New products announced at European outdoor show

"It will be interesting to see how Columbia's new take on WPB jackets do in the market once they are released."

From the link – "… but the respected Outside Magazine in the States seems impressed too…"

Well, let's hope there is more to it than that.
;-)

I'm glad to see Columbia left plenty of room to accommodate distended goiters in their jacket's neck area. This is a commonly overlooked feature.

^^^
Living by/in an ocean, that is not an issue for you, but for those landlocked souls in Iowa it may be a godsend.

Columbia might up the game with this, but also interested in how others will react.

On a serious note, just how durable is the PU coating?

Good enough to survive devils club?

Good enough to survive in a pack, enduring millions of "rubs" over the course of 200 miles of hiking?

Good enough to withstand the sliding pressure of an elbow against Sierra granite?

Good enough to withstand gritty pack straps?

Only time will tell.

Did anyone else notice the msrp for this columbia jackets? I think I saw something like 400 somewhere. That is a lot for a columbia product.

between 150 and 400 $.

Greg,

You asked most of the open questions. One that is missing is what is the moisture transport / air permeability?

The WPB layer is microporous (MP) polyurethane (PU); on other jackets I have tested this material averages .17 CFM with conventional construction. Add the protective diamond layer of PU over the thinner MP PU layer and my guess is that it will not be any better than .17 CFM. Adding further credence to this speculation is that neither the reviewers or the company provide this information.

Richard,
I remember that you tested the CFM of eVent at 0,53, but in several workbooks it's marked as 'just' 0,1. So quite a large range range and 0,17 is in that range.

Woubier,

On my test equipment the most breathable eVent measured .84 CFM, the average was ~.50 CFM, and the worst was .35 CFM. All of the MP PU garments tested ~.17 CFM.

I personally put more stock in what I measure versus what vendor's specifications state. I do this for the same reason most people use their scales to weigh their equipment versus just using the vendor's weight spec (smile).

Please look in your workbooks and then tell us what the air permeability or moisture transport value for the new Columbia rain gear is specified at.

Richard,
What CFM numbers do you have for Neoshell fabrics?

Michael,

My tests show an average of .73 versus an average of .50 for eVent.

Windshirt with good dwr over driducks jacket would be better?

The 75 gram (2.64 oz) rain jacket from Berghaus is what gets my attention.
HH = 15k. Wonder how well that works….

> The 75 gram (2.64 oz) rain jacket from Berghaus is what gets my attention.
> HH = 15k. Wonder how well that works….
Sounds awfully like a plastic trash bag to me.

Cheers

Richard,
very sensible. I just want to say that in the whole idea where we discuss the breathability and windproofness of windshirts and where we look at big differences in CFM of maybe 5 or 10, a rather tiny difference of 0,5 CFM isn't earthschocking. It's intersting to know as a scientist but if I was doubting between 2 wingshirts with a difference in CFM of only 0,5, the whole CFM-thing might be rather irrelevant. But in a discussion about hard shells, that same 0,5 suddenly would be the biggest thing on earth while, for me, it stays a rain jacket which I only wear when needed. Sure, even then I want the fabric itself to be comfortable, but to me, the design and construction are equally important.

About workbooks: I currently don't have those of Columbia, but normally have those of MHW and perhaps they will take that up to (although the worbooks of MHW usually don't list these values).