Keanu Inspires Hybrid Mountain Equipment Shell...

While Lowe Alpine's approach to a lightweight alpine shell jacket has been to produce a three-ply XCR top that weighs less than some Paclite equivalents, Mountain Equipment has taken a slightly different approach to the problem.

The new Matrix Jacket - also available for lasses as the Trinity - weighs almost exactly the same as the new Lowe Alpine jacket, but combines the highly breathable lightweight Paclite fabric with panels of harder-wearing XCR material in potentially high wear areas.

That means you get the increased breathability of Paclite, but shoulders, forearms and lower back etc, should be tough enough to take mountaineering abuse, a worry for some users with a 100 per-cent Paclite jacket.

ME has also used the Microtape pioneered by Arc'Teryx to reduce weight slightly and up the breathable area of the jacket by up to an A3 sheet of paper equivalent. You also get venting pockets, an external map pocket and the excellent Stealth hood which has been redesigned this season with hidden one pull adjusters and a stiffened peak.

Weight is just 474 grammes, around 80 grammes more than the Paclite Firefly, but the promise is the best of both worlds, so lightness, breathability and added toughness, though obviously, the non-XCR panels will still be less strong. Price is £200 and there are also matching Matrix Salopettes again with XCR reinforcement which look excellent.

More Mountain Equipment information from www.mountain-equipment.co.uk. More scoop ME gear news coming soon.