Mountain Hardwear Transition Windproof Baselayer
Price: Zip T (tested) £110 / Short Sleeve £75 / Pant
£90
Weight: 344g (Large Zip T)
Yes, you read that right, Mountain Hardwear's Transition is a
windproof baselayer designed to be worn next to the skin and
according to MHW 'the traditional concept of layering hasn't just
been redefined, it's been rendered obsolete.' So has it? Er,
maybe...
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Transition Zip-T - also available as a
short-sleeved T and pant
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The fabric's a three-ply affair with a stretchy Gore Winstopper
membrane sandwiched between an inner face, a soft blend of polyester
and nylon claimed to suck moisture off the skin and an outer face
fabric designed to spread and disperse that moisture once it's passed
through the membrane.
The idea is that the garment sits very close to the skin and
creates a warm, humid microclimate. The sleeves have Lycra neck and
cuffs designed to seal in the warmth and create a high difference in
humidity and temperature between inside and outside. The more
pronounced the difference, the better it ought to transport moisture
away from the body.
We've been using Transition regularly for about three weeks now
and we're pretty impressed. Once you've got over the initial
weirdness - seams transplanted from Frankenstein's monster and a
certain amount of struggling to disrobe when it's damp - the stuff is
comfortable and, up to a point, it works.
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Deep zip aids ventilation when
going gets hot
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First time out we were slightly disappointed, but it was
relatively warm and the fabric simply couldn't cope with the amount
of moisture being pumped out, and even with the deep neck zip fully
open, we got that familiar clammy windproof feeling. Then we tried
the same run with just a wicking top - same result.
As the weather got colder, Transition worked better. In cold,
blowy conditions, when you're moving fast, it's superb, keeping off
the wind chill and breathing effectively, better, we'd say than a
baselayer / windproof combi. It's also good in light to moderate
rain, pumping out the moisture as fast as it comes in, with the
result that you stay comfortable. In really heavy rain you need a
light waterproof or highly water-resistant shell. Crucially, we
didn't notice any difference in breathability between Transition and
a standard base-layer when worn under a breathable, waterproof
shell.
As well as running and mountain biking, I can see it being
excellent for hard, fast walk-ins in cold conditions where you're
consistently on the move. There are drawbacks: Transition isn't a
fantastic thermal insulator so you cool down quickly if you stop
moving, plus while it may be versatile across cold temperatures,
there are definite limits when it's warm despite the big zip. I
wouldn't, for example, want to wear it for sunny glacier travel and
if you expect hot conditions, a base-layer plus windproof shell will
be more versatile at the warmer end of the spectrum.
Then there's the price. Transition's not exactly cheap, though it
looks more reasonable if you compare it with a base-layer plus
windshell. It's in the shops from November.
Update Okay, just back from a Bleaklow slog wearing
Transition in wet and windy conditions and with some qualifications
on my earlier assessment. First, the stuff's great when you're
motoring and churning out the heat - running, mountain biking,
walking uphill fast. For more general use, it's compromised as the
temperature / humidity gradient isn't great enough. When the outside
gets wet, your skin does stay dry, but you don't get a lot of warmth
from the garment when just walking on the flat.
It would be improved for general use by the addition of an
adjustable seal at neck and cuffs. At the moment, the wind is free to
blow down your neck, if it's not of regulation size. I'd also like to
see a close fitting, integral hood insulating the neck and head when
in cold and windy conditions.
Finally, in the wet, while you stay dry in the rain, the outer
surface is wet. Not a great thing if you want to layer up with, say,
a fleece over the top, which'll then get damp from the inside. For
all these reasons, we'd say keep Transition for fast, continuous hard
working activities and don't stop moving.
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Verdict: So far we're fairly
impressed. There are limitations when the going gets hot,
but on cooler days it's fit and forget time. It's
comfortable to wear, effective in keeping you dry, kicks the
wind in the goolies and is becoming our number one choice
for all weather running and mountain biking. Needs some
tweaking to improve the wrist and neck seals and isn't so
good for more general use where you're not churning out the
heat to keep it working effectively. Stick to high heat
output, continuous activities and it's good stuff though.
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Performance
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Value
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The
Mountain Hardwear web site awaits...
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Pushed for time: A
windproof baselayer no less which is worn close fitting next
to the skin, works fantastically in cool conditions taking
the place of a baselayer, windproof and, sometimes, a
waterproof too - though you need to keep moving to stay
warm. Not so good when it's hot ,since the temperature /
humidity difference between the inside and outside is
reduced. Quite expensive, though less so if you think of it
as a baselayer and windproof in one. To be
continued...
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