Ordered a wind shirt from Lukes Ultralite, but instead of the standard 1.1oz material, Luke used Nobull 1 at my request. Nobull 1 has the reputation for not being very downproof, however, it's the most breathable fabric I've seen that's available to MYOG types. For my hikes I much prefer breathability over water resistance so figured I would give it a shot.
The fit, finish, and design of Lukes wind shirt is really good. Not on the same level as the major manufacturers like Patagonia of course, although the stitch work is easily as good as any other cottage manufacturer. I do like knowing that the wind shirt was made essentially by hand in someone's home. Plenty long enough for my torso which is a huge plus. It would fit better if it was a hair smaller in girth and in the sleeves. No real complaint though. XL size. 6'5" 205lbs for reference. Also, the design includes an adjustable elastic bottom hem & hood, plus a full zip. You rarely get these features in a garment weighing right at 2oz.
Weight: 2.2oz in XL size
Features: Full zip, adjustable hood & bottom hem
Cost: $100
Pros to using Nobull 1: Extremely lightweight & breathable. So far, appears to have sufficient wind resistance to not pull away body heat in windy conditions.
Cons: Weak DWR, will not withstand bushwhacking
Field test: Only short term testing in really frigid temps so far. This winter has been much colder than normal so I haven't been able to build up much heat & perspiration on my hikes. Looking forward to spring!
P.S. – The white specs are dust particles on the mirror the Lumix picked up. This pic shows it layered over a Montbell UL jacket.
Ryan
