1.5 ounce wind shell

[jonathan hauptman]

I do not know how many have tried the Mont Bell U.L. Wind Jacket, but I just recently purchased one and have had the chance to take it on a couple of weekend outings. I slept in it, hiked in it, got rained, flurried, and hailed on in it. Overall, I have to say it worked out fairly well. I was wondering what others think. I would enjoy hearing your experiances with it and how well yours has held up. I think the one real drawback is its lack of a hood. I think if it had a hood it would be the ultimate wind jacket(IMHO). Anyway, a penny for your thoughts???

[J R]

I think its a fantastic windshell…. but Ive never seen one that light.

[EndoftheTrail]

I thought it weighs 2.5 oz???

While visiting Denver over the weekend, I made a pilgrimage to Mecca (the MB store at Boulder, CO), to worship at this gear shrine but also to pick up a trowel (handy scoop). All the excitement of seeing and touching their various garments, tents, packs, etc. — I completely forgot about the trowel, and now, I’m back in LA! :(

Anyway, I really like the UL wind shirt — definitely lightweight and feels good next to skin. As for color, the sax color is nice, but the transluscent/flourescent green is seriously ugly.

[J R]

Ah! Ben, so you got to visit while we still had snow on the ground. If you came a week earlier you might have thought you were in maybe South Texas, possibly El Salvador, maybe even Kenya. Certainly not Colorado.

[EndoftheTrail]

Hi Joe:

I take it that you live in Colorado. Denver or elsewhere?

JasonKlass and I did an overnighter around Bailey, CO. Nighttime temps were forecasted in the single digits! Living here in So. Cal., anything below 50 is “freezing”, so I approached this with much trepidation. I brought along two sleeping bags (a 32F and a 50F) and was surprised how “not cold” I was during the night! Wow, perhaps I have it in me to be a hardcore winter camper after all? Unfortunately, my bragging rights were taken away when actual temp that night was revised upward to 19F.

[J R]

Im in the Denver Metro area.

Did you happen to cross over Kenosha pass (heading toward South Park – like the cartoon) on your overnighter? You drive through Bailey, and keep going on 285 for about another 30 minutes or so… Its like someone took a scoop out of Kansas and dropped it smack dab in the middle of the Rockies. Flat, seemingly treeless, filled with elk and antelope, and surrounded by 14ers in every direction.

One of my favorite places.

[J R]

Sorry for the thread drift….

[EndoftheTrail]

No… maybe next time!

Yeah, sorry for hijacking the thread… although I hope Jonathan will be back soon to verify the weight of his wind shell.

[jonathan hauptman]

This is true for a size medium, but I am size small + I have made an alteration or two with regards to the cut of the fabric.
It now has only enough room for my base layer and something along the lines of a thin fleece. Previously, I could fit my base and U.L. Down Inner Jacket. I prefer to wear my down jacket on the outside whenever possible anyway(the wind shell slightly compressed the insulation when the down jacket was worn underneath), so why have the extra fabric(IMHO).

[EndoftheTrail]

I see.

I took out the inner pocket and labels, but didn’t dare alter the jacket itself. You are a very brave man! :)

[Eric Noble]

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about Kenosha pass. I mountain biked over the pass and down into the South Park area in the fall 2 seasons ago and had a great time. Coming back over the pass, at about 11,000 feet as I recall, was a real challenge. If you are really ambitious the trail will take you all the way to Breckenridge, a Ski town. Just across the 285 from the pass is a camp ground and the Colorado trail. My wife and I day hiked that this fall. It is stunning in the fall.

And now in keeping with the subject. I own the Mont Bell U.L. Wind Shirt and really like it. I took it on a week long trip in the Indian Peak Wilderness in Colorado. We had a lot of rain. It would wet out quickly where it was touching my skin but held out for about a half and hour, as I recall, where it was over my Smartwool Zip-T. I has come in handy around town too. It is so small and light I almost always have it with me. Mine weights 3 oz in a size large, by the way.

[Author]

Posts