 This one clickyAnyone got one and how are they getting on with it. Looking for a heavy duty windshirt for all the but nastiest weather. Anyone seen them going cheap? Saw them for £63 today in GoOutdoors. Seemed a good price thanx
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 Its very very good. I used in Winter and summer with differing base layers.
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cheers Stephen
I've not seen you selling one so you must be happy
;o)
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 Indeed does seem nice. A couple of things to note: 1) the cut is fairly tight and no stretch so be careful with sizing. I had to size up with mine. 2) Equilibrium light seems to be somewhat allergic to the stitched logos on the back panel of my OMM packs. Pills quite nastily and very quickly.(I've had a VR lite do this in precisely the same place so think its the fabric.). Not sure if this is a long term problem or not but it certainly doesn't look pretty. So I'd be a touch catious if your pack has a notably abbrasive back panel. (Not that I blame RAB/the fabric so much! The sewn on logo looks pretty and hasn't caused noticeable problems with anything else I've got but its hardly nessecary now is it?)
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I've got one; it is absolutely splendid as a heavy duty windshirt, easily the best of that ilk I've owned. The high collar is really good, the hood works very well - the external cord stops it flapping effectively and the fabric deals with sweat well. Very pleased with it. Only moan would be that the sleeves are tight especially round the armpits - I can't easily push mine over my elbows with just a base layer underneath. This is a pity, because it would be a great winter windshirt, when you'd want to wear a fleece underneath, but it's tighter than I would want, so check it works for you. A powerstretch type close fitting fleece is just about ok, but I'd like it more if it was less restrictive, so I'm probably going to put a diamond of pertex in at the armpits of mine to make it layer better.
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| Edited: 15/08/10 21:18 |
i tried it on. L was far too tight on my shoulders but XL was much better and surprisingly not like a potato sack with the extra material.
Had same shoulder fit problem with other Rab stuff I bought so I expected it. So far so good.
cheers guys
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Had mine on all day today in the White Peak, sleeves rolled up, with just a base layer underneath. Agree with the various comments as to sizing and need to "go up a size" especially if you use in cooler conditions with a fleece underneath. Got mind from Go Outdoors they seem to offer the best price but only available in the one colour, blue. My view is that Pertex Equlibrium is the best fabric for windproof garments as it is more durable than the lighterweight Pertex fabrics like microlight. If you want a "bargain basement" alternative look at the Nike ACG Rip Pullover. Field and Trek have the 2009 version for £28 and the current version is also available at a discount on the official Nike Website. The fabric used is a ripstop Polyester and it is windproof and reasonably breathable.
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I've got a Montane feathlite and its great but the fit is potato sack style and 5yrs of constant use is starting to show. Plus it got a bit mangled after a luggage carousel tried to eat my bag.
Again L is too tight but XL is quite baggy and flappy in high winds which get annoying after an hour or two... hence wanting a tougher material shirt.
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JustinM - my 'other' favourite windhshirt is a Montane Jetstream, now superceded by the Slipstream. It has a much sleeker cut than the featherlite, and isn't at all flappy, and the zip is good for ventilating - I like it a lot too - great for less heavy duty conditions. Very light, silky, not had any wear problems.
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Actually I can't see why Equilbrium light should be notably more durable than microlight. Its not an awful lot heavier and not as tightly woven so perhaps more prone to pilling and the like. Really nice fabric in a bunch of other ways mind.
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are there any other heavy duty windshrts that you recommend?
but not the paramo fuera. the fit is all wrong for me
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The Buffalo Windshirt is a great, classic piece of kit - one of the originals. See here or here or for more possibilities here. They'll make to measure.
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| Edited: 15/08/10 23:50 |
Well if you 'just' want a tighter fitting thing with the same sort of fabric as the featherlite then there are the Haglofs bits about in a few places - likely on sale in some: Shield pullover/jacket. You do miss the lovely hood off the alpine of course. Very left field but there does seem to be the odd Ascenionist (Pattaguicci) going for half price. (As well as the 'usual' end of season nonsense, there's an Ambleside Pattaguicci price wars of sorts  Mountain Factor has them in the odd size, and the Epicentre seemed to be doing everything half price at the weekend but not obviously doing so on line.). Awfully pricy and heavy for a 'wind' shirt (100ish at half price and ~550g) but at heart its seemingly pretty much a super, ultra deluxe, thick wind shirt Or actually Cioch will do you one made to measure in sundry fabrics (including Paramo's thicker windproof one.). Somewhat amazingly their price isn't even notably high. It'll be fairly heavy as their lightest material is 93g/m2 (~55 for microlight) but that perhaps not crucial. I've got one in renaissance which I had sundry pockets and a hood added too. Absurdly heavy really but very nice for wandering round town.
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| Edited: 16/08/10 11:16 |
As well as a better fit, I think I'll go for a heavier fabric. Pertex microlight is pretty good but would rather have something thicker for the bad weather. My featherlite can still be used in summer.
I like Buffalo products but finding a stockist with them actually in stock is a problem..
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 I would rate it as a really great bit of kit but just make sure you don´t put it in the washing machine as the wire peak on the hood was very badly damaged,The material around the wire peak seemed to shrink and the peak was totally unusable.Took it back to Go Outdoors who exchanged it for brand new one.Will hand wash in future.
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tw thanks for that.
i didn't think about that at all
i'd rather not hand wash.so might discount it now?
anyone got a buffalo curbar shirt?
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 are there any other heavy duty windshrts that you recommend? but not the paramo fuera. the fit is all wrong for me Justin, I'm assuming you mean the "Fuera Peak" windproof. What about the Paramo "Fuera Ascent"? I have one and love it---BUT---I don't own a Fuera Peak so I can't compare. The Ascent is suppose to be cut a little closer than the Peak. Maybe if you try them both on and compare the fit/sizing it'll help. Granted, it's a jacket vs. a smock. It would probably be considered "heavy duty" (390g) when compared to many out there. It really has become one of my "go to " pieces of kit---don't go too many places without it anymore. I've found it to be very durable as well. I wrote a review a while back. Take if for what it's worth but I'll link you to it anyway. Paramo Fuera Ascent Good luck Justin. Dan S.
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 Firstly the hood - I have machine washed mine and not had any dramas. Perhaps you had a faulty one? Or something else in the machine got it? It is OK to machine wash according to the label. Secondly my thoughts/review. Excellent overall. Yes the fitter is leaner than montane and paramo. Great in my eyes as I am tall and thin and it is nice not to have the excess material that others do (montane/paramo) and it suits my build well. I have tried other brands but they did not suit me well. Fitted, proper hood is very good. I like hooded windshirts and my old Needlesports top is showing its years of hard use and I could find no good replacement (my last option was to have been Buffalo but I find the hoods v poor). I was sceptical about the external cords and suspected I would remove them but in fact they work really well. I like the fabric. It feels more like Paramo windshirt material than normal pertex and I prefer the internal feel to traditional smooth pertex. I used it against midges in the warm and found it less sweaty/sticky than normal pertex and certainly better than the standard Buffalo windshirt material which, to me, is particularly'sticky' to the touch. I have just washed it with my Paramo gear and it will be interesting to see how wetproof it is now re-proofed. Good pockets and deep zip top it off for me too.
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