Kimmlite Kamleika Smock And Pants Tested

Kimmlite Kamleika Smock and Pants Tested

Price: Smock £60 / Pants £40

Weight: 231 grammes (smock - medium), 198 grammes (pants - medium)

Features: Kamleika knitted stretch fabric with Alpex 8-40u laminate, hood with peak, long chest zip elasticated cuff with thumb loop, drop tail, reflective tape and logos. Pants: elasticated waist with shock cord, ankle zips. All seams are taped, fabric is waterproof, jacket comes complete with stuff sac which will also hold pants.

Very light, comfortable and stretchy Fat people can stop reading now.

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The Concept Mike Parsons is the legendary man behind the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon (KIMM) event and when he left Karrimor, the Kimm brand went with him. Kimmlite now produces its own clothing with, as you'd expect, an emphasis on light weight and packability - the sort of stuff you might use for a mountain marathon or adventure race in fact.

The Kamleika smock and pants apparently take their name from the Aleut Indians' name for a waterproof top, but is rather more high tec than their kit. Essentially it's designed as a light, but fully waterproof shell layer that will also allow full mobility through stretch.

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Features The Kamleika fabric is taped, waterproof and stretchy in four directions we think - it's stretchy anyway. It's also very thin and very light, you can see through the shimmery lining to the world outside. It's also quite soft and quiet in use, making it unobtrusive compared to more 'crisp-packety' fabrics.

Otherwise things are minimalist fast mover - you get a basic hood with peak and adjuster, a long main zip, elasticated hem plus a pair of pants with ankle zips. The cuffs of the smock also get thumb loops, which makes sense given the stretch in the fabric.

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In Action The lightness and small pack size of the Kamleika kit endeared itself to us from the off. We've used heavier windshells and the lack of bulk makes it ideal for chucking into a pack lid or pocket on those days when you don't really expect it to rain, but think that it just might.

If you're a tad lardy though, you might as well stop reading now. Both smock and pants are aimed squarely at cross country whippets with a slim, clinging fit that won't take kindly to beer guts. It also means that it's best layered over a base layer for fast moving activities rather than for more general use - think mountain biking, running, adventure racing or climbing.

The fabric's very stretchy and we never found the garments restrictive, despite the snug fit. We had no problems with waterproofness either. Breathability is acceptable, but not in the same class as Paclite or eVENT, but then the Kimmlite kit is a lot lighter. The very deep - almost slashed to the navel - main zip of the smock helps too, allowing easy ventilation.

The Kimmlite web site suggests that some users layer the Kamleika under other garments, but we didn't really see the point, except for occasionally throwing an insulated top on for brief stops.

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Verdict

If you're after a light, non-restrictive, small-packing waterproof shell combo and you're reasonably trim then check out the Kamleika kit. It's simple and minimalist, but does the job well enough. You're not quite getting top-end breathability, but performance is still more than adequate and if you do want Paclite, Kimmlite produce the Alplite jacket.

We wouldn't particularly suggest it for walking - there are no pockets and the close fit makes layering problematical, but for running or mountain biking, the design is spot on and the lack of flapping fabric and rustling folds of material is a pleasant experience.

It's also nice to see a small British company providing a personal service to the extent that Mike Parsons' personal e-mail address is on every label and swing tag along with a lifetime guarantee.

Performance
Value

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Kimmlite web site

Pushed for time: Close-fitting, thin, stretchy, light and small packing waterproof shell layer aimed squarely at runners, mountain bikers, mountain marathoners and adventure racers. Soft feel means no rustles, close fit means no fatties and a deep neck zip allows venting which partly compensates for breathability that's not bad, but still not quite in the Paclite class. And it's British too.

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