Ultra-light jackets that offer expedition-grade protection for wilderness emergencies
By Jonathan Hanson
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| Clay Ellis |
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PITY THE POOR fur-bearing mammals that can't simply fling off their coats on a sunny day; we clever, largely hairless humans have weatherproof shells and fleece that we can don and doff with every spike and dip of the thermometer. And thanks to the wonders of fossil fuel–based fabrics and free enterprise, the shell—our outermost layer
and our emergency protection against wind, rain, and cold—continues to undergo rapid speciation with an evolutionary trend toward light weight and versatility.
To gauge a shell's performance, weight, and price, look to the fabric and to its weather barrier—either a chemical treatment or a laminate that makes a garment waterproof and breathable. For jogging or biking on chilly mornings under the threat of a light drizzle (with a hot shower an hour away), you can get by with an ultralight, single-layer
nylon or polyester shell coated with a Teflon water repellent, which offers maximum breathability, reasonable water resistance and stuffs into the smallest fanny pack. If the forecast is for steady rain, step up to a fabric that incorporates a microporous polyurethane coating like those used by Marmot or Jagged Edge. And if you need serious protection for
wilderness forays, the top-performing breathable wind-and-rain barrier is still a PTFE (that's polytetrafluroethylene) laminate such as Gore-Tex. Buy the two-layer configuration (shell material with laminate underneath) for light weight and easy stuffing, or the three-layer version (shell and laminate, plus a polyester inner layer) for ultimate durability.
Herewith, our picks of some shells that provide just the right climate control, and then get out of your way.
INSIDE:
• Lights that work in the woods
• A sleeping bag that's a real snooze
• A major new biography of George Mallory
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