Mountain Hardwear Compressor PL Jacket Tested

Mountain Hardwear Compressor PL Jacket tested

Price: £100.00

Weight: 383 grammes (medium)

Features: Primaloft inulated jacket, Superlight, mini grid ripstop lining and face fabric, one-handed, adjustable neck cinch, laminated cuff tabs with Velcro closure, one-handed hem drawcord, micro-chamois lined chin, fleece-lined handwarmer pockets, interior zip pocket. Also available as women's version.

Light, compact, warm, windproof.. Snug fit, needs stuff pocket

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The Concept Small, light, warm and windproof portable insulation. The Primaloft filling is arguably the best we've found when it comes to dealing with damp conditions. Overall you're looking at a windproof jacket with roughly the same warmth as a 200-weight fleece but with the weight of a 100-weight equivalent.

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Features The Compressor may be light and compact, but MHW hasn't skimped on its specification - the collar has a soft chin liner and the twin handwarmer pockets get a snug microfleece lining for those chilly pinky moments. Cuffs, hem and neck are all adjustable, mostly with one hand, and there's even a n internal zipped pocket for you valuables.

Like we said, the filling is Primaloft and shell and liner are a very fine micro-rip stop nylon.

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In Action We're firm converts to the Primaloft cause and have been using a TNF Optimus Redpoint as throw-over insulation during the autumn winter season - Primaloft's resistance to water makes it practical to chuck it over wet shell jackets without worry. The Compressor is lighter and more compact, but it's cut snugger, so if you want to use it as a lightweight belay jacket, you'll need to go up a size.

As a result, we've been employing the jacket mostly as a fleece substitute. It packs down nice and small - though a stuff pocket would be a nice touch - and is about the same size as, oh, three average paperback books, so nice and portable.

We reckon its about as warm as a medium-weight fleece, but significantly lighter at under 400 grammes. It also scores big bonus points by being windproof and, importantly for the UK, very water resistant. Primaloft seems to shrug off all but really heavy rain and even when it's damp, keeps most of its insulation value. Certainly a lot more than down, which collapses into a soggy mess when damp. That robustness means you don't need to worry about getting it wet and thanks to the windproofing, can use it happily in blowy, drizzly conditions.

It's also a lot more breathable than you might think, which means you can still wear it for active use. We liked the details too. The fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and chin-guard add a dash of luxury to a cold evening and it's handy being able to cinch in neck, hems and cuffs when things get blowy.

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Verdict

Light, compact and resistant to wind and water, the Compressor packs a decent protection punch for a relatively small weight and size. It doesn't have the luxurious feel of fleece and is a little less breathable, but it aces the traditional outdoors insulation layer in pretty much every other department. Bought snug this is a neat fleece sunstitute with considerably more versatility when it comes to coping with weather. In a larger size, it'd make a neat throw-over 'belay jacket', though it's not quite as warm as the North Face Redpoint.

It should have a purpose-designed stuff pocket though; we ended up using the internal chest pocket, but it wasn't ideal. Other than that, this is eminently useable, lightweight, packable insulation and the only real downside is the steep price. Tell yourself it's a windproof as well...

Performance
Value

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Mountain Hardwear web site

Pushed for time: Light, compact, very weather-resistant synthetically filled fleece substitute with good detailing. Think microfleece weight with midweight insulation. By no means cheap, but then it's windproof and water resistant too.

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