In Action The Changabang's new, shorter cut gives the jacket a
distinctly North American feel and is something you'll either like or
not. It looks good and feels tough, protective and well made, but one
thing you notice straight away is that the use of lamination to
stiffen the main zipper's storm flaps together with the centrally
located water-resistant zip openings to the chest pockets has created
a rather stiff and starchy feel to the front of the jacket.
It's not, in our virus-blighted, experience, a practical problem, but
it's noticeable and may put some buyers off. It's a shame if that's
the case, because otherwise this is an excellent jacket that builds
on ME's reputation for thorough design and hands-on experience.
All the basics work well. The hood - complete with wired and
stiffened peak - is predictably excellent giving great protection
with and without a helmet, cinching down well and turning with your
head thanks to the gripping drawcord that sits around the top of the
head. The stretch panel at the base of the hood has the advantage of
allowing you to pull it down and up without having to fiddle with the
adjustment, which is a bonus.
Cut is neat without being restrictive and we found no impediment -
great word that - to reaching either up or in front at full stretch
even while wearing a harness. The half waist zip is a nice touch too
- it pulls the front of the jacket flat allowing a good view down
towards your foot holds.
The fabric does its usual, dependable XCR gig. Not quite as
breathable as eVENT in our experience, but still quite capable,
especially in cold, dry, high mountain conditions. It's also
commendably light and, rolled into its hood, packs down into a decent
sized ball. Those front pockets take an OS map too, if you were
wondering.
One small fault you may notice is with the core vents. Despite
zipper garages at the top of the vent, the zips actually open from
the bottom. We didn't find it a problem, but if you happen to be a
certain height, it's possible a harness or pack belt will cover the
zip pulls, so we advise you to check in the shop before buying.
We've said if before, but Mountain Equipment is currently producing
some of the best shell jackets on the market and despite a couple of
minor flaws, the Changabang is up there with the best, as it should
be for 300 quid.
The short, neat, almost blouson, cut saves a little weight and
will either suit you or not. It does mean it's best worn with
high-waisted hard or soft shell pants and it's very much a question
of personal taste and dimensions as to whether you like it or not. If
you prefer a longer fit, take a look at the Lhotse.
Otherwise the Changabang's hard to fault - neat cut, great hood,
decent weight and good build quality. The frontal stiffness has
little impact on performance in our opinion, though it feels a tad
odd at first meeting. The vent zippers will either suit you or
not.
Overall an excellent, protective technical jacket with a
reassuringly solid feel.
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