The North Face Triumph Anorak - First
Look
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Price:
£130
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Weight: 160 grammes
(medium)
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Features:
Ultra-lightweight waterproof smock using Hyvent DT 2.5L
fabric. Two fabric panel construction, welded seams, 10mm
skinny seam tape, reverse coill zippers, reflective logos,
elastic cuffs, adjustable drawcord hem, adjustable hood with
'peak', single exterior pocket, single reversed zip with
storm flap behind.
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What's It For?
Lightness basically - it's aimed at anyone who wants to cut weight
and bulk to an absolute minimum. That may mean compromises on
durability and some minimalist features, but the end result is a
waterproof top that weighs a measured 160 gramms on the OM electronic
scales. Or in ad speak, 'probably the lightest waterproof top in the
world'.
The Techy Bits
The North Face has done pretty much anything it can to minimise
weight and bulk with the Triumph. That means lightweight, 2.5-layer
Hyvent DT fabric, all welded seams and 10mm skinny tape, all of which
save vital grammage. The company claims it adds up to 50 per-cent
less stitching and taping and also makes a stronger jacket.
Seams? What seams...
They've also used a clever construction technique utilising just
two main panels for the anorak with articulation coming from clever
cutting and seam taping. That cuts the number of seams and again
saves weight. If the idea and indeed the whole concept seems
familiar, that's because it's very, very like the Haglöfs Oz
Pullover.
The Triumph uses just two main panels to save weight and
bulk.
Other weight saving solutions include heat transfer logos, though
the care labels are still old school cloth - in anal minimalist
fashion we cut them out and saved another crucial fraction of a
gramme, though it wasn't enough to show up on the balance...
How It Performs
It's early days yet, but what we can tell you is that the Triumph
really is light. It weighs just 160 grammes on our digital scale and
even though that's some 7 grammes more than claimed, it's still one
of the lightest waterproofs out there undercutting the Haglofs
Oz by ten grammes. The Montane H20 is lighter still around
100 grammes but has no hood and uses a film fabric that's not as
waterproof in lab tests.
We've used the 2.5 layer fabric before in the form of The North
Face's Diad Jacket, so we know it works pretty well, in fact we
prefer it to Paclite, so no problems there, though you should be
aware that it isn't designed for heavy pack use or rock rubbing
activities.
There's no stuffsac supplied , but you can, just about, pack it
into its own single pocket to give a respectably compact bundle about
the size of a large-ish apple.
Fit is pretty decent, not too tight, but not loose and flappy
either on our medium-sized editorial test dummy with enough space for
a microfleece underneath. It's quite short - think mid-crotch length
- which is fine for fast movers, though we'd hav preferred a bit of a
drop tail. The hem cord tightens just the rear of the hem pulling the
front taut, which is good.
We're less impressed with the cuffs which use a very light
elastic, so don't seal particularly well, though on the plus side,
you can roll the sleeves up the elbow for added venting when things
get hot.
2.5-layer fabric and heat transfer labels save weight.
The hood is again quite minimal, as you'd expect with just front
adjustment which is fiddly, especially with cold hands, and a near
useless, floppy mini-peak which does precisely nothing in classic UK
conditions. Then again, the Triumph is all about saving weight and
bulk. The single pocket is a bit gestural as well and sited in quite
a strange position, good for a wallet or a small phone, but it won't
take a map or guidebook if that's a consideration for you.
If the Haglöfs Oz didn't exist, we'd be blown away by the
Triumph, as it is, we're still very impressed. You're saving almost
20 grammes in weight and £35 in price over the Paclite Oz, which
for weight weenies is a fair chunk.
We like the fabric, which is up there with Gore-Tex in the
breathability stakes and feels tougher than Paclite, though some of
the features - cuffs, hood, lack of droptail and pocket - are basic
and not as, well, nicely thought out as with the Haglofs design.
If you're looking for a tiny, ultra-lightweight waterproof to
stuff in a bumbag or pocket just in case, you'll be hard pushed to
find lighter and smaller and that, after all, is what the Triumph is
all about.
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Very light, very packable, good lightweight fabric.
Basic features including a classically floppy North American
hood.
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Know more or want to?
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product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
forum.
ed hyatt
The indoor ice wall at the TNF store in Manchester is open for business with 40 tons of ice just waiting for a good kicking from your expertly wielded crampon points :-)
