We're just back with an audience with the guys from Macpac in New
Zealand. Well, we say New Zealand, but it was actually New Zealand
House. Anyway, we spent a convivial hour or so getting a guided tour
of Macpac's clothing developments for next year...
Clothing? Yes, we did say clothing. Although the hardcore kiwis
are probably best known for their bombproof packs and tents in the
UK, they also have a full range of technical wear that's available in
the UK right now.
We've been using the technical Prophet Gore-Tex XCR shell jacket,
the Powerstretch Stealth soft shell and Mission pant already this
winter and we're highly impressed. In keeping with their 'Real
People, Hard Places' slogan come mission statement, the company's
produced technical wear that's cut to fit closely and efficiently and
perform.
That's bad news for bloaters, but a breath of fresh air for anyone
looking for close-fitting technical kit. The only other brand we know
that's similarly styled for race whippets is Arc'Teryx and we all
know how much that costs...
Anyway, here's a quick look at what's new for next year as well as
some of what's around at the moment...
Interwool
Macpac's 'big story' for 2004 is something called 'Interwool'.
It's a full range of technical baselayer wear and being from New
Zealand, it's based around Merino wool. Merino is a very fine-fibred
wool which is great for temperature control, doesn't smell bad and is
extremely comfortable against the skin too.
Unfortunately
Merino's not that durable and being wool, dries slowly, so Macpac
have upped its versatility by using a combination knit with Merino
against the skin and an outer layer of conventional polyester
baselayer fabric which helps to dissipate fluid and is harder wearing
to boot.
There are tees, leggings, crews, zip-necks and even boxers in
different colours - light shades for hot weather - and both light and
mid-weight versions. The Mid version incorporates Lycra for a closer
fit and seams are cunningly twisted and displaced to minimise any
chafing with packs and harnesses. Looks good and available late
summer, though we have some to try right now.
Our experiences with Odlo's new similarly built baselayers suggest
that it should be worth waiting for.
Prophet Updated
Macpac's premier technical shell is called the Prophet. It has a
really neat tapered cut, which we like a lot, together with a
pronounced drop tail that works well with a harness, a brilliant hood
with a stretch panel at the base which optimises it for use with or
without a helmet plus stretch panels behind the shoulders for
improved reach.
Macpac also tell us that they adopted the Extremadura version of
XCR after the prototype XCR fabric they used was comprehensively
trashed by New Zealand ski patrollers in a matter of weeks. The end
result feels reassuringly tough and fits quite beautifully, which,
for £300, it should.
The updates for 2004 include newly angled chest pockets with
water-resistant zips, a new altimeter pocket on the sleeve and a
stretch XCR cuff closure that really grips well. Looks like they've
improved an already excellent jacket.
New 100-quid Lightweight Shell
If
you're after a technical lightweight shell with a great cut at a
decent price - maybe to team with a soft shell top - then the Zone
looks to be right in the ball park. Weighing in at just 320 grammes
it uses Macpac's own Reflex 2.5 fabric and shares the Prophet's
form-hugging, technical cut.
You get a full alpine hood to accommodate a climbing helmet and
all the de rigeur technical features like water-resistant zips for
both the main closure and the chest pocket, plus articulated sleeves
and a laminated chin flap and hood peak. The main zip is also offset
to reduce bulk at the neck.
The use of glueing technology to attach zips makes for lower bulk
in those areas, plus a small reduction in weight. A definite
contender in the lightweight shell market we reckon and at a decent
price.
Insulation Elation...
Also brand new is an insulation piece called the Mercury. It's a
synthetically-insulated, Primaloft-filled jacket that should perform
well in damp conditions - think NZ or Scotland - as is, but the
cherry on the icing is that it has a Gore Dryloft outer.
The Dryloft is highly water resistant and, with the cunning
placement of seams and the use of Primaloft, should make for a great
fast-drying, damp weather insulation jacket.
Price, when it's available late next summer, will be around
£130 and the claimed weight is 500 grammes, which puts it in
mid-weight fleece territory.
There are a few other tweaks too. The very neat £160 Stealth
soft shell Jacket, which uses Polartec's near windproof Powershield
fabric, gets some minor cosmetic changes with the big mesh chest
pocket from this year's version being replaced by neater-looking
conventional twin chest pockets.
Plus the less technical Nemesis which combines three different
fabrics for an allround mountain jacket - Powershield, Windpro and
Stretch Ripstop PTFE if you were wondering - is re-styled with new
handwarmer pockets. Looks very neat.
Thanks
To the Macpac guys, including Bruce, who started the company, for
flying all the way from New Zealand just to talk to us and sample
British beer... For more information on the kiwi company, see their
web site.
