anyone try a Ghost Whisperer yet?

It's only clear merit is in it's utter simplicity (*to a slight fault- no hood?) and feathery weight. If it had a decent hood and was $40 cheaper I might consider it as a SUL windshell thrown in my running pack, for those times when I'm soaked in sweat and stop at a high point to catch a view only, but not for running or hiking in. However, like you Mike, the Houdini gets it right and works just fine by me for an additional 2oz.

The 7d shell MHW uses is suspect, as any material of that denier, specifically in regard to breathability and durability. I realize this is a throw in the pack, "works in a pinch", type of shell, but for the price it just doesn't appear to cut it by my standards.

Less expensive yet comparable alternatives:

Montane Slipstream GL- 2.3oz
Montane Litespeed or Featherlite smock ~3-4oz.

Montbell Tachyon Pullover or Jacket ~2-3oz.

I found the Tachyon with it's 7D shell to be acceptable for use on the move, but not for very long. I cannot see the Ghost Whisperer performing better than the Tachyon.

I have been using this for a bit of the 2012 hiking season, however I do not have enough miles on it to give it a full review write up yet.

I have been using the Mont-bell Tachyon Anorak (which to me is the real competition for the Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Anorak) for the last two or three hiking seasons.

The primary difference is the lack of a hood on the Ghost, which accounts for most of the extra ~0.3 ounces between the two. The MB TA also has a cord at the bottom, whereas the MH GW has elastic.

Both are using 7D material and both feature pretty much the same design.

I have over 500 miles of trail use with the Mont-bell Tachyon Anorak so the Ghost has a fair amount of catching up to do, but so far it has proven to be just as good at doing its job – with the understanding that it does not have a hood.

In the end, 7D material is 7D and when all the designs are pretty much the same, it really all comes down to price. In this one area, the Mont-bell Tachyon Anorak wins, by being 30 bucks cheaper.

If you would like to spend 30 bucks more and not have a hood, go with the Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Anorak. Otherwise, go with the Mont-bell Tachyon Anorak pull out the cord on the bottom and the wight will be fractionally more and have a hood and save a bit in the wallet.

These are my thoughts so far. Once I get another 200 or so miles of wearing the Ghost I will probably write up a full review on it.

John B. Abela
HikeLighter.Com

Eugene- you own (owned?) both how does the Tachyon stack up w/ the Houdini?

John- look forward to seeing the review when you get some more miles on the Whisperer

thanks

Mike

I've had both.
They're both great jackets, but I sold the Tachyon and got the Houdini for a few reasons.
Houdini: full zip (better venting), fabric is a bit more breathable in my opinion, and I have the Houdini in black (as opposed to the greenish/yellow Tachyon) so I can wear it anywhere without looking so sporty.

^ thanks Craig I probably got a little over giddy at the thought of a windshirt weighing in at 2 oz :)

Well, it is pretty simple… if you want a full zipper, do not buy an Anorak (which is the term the industry uses to indicate it does not have a full length zipper.)

Also, at this point I only have around 40 miles on my Ghost, and I will probably not write up a review on it until I get at least 250 miles of use (typically what I like to have before I write on outershells) with it. I wore my Mont-bell Dynamo Wind Pants for a bit over 1,200 miles before I wrote my review on them. So probably going to be awhile before I get my review on them published.

I got one to put in a pocket for long rock climbs, but find myself taking it on almost every outing. I have found it to be more durable than I thought it would be. It blocks the wind , adds considerable warmth, and water still beads up on it. I am sure it will be trashed in two seasons, but the size and weight make it worth it. I do not have the resources to own many ultralight shells, so perhaps there are better, but It works well for me.

@Mike,

Tachyon? Not worth it, by my reasoning,, to save 2oz. for a depreciation in performance over the Houdini. You're right, its all about that "giddyness" in saving 2oz., which is insignificant in reality. Lose weight elsewhere, keep the hood and full zip, increased durability and breathability of the Houdini.

These fringe 1.8oz windshells are for those pushing that uber light envelope, but at some point I find it more an exercise in tinkering and hobbying than outdoor practicality. Does the Whisperer work? Absolutely, but its' low weight comes with no perceivable benefit or advantage over say a $29 Sirroco windshell from EB.

Eugene- thanks. You guys saved me some $ (hopefully I don't turnaround and end up blowing it on another pack) :)

Mike

"Blowing" it on another pack?

Whoa! Don't go too far, there's always room for another pack Mike. ;-)

I recently parted with my Ohm, that was a sad parting of ways, but a necessary one. I'm not adding to the pile, just switching things up. I have no attachments with this stuff. Justification- I know.

oh I hear ya :) I let go of my Ohm too- I had two packs that simply overlapped too much- the Ohm and a Talon 33, sold both as I found a steal I couldn't pass up on a new Hornet 46 (revised now w/ a large torso option- I had one of the original protos that in M/L was much too short)

I might be sorry I let go of the Ohm, but I know where to get one if I need to :)

Mike

well I couldn't resist when I found them a STP for $56 shipped (w/ coupon) :)

I grabbed one too. Received it a couple of days ago. Nice piece. Feels more robust than an old montbell full zip wind shirt I have (don't know what model – but it's similar in size and weight).

For those that think the minimal savings in weight vs. the standard 5-6 ounce jackets everyone uses is not worth it, that may be true for the typical backpacker on this forum. Where I find the value in these thinner shells is in how compact they are when compressed. It can mean the difference between fitting into a gel pocket in my various running gear or remaining back in the closet. I don't always leave the house with a backpack for all my excursions. I've found this point even more crucial for wind vests (a garment I tend to use more often than long sleeve jackets on runs) since I can't tie a vest around my waist when not wearing it. Fortunately a vest by its very nature contains less fabric than a long sleeve.

that's exactly why I pulled the pin (well that and the price!) as well , if I'm carrying my pack it's not a problem throwing the Houdini in, but I'm often running sans pack w/ a small waist bottle holder

I've got a race in February and I don't want to carry my pack, so this little jacket should do the trick- they say it packs done to the size of a deck cards- we'll see :)

del

Rick,

They do sell that montbell wind shirt in the US. It's the one I have and that I referred to earlier.

Try here:
http://www.gearzone.com/Montbell-UL-Wind-Jacket-p/165-15708.htm

del

nice when something comes in under spec :) 1.7 oz for size large, comparo to altoid tin

quick update: ended selling the GW jacket as a hood is a must imo; Mountain Hardwear must have been listening as they came out w/ a hooded version which I grabbed- while it had a hood it lacked any adjustment on the hood, a strong wind would blow it off :( I got some 3/32" shock cord and a couple of tiny cordlocks and followed a seam around the hood, voila I had a hood that could be cinched down. It also lacked a drawstring around the hem, another thing I think is necessary to keep heat in the torso area when needed- repeated w/ the shock cord and now have a adj hem

the jacket went from 2.2 oz (Men's Large) to 2.4 oz, small hit and the jacket is much more functional now

I still use my Houdini for the majority of my outings as it simply breathes better, but for runs/fast hikes where I want to carry the very minimum of kit, the Ghost Whisperer fits the bill very nicely. I got to break it out on a recent 55k mountain race where the wind was gusting into 30-ish mph range and spitting rain (well first hail!)- it was just what the doctor ordered and the adj hood/hem worked as expected :)

Nice tweaks.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving
Hikin’ Jim’s Blog