Hard shell waterproof jacket

Spring Onion

Hi,

I need to replace my old hard shell waterproof jacket. Any recommendations out there? I will be using it for hill-walking etc.

Lex Luthor

i just got a Stormtech E-2 Ascent hard shell..15,000 mm waterproof and 15,000 breathable. have tested it in our fairly wet and windy weather last few weeks and its stood up very well

The Dagda

Lex Luthor wrote: »

i just got a Stormtech E-2 Ascent hard shell..15,000 mm waterproof and 15,000 breathable. have tested it in our fairly wet and windy weather last few weeks and its stood up very well

On the Stormtech website the headline rating for the jacket you mention is 15000/15000 but when you read the details the actual figures are a minimum of 5000/5000, both of which are at the bottom of the scale for outdoor jackets.

For comparison Gore Tex and Event Shells would be around 30000/25000.

For the money Stormtech Jackets seem to be, they don't seem like very good value.

Lex Luthor

The Dagda wrote: »

On the Stormtech website the headline rating for the jacket you mention is 15000/15000 but when you read the details the actual figures are a minimum of 5000/5000, both of which are at the bottom of the scale for outdoor jackets.

For comparison Gore Tex and Event Shells would be around 30000/25000.

For the money Stormtech Jackets seem to be, they don't seem like very good value.

my guess is that is a typo about the min rating. its definitely 15,000 rated on the label and the stormtech catalog i have. also didnt pay what is quoted on that website but got it 25% cheaper

i priced goretex and Event but well over twice if not 3 times i paid. i also didnt need goretex as it wasnt for high activity so the stormtech rating and price suited for what i needed

hmmm

If you're just doing hillwalking in Ireland & the UK I like the Berghaus Cornice. I particularly like the full length which you don't get on most jackets which are more suited to nice dry climates. You'll sometimes see this on sale at great prices.

The Dagda

Lex Luthor wrote: »

my guess is that is a typo about the min rating. its definitely 15,000 rated on the label and the stormtech catalog i have. also didnt pay what is quoted on that website but got it 25% cheaper

i priced goretex and Event but well over twice if not 3 times i paid. i also didnt need goretex as it wasnt for high activity so the stormtech rating and price suited for what i needed

I doubt it's a typo as it's repeated several times on the website and included in their graphic for all their technologies, see below.

My guess is that the 15000/15000 is an aspirational figure for them but the material has only been tested to provide 5000/5000.

The Goretex and Event at 2 or 3 times the price is still good value if they are 4-6 times better, and there's even Regatta fabrics with better performance for much less money.

I'm only posting this so people know that Stormtech may be misrepresenting their products.

brownian

Patagonia on Wicklow Street (or is Exchequer Street by then?) have a decent range of jackets in at the moment, in the 100-160 euro range. They're all H2No, Patagonia's own-brand waterproofing, and all have the 'if it leaks, ever, we'll replace it' guarantee. I've called in that guarantee in the past, and been happy with the service.

Last week I bought one of their Troposphere (IIRC) jackets, a pretty hefty hard-shell with great pockets and hood. 165 euro, I think. Took it onto Lug last Sunday (snow, rain, fog...all round good times). The jacket is very solid, but you do sweat quite a bit (even with the pit zips open). I wore just an icebreaker underneath, but 15 mins of steep uphill and I'm pretty damp, even in the 5-10 degrees of Sunday. Sweatier than my other jacket, an OMM Kamleika Smock...which sadly isn't as waterproof as I'd like on a really ugly day.

So - Patagonia option - good jacket design, not as breathable as it might be, decently waterproof, excellent guarantee, local shop.

Lex Luthor

The Dagda wrote: »

I doubt it's a typo as it's repeated several times on the website and included in their graphic for all their technologies, see below.

My guess is that the 15000/15000 is an aspirational figure for them but the material has only been tested to provide 5000/5000.

The Goretex and Event at 2 or 3 times the price is still good value if they are 4-6 times better, and there's even Regatta fabrics with better performance for much less money.

I'm only posting this so people know that Stormtech may be misrepresenting their products.

I guess the H2Xtreme material has this min rating, but the jacket I have is rated to 15,000

They have other jackets in their range with H2Xtreme and different ratings

I've wore this jacket out over the last few weekends in the harsh wet and winds and it has stood up

I've also played some astro football with it and gone jogging. My 5000 rated trousers dont breath half as well as it and it really does breath well especially when you need it has the pit zips aswell

I'm no way affiliated with Stormtech, just recommending a really good jacket for a good price imho