Review: The North Face Point Five Jacket & Pants

- product provided for the purpose of review, thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk -

Today's review - The North Face Point Five Jacket and Trousers. Seen here on top of Cairn Gorm.

First impressions: 

TNF over the past few years have appeared from the outside as a brand which cares more about fashion than performance. The Summit Series gear, to me, is a way of getting back into the technical market and I was eager to see what they'd produced. None of the modern fabrics here, just good old Gore-Tex Pro, this and The North Face's knowledge of jackets and extreme environments meant I couldn't wait to get this partnership out and about, the first test was my Hill and Moorland leader assessment after that I had a 4 day winter skills course up in the Cairngorms, where a "weather bomb" was due! 

A good fit straight away, I went for the Large in both (6'2 and XL with Rab shells), TNF still fit pretty big compared with other manufacturers so you have to try their stuff on to know what you're getting. Not too heavy, good construction quality and good length at the back in the jacket. The pants were comfortable, felt absolutely bomb proof and come with a nice set of braces to keep them up, impressive construction once again with no loose thread anywhere and solid stitching. 

Jacket features - 

Standard features on the Point Five jacket: helmet compatible hood, drawcords around the bottom and helmet with two large harness compatible "alpine" pockets, 1 internal zipped pocket, Velcro wrist tabs, pit zips and a performance fit. 

Pant features - 

Front attachment braces, zippered thigh pocket, two zippered hand pockets, full length zips and internal gaiters with kick patches. 

Out and about on the Moor: 

Jacket - 

The jacket got hit with some testing conditions on the moors, some very high winds and brief spells of rain and sleet before the sun came out. A mix of wet and dry, cold and warm meant the jacket needed to be breathable for the warm stuff and bombproof for the wet stuff, luckily for me, it was! 

Really impressive stuff from the Point Five jacket, the water beaded well and ran off quickly without pooling in areas on the jacket. A great fit when out and about keeps the jacket down and stop. old and moisture getting in while giving it some wellie up a hill. 

The pit zips helped with breathability and moisture control within in the jacket, keeps a god breeze through the jacket means condensation won't form and form in cold conditions. 

Pants - 

I've never used internal gaiters before and I was eager to see how they compared with my Rab Hispars, we haven't had much rain on the Dartmoor but there were still some boggy areas and the occasional unexpected stream to cross. They did well with the wet stuff, stayed down on the boot and kept my feet dry. The pants weren't quite as breathable as the jacket, luckily the fill length zip allowed me to get some air in there and stop the moisture build up. 

The pockets are ok, the thigh one is a good place to store some cereal bars or snacks but there isn't much room for more stuff in there and the hand pockets are just that, not much room in those either. while I understand having baggy pockets on these pants would be much more of. hindrance than a help it would have been nice to have some more room to play with. 

Very windproof and very waterproof thanks to the Gore-Tex Pro material, unfortunately after a few days of heavy use the pants started to wet out a bit quicker as the Gore-Tex membrane became more clogged. It seems that all the materials in use at the moment require constant treatments to keep them operating at a acceptable level, a shame when prolonged use is required. 

Out and about in the Cairngorms: 

Jacket - 

Colder temperatures, stronger winds and snow instead of rain provided a different challenge for the Point Five jacket. Sweatier days and a greater need for breathability due to the sub zero temperature. The best bit about snow is that it's dry, it's only when it gathers and melt from your body heat or gathers and freezes that it becomes a pain! 

The jacket handled the conditions very well indeed, a real confidence booster when out in the mountains. I struggled to find any faults with it after getting the extreme weather out of the way on the first day, we experienced some really heavy winds, a brief whiteout and some sleet on the way down. I stayed dry the whole time and very happy in my bubble of Gore Tex. 

Trousers -

The trousers sturggled a bit more with the snowy conditions, they continued to keep the snow off but rain was beginning to wet out the trousers after such heavy continuous use. Any time I sat down on snow or cold rock my bum was quickly aware and began feeling damp, I expected the trousers to be a bit stronger on this front as sitting down is a vital part of a day in the snow!

The internal gaiters couldn't handle the deeper snow and my boot was full of snow in no time, perhaps the designers of internal gaiters need to have a long think about making a product which actually works. A real shame when keeping feet dry is such a key part of morale over the course of a day. The zip maintained its level of waterproofness and didn't become an easy way in for rogue rain or sleet. I loved the braces, they were great and a definite positive addition for the pants, making them front and back would have been nice but not crucial. 

Overall:

Jacket -

I was really impressed with the Point Five jacket, The North Face have done really well to get back into their technical kit with the Summit Series range and this jacket can stand proud with that badge on its arm. It handled wind, rain, snow and sleet all in intense situations where its ability was relied upon. Gore Tex has lost some of its followers over the years but this jacket has won me over, it's definitely on the way up and I look forward to seeing how the fabric develops over the next few years. 

