The North Face has won two awards at the recent OutDoor
Tradeshow in Friedrichshafen, Germany with the new Reversible
Mercurial Jacket and the Minibus 23 tent landing prizes for their
innovative technical features.
The new Minibus 23 two-person tent - we're assuming that
mini bus isn't a recognised form of transport in the States, or at
least under that name - was praised for a combination of
straightforward pitching and spacious interior.
Apparently the unusual pole structure created doubts when first
unveiled in concept form, but the doome-like structure gives lots of
useable internal space, with roomy vestibules, but is still just about light enough - at a claimed 2.88kg -
for backpacking use.
The lightweight poles are colour coded to match the fly and inner
for simple set-up helped by 'ball cap clips' on the pole ends,
whatever they are... So in a nutshell, space and portability, which
sounds good to us. Price, once available next spring, will be £350.
The other award winner was the Men's Reversible Mercurial
Jacket which adapts to changes in the weather using what the
company says is a 'revolutionary baffle system'.
Worn black side out, the jacket works like a conventional
insulated performance top, but as temperatures climb - on a glacier
for example - the jacket can be reversed with the aluminium-coated
silver side reflecting approximately 40 per-cent more of the sun's
rays than the black surface.
In addition, the baffles used to trap warm air in normal
insulation mode, open up to allow airflow when the jacket is
reversed. Cunning stuff that could work particularly effective in
alpine terrain where temperatures can vary massively from early
morning starts through glacier descents later in the day. Price will be £250.
Both tent and jacket will be available in spring 2009, so don't
hold your breath. More North Face information at www.thenorthface.com.
