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lightest windshirt that can withstand backpack abrasion


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Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 30 total)
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  • #1283748
    Rafi Harzahav
    Spectator

    @rhz10

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    Hi,

    I'm in the market for a windshirt. I'd like something certainly under 4oz that can take some abuse from pack straps. Breathability is important as well. Any recommendations?

    Thanks,

    rhz

    #1820555
    Christopher Yi
    Spectator

    @traumahead

    Locale: Cen Cal

    Been using a Houdini for the past year with a Circuit. No problems so far, and it's been through an occasional bushwhack.

    #1820650
    Leslie Thurston
    Member

    @lesler

    Locale: right here, right now

    rafi, i'm diggin' on my MB ultralight windjacket! in fact, i own the same model in the vest. the fabric appears paper thin, but has proven it's versatility and tenacity. in fact, last nite it offically earned status as my fave item o 'gear to date. as i loaded up my pack and cycled my way to the pond to play some puck, i was was gravely concerned that under a rather significant load, the material would faulter, (shoulders in particular) but hot d! it's fiesty! check it:
    http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=94&p_id=2303179
    bottom line: it packs like a champ, breathes like a yogi and it's featherlight.
    leslie

    #1820884
    Rafi Harzahav
    Spectator

    @rhz10

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    Thanks Leslie–I looked on the MB website but didn't see the web special.

    #1820949
    Rafi Harzahav
    Spectator

    @rhz10

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    Hi Christopher,

    Would you happen to have an exact weight for the jacket? I've seen numbers between 3.3 and 4.3oz. I suppose I'd need a medium.

    thanks,

    rhz

    #1821123
    Angelo R.
    Spectator

    @zalmen_mlotek

    Locale: Northwest CT

    Not sure if Leslie is referring to the Tachyon Anorak but when I need to replace my Wild Things hooded windshirt this is the one I will be buying. Check out the review HERE.

    I have the dynamo pants and they are really nice and have been great for 3-season trips.

    #1821162
    Link .
    BPL Member

    @annapurna

    Rafi,the link Leslie posted for you is the sale on the montbell site for the windshirt

    #1821187
    david
    Spectator

    @davidvcd

    The MB tachyon anorak and dynamo windpants have been sold out on the montbell site for a while now… if anyone knew where to buy them elsewhere ..

    #1821362
    Christopher Yi
    Spectator

    @traumahead

    Locale: Cen Cal

    "Hi Christopher,

    Would you happen to have an exact weight for the jacket? I've seen numbers between 3.3 and 4.3oz. I suppose I'd need a medium.

    thanks,

    rhz"

    My medium came in at 4.0 on the dot.

    #1821441
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

    dynamo windpants are on the Montbell site in medium and large.

    #1821457
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    Leslie was referring to the MB UL Windshirt, 2.6 oz in a men's medium. It is subjective, but I find it breathes very poorly for me. I am much happier with my Houdini, which I use all the time now. Plus it has a hood, which the MB UL does not.

    #1822094
    Leslie Thurston
    Member

    @lesler

    Locale: right here, right now

    thoughtful insight on nick's part, and well stated. yes, agreed, "subjective"! while i've used my MB exclusively in both fall and winter (recent purchase), i've yet to explore it's breathability in both heat and humidity. also, factoring in location– east and west, and everywhere in-between–subjectivity screams! :) lt

    #1822126
    Richard Nisley
    BPL Member

    @richard295

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    I have scientifically measured the air permeability of both garments. Whispering quietly… "the Montbell model tests 6.19 Frazier CFM versus 38.12 Frazier CFM for the Patagonia model."

    #1822148
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    Richard,

    For us lay people, what do those figures mean?

    #1822165
    Martin RJ Carpenter
    Member

    @martincarpenter

    The Houdini lets a lot more air through than the MB :) Consequences as you've seemingly noticed.

    Not that I think (not at all sure!) that 6 is abnormally low for a windshirt, its more the Houdini being unusually high.

    #1822182
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    The original post asked for abrasion qualities under pack straps. This would be dependent on weight of pack, strap material, etc. Seems the only was to subjectively measure it would be someone who has hiked a lot with the same pack and load using two different wind shirts.

    I suspect that Richard has some sort of test that can measure abrasion resistance, but sometimes laboratory results don't match real world use. However it appears his measurements of breathability for my two wind shirts validates my subjective observations.

    #1822187
    Richard Nisley
    BPL Member

    @richard295

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    I have measured the Frazier CFM, air permeability, of a very large number of windshirts. Every one of them has vocal proponents on this forum. The air permeability measurements ranged from a low of .33 (Dri Ducks) to a high of 100.59 (Acteryx Squamish). The Patagonia Houdini is not abnormally high at 38.12; it falls approximately 1/3 up from the bottom of the spectrum.

    The above is science; the following is a subjective judgment. For use in environments where your MET level varies widely but, averages approximately 7 (UL Backpacking), the Houdini provides a near optimal wind shirt solution.

    Regarding abrasion resistance, the amide group -(-CO-NH-)- provides hydrogen bonding between polyamide chains. This gives nylon high strength at elevated temperatures; toughness at low temperatures; combined with its other properties, such as stiffness, wear and abrasion resistance, low friction coefficient and good chemical resistance. These properties have made nylons the strongest of all man-made fibers in common use.

    Polyester is the other common windshirt material, but for the same windshirt weight, it will not handle abrasion as well.

    #1822189
    James R
    BPL Member

    @habakkuk

    Richard, have you had a chance to test Rab's Cirrus windshirt? If so. I would greatly appreciate if you could share your findings!

    #1822230
    Joe Clement
    BPL Member

    @skinewmexico

    Locale: Southwest

    Or the GoLite Dakota?

    #1822234
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    i own and use a dead bird celeris wind vest … and i find it quite "breathable" … more so than others

    its even in a non-social color, so no yuppie use out of it for me … there arent that many dead bird products im a fan of, but this is one of them

    of course i did snag it at 50% off ;)

    #1822255
    Richard Fischel
    BPL Member

    @ricko

    richard – while we are going down the laundry-list of windshirts, do you have numbers for the wild things windshirt in epic?

    thanks –

    #1822295
    Richard Nisley
    BPL Member

    @richard295

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    Richard,

    All of the Wild Things Epic polyester products I tested had very low air permeability. The tests included three different windshirts, as part of product variability analysis. Their Frazier CFM values were .62, .74, and 1.30. Their Epic pants are made from a lighter weight polyester fabric than their jackets; it tested 3.32.

    This morning I took a short break from a very big project and now I have to go back to it for the foreseeable future. So, I won't have time for additional posts on this topic.

    #1822393
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    my Houdini is going on five years and used every trip (including lots of day hikes and trail runs)- no windshirt is going to be bombproof, but the Houdini is pretty darn impressive for as light as it is

    personally I wouldn't even consider a windshirt w/o a hood, I've used mine too many times to consider going w/o one

    #1822582
    Richard Fischel
    BPL Member

    @ricko

    richard – thanks for the information.

    #1823790
    Joe Clement
    BPL Member

    @skinewmexico

    Locale: Southwest

    When I found a Houdini at Realgoods for $43, I decided to just go with public opinion, and send the Golite Dakota back. Plus I get a hood, and full zipper. The downside is it's a horrible orange called "clementine", a word I have hated, for fairly obvious reasons, since 2nd grade. Oh well, a deal is a deal. Hopefully this will work on my bike too.

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