Mountain Equipment 2005 Kit Unveiled

A couple of weeks ago we promised faithfully to tell you what was in the pipeline from Mountain Equipment for next spring / summer, that's the kit that'll be in the outdoors shops from around February last year - February obviously being the start of the bikini season in the world of outdoor retailing...

The big news, which we've already told you about is a full range of UK-specific tents - here it is if you've missed it - but there are also changes to the clothing and pack range for next spring. And blimey, here they are....

The very successful Paclite Firefly - one of the few Gore-Tex Paclite jackets with a longer, all mountain sort of cut - gets a bride in the form of the Women's Firelite Jacket, which is essentially a women's specific version of the Firefly.

Retailing at £150 and weighing just 320 grammes (claimed), the jacket gets ME's excellent hood with stiffened and wired peak, and a refined women's cut plus loses the chest pocket for obvious reasons. Of course it also comes in nicer girlie colours.

Also in the Paclite range, there's a new half-zip Paclite Pant at £100 as an alternative to the existing full-length zip version.

The new Equilibrium windshell is a simple lightweight windproof top with a half zip that weighs in at a mere 100 grammes or so and comes in both men's and women's variants. The fabric is Pertex's new Microlight with Shield water-repellant technology, which is also being used by Montane.

The Shield treatment is claimed to not only increase resistance to water, but also to up abrasion resistance and without compromising breathability. You get a microfleece lined chin and collar and adjustable hem too, which should make for an effective stow and forget till needed garment.

Also new for the lasses is a modified Women's Microtherm Jacket which incorporates some neat changes which go right across the Microtherm range. You still get full wind protection, but the outer shell is the same Pertex Microlight as used on the Equilibrium.

The fleece liner has also changed. It now uses a distinctive grid-patterned fabric to reduce weight while still maintaining insulation so next year's Microtherm jacket weighs in at 480 grammes compared to around 540 grammes this year. Definitely a good thing then.

Obviously the women's versions feature the expected nice, girly colours while the men make do with 'Sludge Grey', 'Vibrant Charcoal' and 'Electric Khaki', not really, but you get the idea.

We liked these Women's Freestyle Pants mainly because they actually look like someone might want to wear them with trendy, funky, contrasting-coloured Stretchlite fabric inserts down the outside of the legs upping both useability and aesthetics in one hit. Erm, actually they look much nicer in the flesh, the pic doesn't really do them justice, so you'll ahve to trust us on this one, okay?

Men's versions available in Storm, Airforce, Khaki and Ivory :-)

Lots of work here, ME has been testing its bags to a Euro standard, the snappily titled EN13537:2002. It's not compulsory, but it should mean that the temperature ratings and spreads on ME bags are as accurate as possible and comparable with other bags using the same standard tests.

The labels will show three temperatures, a Comfort Temperature which is the lowest comfortable temperature advised lying normally in a relaxed way on your back. A Limit Temperature which is the lowest comfortable temperature with a rolled-up body posture. And finally Extreme Temperature which is the point where the risk of health damage by hypothermia begins related to a standard woman in standard conditions of use.

New to the range are a set of Helium Bags essentially the old Classic bags but with a new, lighter Pertex Quantum outer so you should get the same performance but with reduced weight, which is nice. The Firewalker range is updated with three shorter women's specific Firebird variants, which also get a double insulated foot. There's obviously something about women's feet that ME's designers know, but we don't...

Last but not least, there's a new gizzmo called the Hotfoot. It's a battery-powered heated fleece sleeping bag foot heater that velcroes into ME sleeping bags, runs on 4 AA-size batteries and should give two to three hours of total operation.

The idea is to run them for about 20 minutes before you go to bed to pre-heat the toe area of the bag and there's no reason why you shouldn't also use them, say, in a jacket, or on other crucial, fast-chilling extremities. Price will be about £30 making the Hotfoot an ideal stocking filler in more ways than one...

Most of the current range of packs carries on, but there's a new Vector 35-litre pack aimed primarily at ski tourers, but also suitable for walking and climbing. It gets classic big zip opening access, a big external pocket for stashing kit quickly and, unusually both external and internal ice axe loops. Side compression straps allow easy rope, ski and baguette storage. Price is £70.

Also new are two new versions of the existing Speed pack for fast movers in 25-litre and 15-litre sizes to complements the existing 20-litre version. Finally, all the packs get slightly thicker padding on shoulder straps for added comfort.

For more information about the current Mountain Equipment range and for stockist details etc see www.mountain-equipment.co.uk