Trousers -

The trousers didn't perform quite as well as the jacket over ther 8 days, while the jacket continued to shed liquid the trousers had begun to wet out and let a damp feeling creep in. The lack of bum protection for sitting down really disappointed me, I'm not a fan of a damp bum and I doubt many walkers and mountaineers are! They're still good, and I still trust them out in the mountains - I'll just be sure to clear a suitable spot to sit down in.


Positive points:

Jacket -

• Good cut and length provides all round protection
• Gore Tex Pro provides great protection and breathabilty
• Helmet compatible hood keeps wind and rain off and the noggin safe
• Part of the Summit Series range, the highest line up of equipment from TNF
• Comes in some seriously vibrant colours!

Trousers -

• The internal gaiter can handle "good" conditions very well, especially hillwalking
• Full length zip allows for easy access
• Gore Tex Pro provides great protection and breathability 
• Front braces keep the pants up and skin covered
• 3 pockets allow for storage of snacks and hands.

Not-so-positive points:

Jacket -

None! I'll keep trying to find a negative but I'm struggling at the moment.

Trousers -

Deep powder beat the internal gaiters.

• Internal gaiters couldn't handle heavy amounts of powder snow, quickly riding up and allowing snow in
• They begun wetting out after intensive use while the jacket continued to shed water
• They let my bum get damp!

Damp bum time!

Thanks for reading my review of the TNF Point Five duo, thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk for providing the products for review. If you'd like to keep up to date with what they're up to then check out their facebook and twitter.

Review: Brunton Hydrogen Reactor Portable Charger

- product provided for the purpose of review, thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk -

Is this product the future of keeping charged while on the move? Is it ready for the wilderness or just a novelty? I couldn't wait to see what this little box could offer...

The reactor giving some much needed oomph to the GoPro.

I've got a few battery packs and solar boxes kicking around and I'm the first to admit that I'm a little bit obsessed with combining the great outdoors with technology. Unfortunately searching for wifi at any opportunity and getting pictures of beautiful landscapes tends to take the power out of any phone, tablet or camera pretty quickly. I was really keen to see if this was just "another" charger offering a drip feed of energy without much to show for it or whether it could actually transfer enough power to jumpstart a phone or camera. 

A quick rundown of what the Brunton Reactor does/offers... there's a small lightweight box (shown above) which you screw a hydrogen fuel cell into, then by the power of magic you can plug a usb cable into the box and it'll put out 5v 2amp! The joys of technology!

Straight out the box the Reactor is simple to use, I quickly hooked up my phone to see how quickly it would charge it compared to my solar battery pack which does about 1% every 20 minutes while the Reactor put 1% into my phone (in airplane mode) in 2 minutes. A few things to note when using the charger: it must be sat down on a flat surface for maximum efficiency, it needs to be in the open air as every now and then there's a burst of water vapour which makes a cute noise and it's probably best to keep it out of the sun as it warms up while charging and any extra heat could cause a malfunction.

One of the main benefits of the Reactor over other battery alternatives is the lack of lost charge, when using other sources of power they can deminish whereas the Reactor's full cells will maintain their power through all weather and conditions.

Unfortunately, while the Reactor does put out a decent charge and works brilliantly I'm still quite cyncical about this technology. £120 for the charger then £11.50 for 2 replacement cores thereafter seems extreme when battery packs and solar charges are coming down in price and going up in efficiency. Brunton are trying to push out and get charging stations into stores, unfortunately the uptake is slow so this isn't an option for the masses just yet.

The green side of the argument of course is that it's only producing water vapour, after you look into the production of hydrogen though you discover that it's not a particurly green thing to produce! I think this technology will be the future of charging whilst on the go. A small hydrogen reactor which can put out far greater energy at the same weight and cost will definitely have a market but with the current generation of Reactor I think it's more of a safety blanket than a must-have for every walker or hiker. 

Positive points:

• A quick charger
• Power doesn't deminish in the cold or hot
• A conversation starter - if used among a group it could be a good starter for getting people to think about the environment and alternative sources of power.
• A great emergency tool for group use

Not-so-positive points:

• Expensive, not only for the charger itself but for the cells after.
• Heavy fuel cells 
• Not so green when you take the production of hydrogen into account
• Quite bulky (total weight of 2 cells and charger is 365g)
• No where to recharge fuel cells
• Early stages of the technology for consumers
• A lack of clear and readable information anywhere. The box, website and third party sites all display slightly different variations of output and total capacity.

In summary, it's a great idea - one that does work. Unfortunately there's a whole heap of drawbacks when it comes to using this product in the real world, for now, I'd stick with the battery pack for value and output if you can find one which matches 5v 2 amp. Remember, this is the early stages of this type of product for consumers - over the next few years I can see this style of charger growing and becoming more of the norm for backpackers and hikers.

Many thanks for reading my review, thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk for the providing the Reactor. If you'd like to keep up to date with what they're up to then check their facebook and twitter.

