Sprayway's latest is a technical mountaineering jacket made from a mix of Gore-Tex XCR and Paclite and weighing in at under 500 grammes, here are our first impressions.
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Sprayway Cloud Peak Jacket -
First Look
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Price:
£220.00
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Weight: 487 grammes
(medium)
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Features:
Three-layer Gore-Tex XCR with Gore Paclite panels, Gore
Microtape, fixed helmet-compatible, Paclite hood with
single-hand adjuster, quick pull shock cords, stiffened
peak, double front storm flap with die-cut Velcro, laser-cut
paclite cargo chest pockets with flow-through venting,
internal stretch mesh pocket, fully articulated sleeve,
Sharkskin velcro cuffs, shock-corded hem, detachable seat
strap.
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Lots of features, nicely made and lightweight.
A tad on the short side - really needs shell pants to work
properly.
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The Concept Sprayway says that the Cloud Peak is aimed at
meeting the demands of the modern mountaineer, so you're looking at a
combination of lightness and protection. The obvious Gore-Tex fabric
to use when you're talking about weight is Paclite, however it's not
really durable enough for sustained heavy duty use so Sprayway have
used XCR but with added Paclite panels and hood to reduce weight in
less wear-prone areas. The end result is a jacket that weighs in at
487 grammes yet should still be tough enough for mountaineering
use.
Features For such a light jacket, the Cloud Peak is awash with
features and more features - a double storm flap, articulated
sleeves, hem cord adjusters that are accessible through the big cargo
chest pockets and a big adjustable helmet-sized hood in Paclite.
There are other Paclite panels over the chest and inside of the
arms too and all the seams are taped with Gore's new microtape, which
reduces weight, ups breathability and also, says Sprayway, increases
the overall flexibility of the garment.
One last touch is a Buffalo-style seat strap which is there to
stop the hem riding up and give people a good laugh as you wander
past...
In
Action The Cloud Peak is a classic, short-cut modern technical
shell, notably shorter than the classic British mountain jacket and
that's reflected in the very light weight - under 500 grammes is
impressive for a technical shell, even though Lowe Alpine's full XCR
one is in the same ballpark.
Fit is medium to close on the Mr Average OM test body, but the cut
is on the short side making the crotch, sorry, seat strap a useful
addition. The cut of the sleeves is good with easy to use Velcro cuff
closures, though those with really big forearms may find them
challenging. We liked the hood too and it works with or without a
helmet, moving with your head.
We did have issues with the big cargo pockets, despite their
neatly laser cut, water-resistant zips. The panels are Paclite, but
because the pocket bags, other than the top vented section, are also
Paclite, you effectively have a double layer of fabric over your
chest which limits the breathability and means the main benefit of
using the material is simply its lightness. The small mesh 'through
vents' are really only much use in windy conditions, when it's still,
they're simply too small.
Breathability is on a par with full XCR jackets, which is to say,
slightly better than standard three-ply Gore-Tex, but not as good as
either Paclite or eVENT.
