JakPak All-In-One Garment Review

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Active Engineering LLC, a Washington based company, manufactures the JakPak that it describes as a jacket with a three-season tent and sleeping bag. A more accurate description of the JakPak is a raincoat weighed down with:

A half-length bivouac (which combines with the jacket to form a full length shelter);
A tarp with mosquito netting;
A suspension system.

The suspension system ensures that the JakPak rides comfortably and consists of two 1.5-inch wide elastic suspender straps. These straps connect to the interior of the jacket near the shoulder blade. The suspenders have clasps at the end for connecting to one's waistband. There are also sliding buckles for tightening and loosening the suspension system (see first photo).

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
Specifications
Quantitative Gear Rating
Analysis and Testing

Analysis
Testing

What I Liked
What I Disliked
Final Comments

# WORDS: 3040
# PHOTOS: 16

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Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

Author

Posts
Mar 16, 2010 at 5:56 pm #1256570

Addie Bedford
BPL Member

@addiebedford
Locale: Montana

Companion forum thread to:

JakPak All-In-One Garment Review

Mar 16, 2010 at 8:43 pm #1587321

William Johnson
Member

@steamboat_willie

Excellent review. Thank you for the time and effort you put into writing this.

Mar 16, 2010 at 10:26 pm #1587364

Michael Richey
BPL Member

@beaverboymike
Locale: Southern Utah

One product that I can completely mark off my "to buy" list.

Mar 17, 2010 at 12:07 am #1587390

cary bertoncini
Spectator

@cbert
Locale: N. California

looks like the product is updated and a lot of the reviewed iteration's aspects have been changed. For one, it now has a breatheable top/front material.

Mar 17, 2010 at 10:38 am #1587516

George Matthews
BPL Member

@gmatthews

Nice review. I've heard of the JakPak and wondered about its usefulness for backpacking. Thanks for your enlightenment.

Mar 17, 2010 at 9:44 pm #1587746

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

So it has been a couple of years now. I am amazed that Jakpak is still in business. I am not surprised that they dropped the homeless angle and are going after the outdoors folk with money.

Man I get tired of getting flak and then later am proved correct.

Mar 17, 2010 at 9:53 pm #1587749

Travis Leanna
BPL Member

@t-l
Locale: Wisconsin

But Ken, we all chipped in and got you one for your birthday!

Mar 17, 2010 at 10:03 pm #1587751

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

.

Mar 17, 2010 at 10:06 pm #1587753

W I S N E R !
Spectator

@xnomanx

Carhartts and a black hoody will get me high?

Sweeeet.

Mar 17, 2010 at 10:20 pm #1587758

cary bertoncini
Spectator

@cbert
Locale: N. California

that a product intended in part for the homeless (who need it) needs to be improved in quality/performance for those who don't really "need" it in order to sell well enough to be provided as intended to those who do.

I think it's a pretty cool idea. If I were at all good at sleeping on my back, I'd consider it as an option. or is it not necessary? I couldn't tell from the review it is possible to sleep on side in this?

"Our first shipments of six JakPaks were shipped last week to Salvation Army national headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia— the first step in what we hope will be a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with The Salvation Army. The JakPak began with President Terry Jensen’s many years of working with homeless people in Seattle, and it is our hope, over time, to enable the Salvation Army to distribute JakPaks to those ‘who need it most.’ Active Engineering’s long-term goal is to be able to donate a percentage of sales to Non-Profit organizations to distribute to the thousands around the world without a jacket/shelter. We are very excited about this new step and will keep you all posted on how things progress."

Mar 18, 2010 at 4:34 pm #1588017

Connie Dodson
BPL Member

@conniedodson
Locale: Montana

Homeless who need it and want to stand out like a highway roadsign?

The last thing a homeless person sleeping out wants is to be discovered. It is dangerous living out like that, in an urban area. It is absolutely essential they be hidden and discreet.

Mar 18, 2010 at 4:40 pm #1588019

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

.

Mar 18, 2010 at 5:13 pm #1588038

W I S N E R !
Spectator

@xnomanx

"Plus the first time that they pass out and soil themselves in it into the dumpster or worse it goes. Too bad vagrancy is no longer illegal.. Get some help, get to work. I've never seen a Latino pan handling.. WTF."

Wow. This discussion just took a pretty bigoted turn.

Mar 18, 2010 at 5:45 pm #1588052

Jeremy Greene
Spectator

@tippymcstagger
Locale: North Texas

yes, suggest moving to chaff.

Mar 18, 2010 at 6:53 pm #1588083

drowning in spam
Member

@leaftye
Locale: SoCal

"Homeless who need it and want to stand out like a highway roadsign?"

That's not so bad to make them extremely visible. It used to drive me crazy when vagrants in Albuquerque would cross dark streets wearing dark clothing. I probably would've hit one by now if I still lived there, so I welcome anything that makes them more visible.

Mar 19, 2010 at 10:45 am #1588299

Steven Evans
BPL Member

@steve_evans
Locale: Canada

When I head out solo and sport all my SUL gear, my girlfriend always tells me I look like I'm homeless…maybe this really is a product for us!

Mar 19, 2010 at 12:15 pm #1588322

Eric Krumland
BPL Member

@eric_k
Locale: The northwest is the BEST

After spending three years in chicago and spending a lot of time with the homeless communities there, working with them try to get IDs and places for them to stay so they can have jobs, I can say they do not deserve all the crap people give them. They obviously made bad choices in life, but once you have fallen that low it is near impossible to pick yourself back up. Everyone is against you, gangs beat you up, cops throw you in jail and take anything you have, and the few handouts you do receive do amount to much. So don't judge so quickly next time.

Eric

Mar 19, 2010 at 2:11 pm #1588369

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

.

Mar 19, 2010 at 2:36 pm #1588372

Steven Evans
BPL Member

@steve_evans
Locale: Canada

I was actually being serious. My girlfriend really does say that. Ever seen a guy wearing a cuben poncho, cuben backpack, and cuben chaps….:)

Anyway, the product is a step in the right direction. It is integrating several pieces of gear which is what many of us try to do, but in this case it is not quite as usable as we would like, and not light enough.

But, good for them for thinking outside of the box. Maybe a few revisions will bring a more desirable product.

Mar 19, 2010 at 8:17 pm #1588563

Kathy A Handyside
BPL Member

@earlymusicus
Locale: Southeastern Michigan

I think the JakPak is a great idea that could fly once the issues with weight, fit, and breathability are addressed.

I like the idea of it for homeless. And Eric Krumland is right about the homeless. I have to say that some of the nicest people I've met have been homeless people. I have never had a homeless person NOT thank me for helping them; on the other hand, I've held doors for people who were in better situations, or have motioned people to cut in front of me on the highway, and never once did they say "thank you."

Mar 20, 2010 at 8:46 pm #1588905

Eric Blumensaadt
BPL Member

@danepacker
Locale: Mojave Desert

Is the Jak Pak a 2-in-one product or can it also serve as a pack cover?

Apr 19, 2011 at 4:38 pm #1726758

Joe Novak
BPL Member

@jnovak6

Hi Chris,
I realize that I'm coming to the party VERY late on this discussion and I hope this post finds it's way to you.

I found your quantification for attribute ratings interesting and I have a question.
The only thing that I can't quite come to terms with is how you derived the "normalized" value at the end of each evaluation.
Figures for both have a common factor of roughly 7.33 (achieved by dividing the normalized value into the score total for each product/system review).

Can you shed some light on this for me?

Thanks,
– JVK
Author

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