Montbell Thermawrap first thoughts

Yeah, it does look like a techno marshmallow. But hey, it's warm and the hood is amazing.

That said, I love everything about it save one. The draw cords on the hood suck. I was hoping for anchored cordlocks and a thin elastic. What I got was approximately 1/8 inch cords that run through a non-flexible piece of foam. There are two too-small holes through each little piece of foam. Looking at the foam brick from the side (staring at its height), the cord goes up through one hole and down through the other.

To adjust it, you need to use one hand to hold the brick and one hand to pull a loop of cord through. And since the cord is anchored at the lower end (into the fabric), you need to then adjust that loop you just made to tighten the hood. Dumb.

Here's what we need on a hood. An anchored cord lock with a piece of elastic going through. The cord's free end is not attached to anything. Just pull, and you have a tighter hood. You can do it with one hand. When you need to release it, squeeze the cord lock, again with just one hand. If you then tilt your head back, the hood will expand and you will then release the cord. Simple. You made need to made the fabric around the cordlock a little stronger, but hey, it'll work better. The cordlock can be anchored by a small piece of gross grain ribbon. Something.

Mont-Bell's motto is "Function is Beauty. " And the U.L. Thermawrap Parka is functional with the lone exception of its hood draw cords.

That said, I might just fix it myself. Then I'll take a photo and send it to the folks at Mont-bell.

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Enough ranting - the jacket is great. The hood is huge. The jacket itself, a men's European medium, Japanese large, allows for layering. I put on my TNF Denali fleece and was still able to layer the Thermawrap over it. Great, absolutely great.

I just might have replaced most fleece garments I own. I also may have replaced my bigger down jacket. Woot.

Received Montbell U.L. Thermawrap

I'll post a full initial impression, but the gf's initial impression was short and to the point:

"It looks like a techno marshmallow."

Arc'Teryx Beta SL experience

I went to REI today to check out the Arc'teryx Beta SL. I went to try it on to evaluate a potential pickup of the Alpha SL. Essentially, the two jackets should be the same with a few exceptions -

But I left with a funny taste in my mouth. Essentially, it was a case of not what I needed, but what I didn't need. I took contention with a few things:

First, the zippers are your standard waterproof zippers. They look the teeth have a layer of rubber on the exterior. But it is difficult to zip up the zippers, and it appeared that the waterproof protection contributed to the significant difficulty.

Second, the hood. I had two issues - the draw cords could not be used with one hand. Also, the hood was meant for a helmet. I had to pull the cords significantly and crank down the rear adjustment to fit the hood as tight as I like it (a la my Precip). The hood however, was otherwise great. There was plenty of side (cheek) protection, and the brim was extremely stiff.

As for its features, it had two good-size pockets, no pit zips (which may or may not be necessary) and a huge hood.

As for these problems, I anticipate the Alpha SL having similar problems with the zippers, and the hood would be huge (it is designed as a ultralight alpine jacket). However, I could operate the hood one-handed. I tried this on a Theta AR, and it was tough to pull, but doable.

I'm slightly disappointed with what otherwise is an amazing shell.

Gaiters don't need McNetts

I shot the folks at Integral Designs an e-mail about seam sealing the gaiters. Here's the response, from Evan:

"The seams are not taped on the gaiters. There is rarely a pressure of water on them, and from our experience with extensive use they rarely leak through the seam."

I gotta believe it, but it seems (no pun intended) counter-intuitive. Water + un-sealed seams = rain leaking in. But, hey, I'll test. My guess? They won't leak, especially because of ID's rock-star reputation.

On another note, Backcoutry.com moved the Arc'Teryx Alpha SL jacket over to their outlet. It's the '07 model on sale for ~$170, down from $250. The '08 version sells for ~$300. I just finished reviving the DWR on my Precip, but I have yet to test it. If it didn't work, I'm pulling the trigger and buying the Arc'Teryx. Why this one? Well, it weighs almost nothing, has a rock-star fabric, welded seams, excellent warranty and high-quality construction.

No new shell necessary

Well, it turns out I haven't killed my PreCip. Yet. The wetting out causes two things: impaired breathability and longer drying times. I'm going to hit it with the wash-in Nikwax eventually.

So really, I don't need to replace the jacket until the wetting out becomes so significant that the jacket turns into a vinyl shell and I cannot revive it. Or I put an unrepairable hole in it.