Gear

Hello, i'm new here.

I'm looking for a new jacket to replace my worn out Karrimor and am pretty keen on The North Face stuff.

Anyway, i've got a good idea of the style of jacket that i'm after - one that i can use for loads of different things: walking, trekking, skiing, boarding etc...

Only thing i'm not sure about is wether i get a Gore-Tex or a HyVent jacket. What are the benefits and downfalls of each material? I know Gore-Tex is tried and tested, but why should i go for HyVent over Gore?

Thanks for any help.

They both offer reasonable breathability, gore is slightly more breathable but you pay a premium for the name too. Basically both will do the job fine and your main consideration is how much you want to spend.

I agree that Goretex might be more breathable, but (in my humble opinion) not always worth the extra outlay. If you want a snowsports jacket that you also use for walking/scrambling, why not try TNF Varius Guide, which is a HyVent jacket. I've had mine for about five years and used it not only in the worst of the Scottish winter weather, but also in the Dolomites, the Alps, New Zealand etc, and it's been fine. They are very waterproof and, although they might not be as breathable as Goretex, are very rugged. I've scraped mine down rocks and stuff many times and it hasn't even made a mark. Handy if you were skiing/boarding I would have thought.

I've got about £200 to spend. Had been looking at the Varius Guide on the TNF website along with the Recon, Alcyon and Mountain Guide jacket.

So much to choose from and all at almost the same price points.

I'd go with the hyvent. I bought a jacket made of a mix of goretex paclite and xcr for £200. In my experience it is no more breathable or waterproof than my £50 berghaus aquafoil jacket. I think its better to go for fit, features and whether you like the look of it. A lot of money has been spent convincing people that they will be compromised in some way if you don't use gore tex. This is simply not the case.

I would advise going for a quality jacket in manufacturers own fabric and spending what you save on a good soft shell jacket which you'll probably use all the time. I do a fair bit of walking and I rarely find the need to suit up in full waterproofs.

The outdoor shop (see link on left of page) have the tnf varius guide for £119 in medium. They always have very good prices and are very good to deal with.

I find North Face jackets often lack the practical features you would expect on such a jacket, like a proper sized hood with wired peak. Some North Face hoods are useless, the Universal Infusion particularly

Dude if your spending 200 quid I would highly seriously consider Rabs Event . This material is the best and is very light weight.
Check out Rabs Latok extreme jacket.
You can borrow a full set of Event waterproofs from Rab for 48 hours for free.
I have the Latok Extreme jacket and a pair of Latok Extreme salopettes. The movement and flexabilty of these garments is second to none.
But you need to remember none of these waterproof breathable jackets perform well when the weathers warm.

peace

Varius Guide is a better bet than the Alcyon and Recon as the latter are both insulated (I believe?). The price difference between TNFs Gore and Hyvent jackets is not really justifyable if im honest within the price range you're looking at so really it's essentially down to whichever feels better when you try them on. Both the Varius Guide and Mountain Guide jackets are fine for your use.

The Rab jackets are perhaps not as suitable for you as they lack a snow skirt, plus they are very lightweight and I reckon skiing just wouldnt work with them. On the other hand, the TNF jackets are not the best walking jackets in the world, but are good for all round use.

I just flogged a TNF HyVent jacket. It was utterly crap for me as I run hot. A bin bag would have been just as good.
My Montane Superfly eVent jacket is far superior in all respects; careful shopping could get you one for £125.

does anyone used Hyvent manufactures in mountaineering or not? Sking and Boarding are different than mountaineering situation, I wonder Hyvent would be fine in longterm mountaineering such as extreme winter situation or expeditions in hymalia or not.