Review: Lowe Alpine Talon Gloves

- product provided for the purpose of review -

Here's my review of the Lowe Alpine Talon Gloves, no Gore Tex here, just L.A's own fabric: Triple Point.

Manufacturer's Description: "A tough, mountain glove"

From the web: These gloves look good but I've never tried out L.A's Triple Point material before so I'm interested in seeing how it compares to the big daddy of materials, Gore Tex. These gloves feature a nose wiper though so I've got high hopes!

First impressions: these gloves feels well made, they're not lightweight but tough and sturdy, a good start straight away. A good fit with the insulation helping the gloves wrap around my hand. there's a real stiffness to these gloves, this can make rope work and fiddly bits a real pain when out and about so I'm interested to see if they become any softer. 

Out and about: My test for these gloves was 4 days in the Scottish mountains on a winter skills course. These conditions were perfect for the Talon Gloves: high winds, deep powder snow, sideways rain and heavy snow along with sleet. We covered rope work, ice axe arrests and plenty of other skills on the course and I'm proud to say these gloves were truly tested. 

The Triple Point fabric held its own against the weather, at no point were my hands damp or wet from rain or snow. There were times when we were breaking trail through heavy powder snow that a damp feeling crept through, this was after many plunges of my hand and no gloves can put up with that level of moisture for any amount of time so I was impressed with how long the Talon lasted before it gave in. 

The warmth of the gloves was welcome after swapping from my thin wind proof ones, my fingers had already begun cooling when they were exposed to the wind chill and snow, after getting the Talon Gloves on my hands they quickly warmed up and the smile returned to my face! 

The stiffness of the gloves was nice when handling the ice axe but was an annoyance when trying to adjust my helmet and do some rope work meaning I had to remove the gloves to do any fiddly tasks. I guess this is one of the prices to pay when it comes to warmth and waterproofness. 

Overall I was really impressed with how well the Talon Gloves handled the wet conditions with some heavy winds (55mph+), they were tough and strong, keeping me confident in them out in the mountains.

That's how you put a pair of gloves under pressure!

 Thanks for reading. A massive thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk for providing the gloves for review, if you'd like to keep up to date with what they're up to then check their facebook and twitter.

Review: Merrell Moab GTX Shoes

- Product provided for the purpose of review, thanks to outdoorkit.co.uk - 

I was lucky enough to receive the shoes just before heading off to the West Coast of Scotland for some chill time and walking, they were lived in for the duration of my visit and I think slept in at one point! Here's my review of the Merrell Moab GTX shoes, I hope you enjoy!

Manufacturer's description: "Be prepared for any adventure with the Moab GTX hiking shoes from Merrell. In this newest style of the Moab hiking shoe, the addition of Aegis antimicrobial-treated Gore-Tex lining add a new level of cloudburst protection and comfort. Whether stomping through mountain streams, traipsing through morning dew or caught in a downpour, these Gore-Tex hiking boots will keep you warm and dry on any trail, no matter what Mother Nature's up to."

First impressions:

Waterproof hiking shoes - a great idea but one that doesn't tend to live up to expectation. There's something about the safety of a boot which a shoe will never provide, 4 inches between my dry sock and that wet puddle is not enough to ease one's moisture paranoia but after having a nose around the shoe I was up for seeing how well it could handle the Scottish countryside. Two big brands and well tested technologies back up the Merrell construction; Vibram and Gore-Tex, both are great with footwear so my thoughts turned to the manufacture process, the quality testing and the overall design of the shoe.

The Moab uses a pretty standard outdoor shoe "setup": Dura leather, synthetic leather, solid lace, GTX lining and Vibram sole. Tried and tested or old and faded? The shoes appearance is standard, nothing fancy here but it'd be nice to see some manufacturers going out and mixing it up a little bit!

Anyway, a few positives... A great fit out of the box, really good level of comfort and the lace positioning is spot on - it really brings the shoe in and makes my foot feel secure. Good grip from the sole too.

Out and about:

Comfortable on tarmac, grippy on muddy trails and a joy to wear over rough and steep ground. I've been really impressed with how well the shoes have handled a mix of terrain, they are versatile and great to walk in.

The Moab GTX shoes eating up the mud.

Perhaps a drawback is their level of initial comfort, by being quite soft out the box they run the risk of being an easily broken shoe - this is something that's hard to review, the longevity of a product, even in our well regulated industry can vary from batch to batch. Only time will tell.

Positive points:

• Great comfort straight out of the box
• A brilliant lacing system
• Trusted Vibram sole 
• Reasonable pricing

 Not-so-positive points:

• A very soft feel to shoe suggests that they may last as long as other "tougher" shoes.

 Thanks for reading, I'd like to thank outdoorkit.co.uk for the opportunity to review the Merrell Moab GTX shoes. If you'd like to keep up to date with what they're up to then check their facebook or twitter.