Regular OUTDOORSmagic users will probably be aware that
Gore has introduced two new fabrics for this autumn / winter
in the form of Pro Shell and Performance Shell and now
the cunning folk over at The North Face have used both of them in the
same jacket.
The new Pantheon Jacket is a hybrid of the two new fabrics.
The company describes it as 'bombproof'. Panels of new Pro Shell
fabric with its light, tough woven backer - the layer on the inside
of the material - are used in high wear areas to give abrasion
protection, while elsewhere there are stretch panels in 'key
areas' and Gore-Tex Performance Shell, the successor to Classic Gore-Tex, which still uses the old knitted backer.
Unlike most previous top-end TNF jackets, the Pantheon gets a
fully-adjustable, helmet-compatible, wired hood for better facial
protection, there are also three chest pockets and one arm-mounted
pocket, pit-zips and a wind skirt.
Baz Roberts, TNF-sponsored athlete says, "This jacket is
incredibly tough, giving peace of mind on those gnarly scrambles and
big mountaineering routes making it ideal for expeditions and those
needing the reliability of an extremely durable shell."
To be honest, we're not sure what the point of using both Pro and
Performance Shell is. Pro Shell is lighter and according to Gore,
more breathable and significantly tougher than the cheaper
Performance Shell fabric. We can't see why you wouldn't just use Pro
Shell throughout, unless it was to save money.
But as the Pantheon retails for £290, we're not sure
that's the case. Mind you, the top of the range The North Face
Modulus GTX is a mind-boggling £399.99 so maybe
it's all relative after all.
More details at www.thenorthface.com.
tom van wauwe
