Mountain Equipment Orbital Jacket

It's a Patagonia Readymix/Ascensionist!

So it is for use in the snow (the manufacturer's stated use is alpine climbing)!

That doesn't mean you can't use it as a windproof to walk in(that's what I do with my Readymix) but it does make it a bit of an overkill/ expensive option especially when there are plenty of less expensive/ more suitable alternatives out there.

Peter Clinch sums up the pros and cons of this type of jacket very well here.

Posted: 07/06/2011 at 20:22

It did strike me from the review as very like the RM, the main difference being Napoleon pockets rather than high-handwarmers.  Since I tend to get cold hands I prefer the latter, but it's a swings/roundabouts thing.

I'd agree it's a niche thing, but my RM got a lot of use this year as a winter cycling jacket.  Now it's (notionally) summer I'm using a Rohan Windshadow, but the RM has that nice extra degree of solidity for winter or generally grimier days.  Yes, it's heavier than many windshells (including my Windshadow) but the main virtue with the really light ones for me is the tiny pack size and if I'm wearing it it seems to matter less, as long as it's less than about 500g.  And if I am wearing it in a real blow it doesn't rustle and flap to hell and back like a pertex top does.

I've found the RM a lot more useful than I'd thought it was going to be.  But I'd still say it's a "nice if you can" rather than a "you really want this".

Pete.

Posted: 07/06/2011 at 21:49

Yeah you persuaded me to get one on this thread... .

I haven't regretted it.

As you say, the Ready Mix is great if you are going to spend the day in your windproof. Otherwise pack a pertex type windproof...

I would still struggle to recommend it to someone else for full price though. I think the RRP of the Ready Mix's replacement the Ascensionist was £180 .

A quick look shows Patagonia seem to have discontinued that and don't seem to have replaced it with anything equivalent in their range for now.

Maybe ME spotted an empty niche.

Posted: 07/06/2011 at 22:39

One big difference from the ascenionist though - the price....

(think I read somewhere they had to can that because it was going to get just too silly!)

Its still higher than standard hooded windproofs of course, but not so much so to be unduly sarcastic in the context of something with this sort of expected lifespan.

Weight of this I'd think pretty much a non issue for day walks, B&B based trips etc.

A non trivial amount of fairly similar competition about of course, if less with helmet hoods. Not sure, but suspect Haglofs coming in with their stretch wovens and seemingly doing well may have started things off over here.

Posted: 07/06/2011 at 22:47