Your Latest Kit Questions Answered

Q Hi, Which is the better overall purchase, if they were the same price: The Berghaus Mera Peak or the Marmot Spire Jacket? We're going walking in and around Fort William in early November - and so I'm looking to buy a jacket that I could wear there and as a general wintry rain wear too at home and possible whilst doing an activity. (running/cycling) Hope you can help and love the site?

A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Jacket Dilemma' Gear and trust me, life has few conundrums worse than choosing a waterproof jacket - my tongue's firmly in my cheek there, just in case you were wondering. Anyway, I wouldn't limit your choice to just those two jackets, but here are a few observations that may help you decide.

Marmot Spire JacketThe most obvious difference between the two is that the Spire uses a three layer fabric, Gore-Tex Performance Shell, whereas the Mera Peak uses two-ply fabric. That means...
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Q: You don't see as many Pertex / pile tops on the hills these days. Have they become obsolete in light of newer soft shells hitting the market? I have always wanted one but wonder if I'd be better getting a modern soft shell instead. I already own a thin soft shell and am looking for a warmer option for cooler months?

A: Gear here, Richard 'Obsolete' Gear, expert on outdated technologies. In fact the pile / Pertex combination still works extremely well, particularly in cold and damp conditions, like Scottish winter for example.

Montane Extreme SmockThe Pertex outer is windproof, reasonably breathable and, with a DWR treatment, resists water as well. Meanwhile the pile inner provides simple but very effective insulation. Most people believe that the pile bit somehow pumps moisture outwards, in fact the reality is that it simply doesn't hold much water. Wash a pile jacket and you can watch water running out of the bottom of the garment, then heat from your body dries out any remaining moistness.

It's not all good though. The ...
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Q: I've tried the Rohan Pinnacle jacket on - it feels superb - but can't get a definitive & independent answer on their 'Barricade' membrane's waterproofness and breathability compared to Gore-Tex Pro-Shell & Event. Please enlighten me.

A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Breathable and Waterproof' Gear. Rohan is being quite bullish about its new three-ply Barricade waterproof fabric as used on the new Pinnacle Jacket and matching pant, but as you've observed, details of the fabric are hard to come by.

Rohan Pinnacle Jacket zipFirst though, you need to bear in mind that there's a certain amount of controversy over lab tests for moisture vapour permeability, both in how closely they equate to real life use and whether they suit some types of material better than others, so just having a set of ...
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Q: I do a fair bit of trekking with heavy packs. For comfort, I prefer not to wear a shell jacket (either hard or soft). Unfortunately, I have had some durability issues with fleece. Could you please suggest any materials that are comfortable enough to wear as a mid layer yet durable enough to withstand my pack?

A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Mid-Layer' Gear. Pack straps can take a heavy toll on standard fleece mid-layers particularly if the fabric they're made from is particularly abrasive - check some packs out and you'll see this varies a lot between different packs and different brands, it would be great if pack manufacturers started looking at clothing friendly fabrics for their straps.

Montane Dynamo JacketThat said, I can suggest a few options for you. First, you say that you don't want to wear soft shell for comfort and I'm assuming, by that, you primarily mean breathability. However there are some soft shell options out there that are both quite tough and ...
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