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Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch Tights and
Zip-T
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Price: £69.99
(Zip T) £
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Weight: 205g (tights M) 265g (Zip-T
M)
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Features Made from
Polartec Power Stretch fabric, reversible, flat-locked
seams, finished cuffs. High-cut waist for tights, high neck,
zip and long tail for Zip T.
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Good for: winter
active use, layering under shell clothing, movement, as an
extra warm base layer Not much cop for: hot barmy
days in the summer, crotch access under a harness and
overtrousers, flattering beer guts.
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If you haven't discovered Power Stretch yet, then what are you
waiting for - the stuff is brilliant. Made by the ubiquitous
Polartech, Power Stretch is a light four-way stretch fleece that's
both elastic and warm. One side is recognisably fuzzy and fluffy to
wick moisture away from the skin and trap heat next to it, the other
is smooth to reduce friction against other garments.
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Fleecy, stretchy, softy,
comfy...
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In its Mountain Hardwear guise, the fabric's the star. Both tights
and Zip-T are simply but well made close-fitting garments that
combine warmth with ease of movement - the crotch of the tights is
gusseted for those, ahem, out there moves. Its real beauty is
versatility: so far we've used it for cold weather running, winter
mountain biking, simple walking and layered under a shell for
Scottish winter climbing. And you know what, it's been great for all
those things.
Ease of movement is great, but just as impressive are the above
average wind resistance, an uncanny ability to keep you feeling dry
even when the outside is wet and the snug, luxurious, body-hugging
feel. It's just as at home as a superwarm base layer, where it wicks
well, or under a shell for fast moving climbing.
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...butt-hugging, leg-loving,
Power Stretch
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Overall there's something almost self-indulgent about the stuff, a
touch of the 'Mister ambassador, you spoil us...' But it's not quite
perfect: the tights lack a zip which can make calls of nature a faff
when wearing a harness and overtrousers and, let's be brutal here,
this sort of stuff is a no go zone for anyone who's big in butt or
gut and would prefer not to advertise the fact.
If you do want more technical Power Stretch kit, Mountain Hardwear
produce a rather fetching all in one Power Stretch suit with full zip
and there are options available from other manufacturers too.
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Verdict: Great fabric, simply, but
effectively used. The high neck, drop tail and gussetted
crotch are all nice touches.Power Stretch offers a near
optimum combination of warmth, elasticity and wind
resistance for winter fast moving on foot or bike, but it's
also warm enough to be worn as either a super warm,
non-restrictive base layer or as part of a climbing or
walking layering system under a shell, where the smooth
outer texture offers minimal friction when going for high
steps. Mmmm...
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Performance
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Value
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Yeah, I'm a fast mover so move me fast to the Mountain
Hardwear web site
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Pushed for time:
Mr Ambasador you spoil us with your Power Stretch tights and
Zip Tee. Warm, wicking, wind resistant, happy when damp and
with a luxurious fleecey feel, they score extra over the
competition by having a four-way stretch that allows you to
both keep warm and move freely. Great for biking, walking
and running, they also work well for mountaineering under a
shell garment, though there's no zip-fly on the tights
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Your Opinion Here:
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Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear forum.
