Polartec NeoShell Starting To Appear

[CW]

Rab Stretch Neo

Heavier than what most of us would be looking for, but this is the first I've seen using Polartec's WP/B solution.

[BlackHatGuy]

Interesting, both jacket and pant at around a pound each.

[Jeremy Platt]

It does however look like a similar design to the Rab Super Dru in Event which also weighs about a pound:

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/product-reviews/rab-super-dru-tested/4676.html

I wonder if these are heavy because they want to start with the heavy forms of NeoShell, or whether it isn't as light as they claimed?

[James holden]

i find it interesting that rab and westcomb are moving towards neoshell … maybe they have no ties to gore after going to event?

or maybe they find neoshell to be more effective than the new gore active shell?

rab and westcomb id say are brands that still care more about function than yuppiness IMO

[Josh Newkirk]

Eric

Im just curious, what sort of brands other then patagucci and dead bird would u say are yuppi? And in yuppi do you mean like how every second person seems to wear tnf around town?

[James holden]

dead bird, patagucci, TNF etc … are the obvious ones

IMO yuppie means that its become more urban wear for most of the people …. not to say it cant or wont be used seriously …

just that most will use it in raging rain storms from their SUV to the lobby …

like those SUVs that people buy for shopping mall trips but never take off road ..

here's a quote from dead bird …

Most people don’t buy a Porsche to drive it 150 mph, but they appreciate the quality that goes into it.

It’s that same type of person who will buy our stuff.

http://skiingbusiness.com/1536/profiles/arcteryx-talks-brand-direction/

[Robert Cowman]

If you go to the outlets to by the brands un-warrantied and unfinished properly products…

or using any brand really for anything other than its intended purpose. I.e. a Goretex jacket used for a rain coat around town could be yuppy. or as Arcteryx sales team calls it "Outdoorky"

[James holden]

lol rob … then i must be a yuppie

since i picked up several unwarrantied, closeout $160 merino sugoi 290wt tops for $20 each at their factory sale

at that price ill be a yuppie anyday ;)

[Robert Cowman]

I can get arcteryx from 75% off up to free and u still have more than me…

[James holden]

yeah to my everlasting shame

im selling alot of it … gamma mx is sold, stingray and gamma sv are for sale … pants ill keep using

dead bird isnt bad gear if you can get it for %50 off … if you actually use it … and i find myself reaching for my other stuff first

as to the warranty … i see no functional difference between the stuff in their factory outlet and those $$$$ stores … if dead bird was so bomber, it wouldnt be likely to fail anyways … if its not functionally usuable, they woudnt sell it period, if they did they would just be destroying their "brand" …

i love very much how dead bird is supposed to be the "best" … yet they dont have an infinite guarantee or 100% satisfaction like OR or EB … or even like REI or MEC

anyways thats a discussion for another thread …

[Robert Cowman]

reason being is they have the lowest return rate from retailers for warranties(includes custoemr send back stuff) also just because they dont advertise an infinite warranty doesnt mean they dont honor the lifetime one, you should see some of the stuff i have sent back and customers getting brand new product to replace it. and to be honest if they have to have those kinds of polices, they're never helpfull when the problem happens.(my firiend had a pair of GTX mec pants rip at the seam in the middle of a multi day winter ascent).
everything I've ever gotten from the outlet has fallen apart on me. had a fleece had the whole side seam come undone and a jacket zipper pull out in the middle of a glacier.

the new polartec seams it is going to be more suited to softshell type jackets rather than just straight rain jackets

but enough with the stealing of the thread in other pointless discussions

[James holden]

one last comment on this thread hijack

…

you do realize rob that they sell not just gear with slight blemishes … but also perfectly fine closeouts … gear where there is nothing wrong with it at the outlet? … i would hope that all the stuff (even the slightly blemished) doesnt fall apart … in fact the only dead bird stuff i have that has had issues is stuff i DIDNT buy at the outlet … namely the atom lt i bought from coastal mountain, and the 350a harness i bought from mec

methinks u work too hard selling dead bird at full price ;)

….

thats it … back to your regularly scheduled programming … neoshell, dry q, gore active shell … may they render softshells obsolete ;)

[Ken Thompson]

Promise?

[Jeremy Platt]

OM have done a review of the new Rab Jacket which feature neoshell. Sounds like good stuff, although I find that they can tend to over rate products.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-blog/most-breathable-fabric-ever—first-impressions/7842.html

[Aaron Reichow]

An aside, related to that review… they refer to Mountain Hardwear's DryQ WPB fabric in a way that, to me, implies it is something new. I've seen this a few other places, but just assumed that the writer didn't realize it was eVent with a new logo. I was under the impression that it was nothing but rebranded eVent, under their own proprietary brand name… Am I mistaken?

[Chris Townsend]

I have one of the Rab jackets on test too and I've certainly found it as breathable as eVent so far. I need to do more testing in different conditions before I come to definite conclusion – so far I've used it in temperatures around freezing with sleet and rain falling and a strong wind. The weight is 19.5 ounces so it's not a lightweight jacket. I don't know whether Neoshell will be available in lighter weight versions. There's a press launch next month in the Dolomites where I hope to find out.

As far as I know some of the DryQ is eVent but Mountain Hardwear's description means they could use any fabric they like and call it DryQ.

[Ryan Krause]

Hey Chris – any updates on your testing of Polartec NeoShell?

[Martin Scharffenberg]

Hey Im new to this forum, because I've seen this discussion about NeoShell.

Why?

I just bought a NeoShell sample pant from Westcomb but for family reasons, which I don't want to elaborate, I stick to my only two month "old" eVent Vapor FX Cargo pant.

So I got a brand new NeoShell pant (Vapor FX Cargo, orange, M/M) that I don't use.

This sample pant was made for a small series from Westcomb for Polartec, which were presented at the Scufoneda Telemark Freeride Week in Italy two weeks ago.

Would anybody be interested in the pant?

[kevperro .]

Won't be replacing my Dry Ducks anytime soon.

[Chris Townsend]

Ryan, I've tested Neoshell some more and been to the launch in the Dolomites. I posted a short report on this on my blog – http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2011/03/dolomites-skis-snow-polartec-neoshell.html. We were given Westcomb Neoshell gear to try, which is lighter than the Rab. I definitely find Neoshell as breathable as eVent but not as condensation free as the promotional claims suggest. It's pretty good if it lasts, something I won't know until I've used it much more.

[Will Webster]

I've been reading up on what I should have done for footwear this winter (made some bad decisions but fortunately didn't suffer worse than very cold feet), and I'm thinking that since NeoShell stretches and breathes better than Goretex it might be an ideal WPB sock material for snow.

[Brett Peugh]

That is a great idea Will! I hope they make some or allow the fabric to become available.

[Andre C]

Any NeoShell smock/pullovers out there? Can't seem to find anything.
Andre.

[wayne clark]

I dont know that neoshell is that resilient to the type of forces encountered in footwear. it's not a membrane as much as a lot of overlapping microthin threads, the waterproof rating of neoshell drops from 10,000mm to 5,000 with use, will the presures involved allow it to remain waterproof>?

[wayne clark]

havent seen any either, my guess is rab might eventually make one. most other brands putting out neoshell don't seem to be so big on smocks and pullovers

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