We check out probably the world's lightest Gore-Tex Pro Shell jacket.
Haglofs LIM Ozone Jacket -
Tested
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Price:
£270
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Weight: 346 grammes (men's
medium)
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Features:
Lightweight waterproof shell made from Gore-Tex Pro
Shell three-ply fabric, watertight two-way front zip,
rollable three-way adjustable hood with laminated peak,
offset shoulder and side seams, Gore-Tex micro tape, pattern
cut for minimum number of seams, Gorilla Grip reinforced
shoulders, articulated sleeves with Gorilla Grip seam end
reinforcements, laminated torso pockets with watertight
zippers and built in die cut ventilation, laminated cord
adjustable hem, Velcro adjustable cuffs, hang loop.
Also available as Ozone Q women's version.
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What's It For?
Haglofs' LIM range is about weight saving - the initials stand for
Less Is More - and the Ozone is claimed to be (probably) the lightest
Pro Shell jacket out there. It differs from the ultra-lightweight LIM
Ultimate and the Oz Pullover in using Pro Shell rather than Paclite,
which should give it better durability in exchange for the extra 160
grammes or so of weight.
The helmet-compatible hood makes it climbing and scrambling
friendly, so it should also team well with a softshell for 'pack and
forget' alpine use without any durability worries if you do need to
wear it for extended periods. Think light but still reasonably tough.
The Techy Bits
Check the spec for a long list of neat Haglofs touches many of
them designed to lose weight. As with the award-winning Oz Pullover,
the pattern has been designed to minimise the number of seams, and
those that are there are sealed with weight-busting microtape.
Other neat touches include Gorilla Grip - a sort of tough, PVC-ish
patch with di-cut Haglofs logos cut into it - shoulder reinforcement
(above) for pack strap protection and small patches of the same at
the vulnerable ends of arm seams.
And talking of seams, shoulder and side seams are offset to reduce
abrasion when walking and climbing.
How It Performs
At just under 350 grammes for a medium, the Ozone comes close to
making Paclite redundant. Its main plus, despite the light weight, is
that it should be sigificantly more durable with long term use and
the woven liner, in particular, is very abrasion resistant as well as
sliding nicely over under layers making for a nice, very mobile,
comfortable feel.
The cut is classic Haglofs, neat and slim fitting, but still with
enough space for a softshell or microfleece underneath. Ideal for
fast-moving mountain use. The Pro Shell fabric and cut give it an
unrestrictive, barely noticeable feel. Length is medium, rather than
ultra-short.
Breathability is pretty good, though not as effective as eVent.
Venting's helped by sleeves that are roomy enough to roll up to the
elbows and those natty die-cut pocket linings, though we don't think
they work quite as welll as pure mesh. Cuff and hem adjustment both
work fine.
The rollable hood uses the same LIM design as the Ultimate with an
external draw cord at the back of the head tightening around the
crown and reducing volume at the same time. We were a bit dubious to
start with, but it works pretty well in practice with the laminated
peak giving decent protection top and sides, albeit with more
floppiness than some. It moves with your head as well.
It also takes a climbing helmet just. Apparently it's not designed to, but it fits over a Black Diamond Half Dome, so there you go. As with many
intentionally 'helmet-compatible' hoods though, we found the chin guard pulled
uncomfortably tight once you lidded up, so if you are considering
helmet use, try before buying, as it might fit or then again it might not. If it does, it's a bit of a bonus..
We can't really comment on durability at this stage, though other
Pro Shell jackets we've tried have fared well, even with lightish
face fabrics like that used here.
If what you're after is the lightest possible Pro Shell jacket
out there, then you've just found it. The LIM Ozone is lighter than
many Paclite shells and, we think, significantly tougher. And as with
all things Haglofs, a lot of thought and consideration has gone into
the detailing.
It's quite a specialised beast however and that's reflected in the
weighty SRP of £270, though we've seen it on sale for
significantly less. It's not un-versatile though, you cold use it for
walking, backpacking, climbing and scrambling, no problem.
Our one reservation is that hood, which is a 7/10 solution when
the rest of the jacket scores a 9 or more. That aside though, if
you're after light and tough in one package, here it is. Don't expect
cheap as well though.
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Light, well designed, some great detailing, good fabric and
reasonably tough.
Hood not quite as good as some, though it's still quite
reasonable.
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Performance
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Value
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