm and dry. Guess who was wearing top of the line stuff? Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Dizzy, I must admit I never even heard of eVent... will check it out at work tomorrow. I guess I am coming around to what you're saying there Loon... what does Kuma have? It's Arc'teryx isn't it? I have liked all of their stuff that I have seen so far. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 get a gortex shell from rappies Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 yeah, Okemo looked like he just got out of an onsen he was so wet I recommend the 3l goretex. what size are you king? Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 I think I am probably an Arc'teryx small - their stuff seems like quite large size. What are you wearing? I know we're completely different sizes but would give me an idea. FT, would happily get at Rappies but I think I can do better getting my friend to pick up from the states for me. Link to post Share on other sites
quattro 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 The shell is just one piece of the equation. Just as important is what you layer underneath it. Having the proper layers to wick sweat into the outer layers is just as important. I have a gore-tex shell but depending on the weather conditions I will also use a soft shell. Generally the gore is fore really nasty weather and the soft shell is for nicer days. The soft shell breathes much better. The gore offers better protection. Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I'm an XL in all jackets (Arc/Burton/North face/ Special blend) by the way my barf jacket showed up and it is nastay! It will def make everyone barf...so I'm going to keep it $120 for 2.5 layer gore performance shell ain't bad btw Okemo is an L in arc Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 You might save 50 bucks at this time buying in the states. Rappie will have lots of mountain hardware stuff. Plus last time i was there he had really cheap north face gortex pants. Dont buy in the UK freaking Pricy Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Originally Posted By: quattro The shell is just one piece of the equation. Just as important is what you layer underneath it. Having the proper layers to wick sweat into the outer layers is just as important. I have a gore-tex shell but depending on the weather conditions I will also use a soft shell. Generally the gore is fore really nasty weather and the soft shell is for nicer days. The soft shell breathes much better. The gore offers better protection. Yes, I have been building up from the skin outwards. Now I need some decent insulation and the shell. I hear what you're saying about the soft/hard thing, seeing as we're not do far away from spring skiing I was thinking about whether I should get the softy first and get something hard next year. But then again if Kuma was OK sunday in his Arcteryx 3L then that will probably be OK - certainly better than my resort jacket! FT, would definitely not buy in the UK, that place is a massive ripoff! Exchange rate for buying from the US is extremely favourable right now, and for some reason I have decided that I would quite like the Arc'teryx sidewinder, and I haven't seen any of their gear at Rappies (it's pretty pricey elsewhere in Japan). Right now I'm in less of a rush to get the trousers as I don' really remember ever thinking that my legs were particularly hot or cold. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Between GT2L and GT3L, it's mostly a matter of price and durability. The bonded inner layer on 3L stuff will help prevent wear and delamination of the PTFE membrane from the inside of the jacket. Most 2L jackets have a seperate hung inner mesh liner that supposedly does the same job, but in my experience, the 3L GoreTex holds up significantly better. On 2L stuff, if the seam tape starts to peel off, it often takes the membrane with it (this is common on Toray Entrant fabircs too), whereas on 3L, if the tape comes off, it comes off leaving the inner layer and membrane intact. The bad tape can be removed and Gore repair tape installed. The only time I've had seam tape failures on GT3L was on the bivy sack that was rolling around the back of my truck for years, and the crotch of my army gore pants, but that was a rip and not the tape's fault. Link to post Share on other sites
quattro 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Many places will not ship Arc Teryx overseas from America. I think there may be some agreement in place with retailers and Arc Teryx. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 thats true quattro, I got my sidewider sv when kuma got his and he had his brother ship it over to us. When I picked up my sigma sv softshell off SAC I had my mom ship it over. If you know somebody stateside then no problem - otherwise youre prolly SOL. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 UK is a rip off for EVERYTHING!!! Tax is so bloody high its unbelievable!! The exchange rate kills most currencies as well, its good to travel on the pound but not to buy into it Link to post Share on other sites
Kraut_in_HongKong 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Most important is, that after washing, you need to re-impregnate the fabric. You can get re-impregnation spray in outdoor shops. My Spyder jacket was washed and we didn't do that, it got a bit heavy on heavy snowing days. I still stayed dry inside though. I doubt that goretex really has that miracle effect to keep you dry. Even with a breathy cotton shirt you start sweeting when you jog. Link to post Share on other sites
quattro 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 As Kraut says spraying should be done after washing. However the spray on does nothing for the gore-tex. One should not confuse the gore layer from the nylon outer layer. All the outer layers are treated with a DWR treatment which help shed water. Respraying the outer shell just retreats the nylon outer. Stay away from the wash in retreatments as it may clog the gore and prevent it from breathing properly. IMO Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Cotton kills you never wear cotton hiking ever! Gortex or various other top hiking materials are better than a resort jacket that cant hold the water out nor breathe. A technical jacket can not be compared to a spyder jacket, sorry but they are in different leagues. Anything by arctreyx is great but so is mtn hardware, haglofs, north face, marmot, Patagonia and a few others I know im missing! Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 FT what do you wear under your paclite when you go out for a day? Is that paclite good enough for your outer shell in terms of wind/waterproofness if you have enough insulation on inside? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 spandex is great, anything that whisks away sweat. I have Uniqlo base layers (laugh but never had problems), patagucchi/arcteryx mid layers, and arcteryx jackets. Cant go wrong. 3 layers has kept me warm even in the coldest/nastiest conditions. Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Originally Posted By: Creek Boy spandex is great, anything that whisks away sweat. I have Uniqlo base layers (laugh but never had problems), patagucchi/arcteryx mid layers, and arcteryx jackets. Cant go wrong. 3 layers has kept me warm even in the coldest/nastiest conditions. What arc'teryx jacket do you have? Sorry for flogging this topic to death but it is quite a big spend so would like to get it right... Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 top base polypro it stinks but it drys helly hansen. next micro fleace semi wind stop north face. next lowe alpine soft shell. pac lite jacket buy haglofs tops it off. Legs 2 pairs or long jons ploypro base 2nd layer 50%wool and ploy I think. Very light. Pants arcteryx bibs. I always pack micro down pants and jacket life savers. very light ones almost the lightest that there is. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 CB I use Uni Qlo's Heat Tech unders and like you I have never had a problem with being sweaty/wet. Pretty sure it was Stemk that pointed me that way Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 hard: arcteryx sidewinder sv soft: arcteryx sigma sv (?) Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thnaks for all the responses. Only one thing is for sure - I am going to end up a lot poorer... Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts