Whsat do you think and how much would you be prepared to pay for an N2S top? So far it's good, but very expensive - a MHW Transition tee is around 90 quid. Too much for a base layer? What do you think?
Don't worry Joan - that's just Jon for you. It's apparently not compulsory when wearing a N2S garment.
On the question of price, I guess the question is does it perform the function of a £30 base layer and a £50 windproof all in one? OTOH, I suspect most people who'd consider buying one of these (I include myself in that group - particularly the cycling top sounds ideal for certain conditions) already own a windproof top and some baselayers. I'd say it has to come in under £100 (important psychological point there), but they probably need to market it as a specialist product, rather than a baselayer. In the end, I'm sure like all expensive outdoor products, most will be bought by Londoners to wear around town :-).
As mainly la walker. I think that it'd be good for long distances, as to reduce overall weight.
However it's probably not going to take off, in terms of day hikes just yet. I appreciate that it's probably cheaper than many people would pay for their base layer, and windproof layer together, but it's going to be thought of as a base layer for a long time. It will take off, just not yet!
Personally I won't be getting one. I'm not to sure about the insulating properties, of one thin t-shirt stylee item of clothing.
I don't think that Transition (N2s) is for everyone. It's really aimed at people who move fast in the Mountains and tend to stop/start in activity (most pursuits when you think about it). Transition works much better in chilly conditions, in hot/warm conditions you're better off with a Wicking T shirt.
Jon is correct, the new Mountain Hardwear version of Transition is available this winter. It's different to the first generation that Jon tested in a number of ways:
1. The face is exceptionally durable 2. Transition now has 4 way stretch 3. The inner fabric is 100% polyester (dryer)
At £100 it's not cheap but it does perform the function of a number of layers in one.
1. I found Transition worked really well as a standard base layer in Scotland last winter. It doesn't 'feel' like it ought to, but it does. I surmise that the new version will be similar to what I was using in Germany, in which case it wicks even better from the skin.
2. It was very warm in Bavaria last week, I'd have been sweating in a standard base layer or wicking tee shirt, so no great surprise that I got hot in N2S. The fountain was maybe a bit of an exageration though, more like a gentle stream perhaps.
The problem with combining the layers like this is that you can not remove one when you need to. But the cycling option may be the way to go I would like one for that.
I was using N2S in windy, damp conditions in the Peak at the weekend, for mountain biking, and it was ideal. The only real weakness for me, is that it has no real thermal value, so if you stop and hang around - which tends to happen on group rides - you start to get chilly, but if you keep moving, it's excellent.
I'll bear that in mind. I'm thinking about getting into cross-training: running, hiking (already do), cycling, climbing, maybe caving/potholing (no doubt someone will correct me), and anything else which takes y fancy. It might be just the job. Oh and as I'll be going solo, I won't have to wait around for everyone else, but I will probably be stopping a lot!
Andrew, if you've never caved then go and do a bit, it's great, very beautiful in a cold, dark, muddy, constricted, head bumping sort of way. but this is one activity not to do solo. When you're in a big system as a group and you're 'temporarily unable to state your exact location' it's a bit scary, on your own would be something else. theres plenty of activity centres around the country offering taster days or weekends, all kit included. these trips usually go down the easier caves, ( theres lots of enourmous passages underground, they're not all tight squeezes) and you get to see lots of formations, then if you like it join a club or get a group of mates together and you're away. I always found it an excellent activity for winter, it doesn't matter if it gets dark early as its always dark underground and it never gets any colder as its about 5 degrees all year round
I have been before, but I am going to get into it all in a heavy, and serious way. All of it. I went with a massive group, + instructor, and we had a great time, but he doesn't know the phrase, "there's no space!" I mean, we had a gap 3'x 3'x 6', and I would reasonably say fit 6 or 7 maximum in it. He wanted to fit all 20 of us, one on top of the other. And he managed it! I agree it is beautiful. I admit that I shouldn't have put that solo bit, as it didn't apply to the caving bit, but the rest of it will be solo. I would only ever do caving as a group activity!
if you can get up to Gaping ghyll on the flank of ingleborough in yorkshire on a bank holiday weekend, the local caving club operate a bosuns chair on a winch to take you down the 300? feet into the main chamber, you can then explore to your hearts content before coming out. I think it's free to go down but about a fiver to come back up! Because they are there all the weekend you can combine activities by going down and camping in the chamber coming up a couple of days later
possibly although the trick is to go down and up during the same public holidays don't go down on the last day of the may day holiday. its along wait till august bank holiday monday
