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Mountain Hardwear Compressor PL
Jacket tested
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Price:
£100.00
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Weight: 383 grammes
(medium)
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Features:
Primaloft inulated jacket, Superlight, mini grid ripstop
lining and face fabric, one-handed, adjustable neck cinch,
laminated cuff tabs with Velcro closure, one-handed hem
drawcord, micro-chamois lined chin, fleece-lined handwarmer
pockets, interior zip pocket. Also available as women's
version.
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Light, compact, warm, windproof..
Snug fit, needs stuff pocket
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The Concept Small, light, warm and windproof portable
insulation. The Primaloft filling is arguably the best we've found
when it comes to dealing with damp conditions. Overall you're looking
at a windproof jacket with roughly the same warmth as a 200-weight
fleece but with the weight of a 100-weight equivalent.
Features The Compressor may be light and compact, but MHW
hasn't skimped on its specification - the collar has a soft chin
liner and the twin handwarmer pockets get a snug microfleece lining
for those chilly pinky moments. Cuffs, hem and neck are all
adjustable, mostly with one hand, and there's even a n internal
zipped pocket for you valuables.
Like we said, the filling is Primaloft and shell and liner are a
very fine micro-rip stop nylon.
In Action We're firm converts to the Primaloft cause and have
been using a TNF Optimus Redpoint as throw-over insulation during the
autumn winter season - Primaloft's resistance to water makes it
practical to chuck it over wet shell jackets without worry. The
Compressor is lighter and more compact, but it's cut snugger, so if
you want to use it as a lightweight belay jacket, you'll need to go
up a size.
As a result, we've been employing the jacket mostly as a fleece
substitute. It packs down nice and small - though a stuff pocket
would be a nice touch - and is about the same size as, oh, three
average paperback books, so nice and portable.
We reckon its about as warm as a medium-weight fleece, but
significantly lighter at under 400 grammes. It also scores big bonus
points by being windproof and, importantly for the UK, very water
resistant. Primaloft seems to shrug off all but really heavy rain and
even when it's damp, keeps most of its insulation value. Certainly a
lot more than down, which collapses into a soggy mess when damp. That
robustness means you don't need to worry about getting it wet and
thanks to the windproofing, can use it happily in blowy, drizzly
conditions.
It's also a lot more breathable than you might think, which means
you can still wear it for active use. We liked the details too. The
fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and chin-guard add a dash of luxury
to a cold evening and it's handy being able to cinch in neck, hems
and cuffs when things get blowy.
Light, compact and resistant to wind and water, the Compressor packs
a decent protection punch for a relatively small weight and size. It
doesn't have the luxurious feel of fleece and is a little less
breathable, but it aces the traditional outdoors insulation layer in
pretty much every other department. Bought snug this is a neat fleece
sunstitute with considerably more versatility when it comes to coping
with weather. In a larger size, it'd make a neat throw-over 'belay
jacket', though it's not quite as warm as the North Face
Redpoint.
It should have a purpose-designed stuff pocket though; we ended up
using the internal chest pocket, but it wasn't ideal. Other than
that, this is eminently useable, lightweight, packable insulation and
the only real downside is the steep price. Tell yourself it's a
windproof as well...
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
Light, compact, very weather-resistant synthetically
filled fleece substitute with good detailing. Think
microfleece weight with midweight insulation. By no means
cheap, but then it's windproof and water resistant
too.
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Know more or want to?
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Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear
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