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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > Sherpa Adventure Vajra Jacket > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen
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INITIAL REPORTMay 23, 2011
Product Information:
The information below came from Sherpa Adventure Gear's website and product tags.
Product Description:The Sherpa Adventure Gear Vajra jacket (hereafter called "Vajra" or "jacket") is a lightweight, water resistant, hoodless, insulative jacket. The jacket has a 100% ripstop polyester outer shell with DWR treatment. The lining is PrimaLoft One, which is also a polyester material. The insulation is 60 gsm or 60 grams per square meter. The inner lining is also 100% ripstop polyester. The jacket has two zippered hand-warmer pockets; one on each side. Each pocket has a zipper approximately 7.0 in (17.8 cm) in length. The pockets are 9.75 in (24.8 cm) deep. Additionally, there is a zippered Napoleon pocket on the left breast. The Napoleon pocket zipper is approximately 6.5 in (16.5 cm) in length. The pocket itself is 7.25 in (18.4 cm) deep. The four zippers: the main full-length, two hand-warmer pockets, and the Napoleon pocket, appear to be YKK CONCEAL coil zippers. Each slider has a pull; the main zipper pull being the largest of the three. The Vajra has a standing collar that extends approximately 2.5 in (6.4 cm). The jacket's full-length zipper extends to the top of the collar. There is not a zipper garage at the top. "SHERPA" is embroidered in white over the left breast.
Inside the jacket, there are two large mesh pockets: one on either side. Each pocket measures 13 in (33 cm) wide and 11 in (27.9 cm) deep. There are two tags sewn in the seam near the left mesh pocket. One tag says "PrimaLoft One" on both sides. The other tag lists the materials on the front side and care instructions on the back. The care instructions are:
In addition, there are two tags and a hang loop sewn at the back of the jacket at the base of the collar. One tag says "Made In Nepal" and has the size. The other tag, sewn atop of the hang loop, has the Sherpa logo and says "Sherpa Adventure Gear" on the front and "Because Life is an Adventure!" on the backside.
The jacket felt very lightweight. Both the outer and inner lining material is slick to the touch. Upon initially feeling the material, I questioned whether it would withstand much wear and tear. Testing should provide me with more information on that. As one might guess, such a lightweight jacket by nature is very thin. It will be interesting to see whether the Vajra lives up the manufacturer's claim that this jacket "will deflect wind and cold even in wet conditions." Overall, I am initially pleased with this no-frills lightweight jacket.
After removing the jacket from its packaging, I inspected it for noticeable flaws. I found all seams to be tight and straight and no fraying or snags in the lining material. The zippers all worked smoothly. I donned the jacket to check fit and the Vajra fit me nicely. The sleeves were sufficient in length. The torso girth was appropriate; not too little and not too much. And, when fully zipped, the collar fit nicely too.
FIELD REPORTAugust 2, 2011
Idaho Falls, located in southeastern Idaho, is approximately 4,500 ft (1,372 m) above sea level. Temperatures on the nights worn were in the mid 30s to low 40s F (1.7 - 8.3 C). Winds were generally mild. Island Park Scout Camp (IPSC), located between Ashton, Idaho and West Yellowstone, Montana, is approximately 6,500 ft (1,981 m) above sea level. During the nine days I spent at IPSC, the high temperature was 57 F (14 C) and the low was 32 F (0 C). It rained three consecutive days, and on Monday June 13, we received nearly 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of rain in a very short, but heavy downpour.
Although temperatures during this phase of the test were generally quite warm, I did have opportunity to wear the Vajra several days. I must say, the jacket performed great. Early in this test phase, I wore the jacket on late-night walks in my neighborhood. It was light enough to not be too warm, but provided an excellent barrier against the cool of the night. The Vajra got a real test in mid-June at Island Park Scout Camp. At IPSC, the days were long, 18+ hours, and I walked most of the 103 acre (0.42 km2) camp; several times over. Because the early mornings and evenings/nights were cool, I wore the Vajra every day. In addition to the cool temps, we had three consecutive days of rain. Worn by itself, the Vajra provided adequate warmth while walking camp and while relatively inactive during program camp fires. It was also great during the light to moderate rains; it repelled water very well, the stand-up collar kept my neck dry, and the synthetic insulation kept me plenty warm. During the heaviest downpours, I donned a hooded hard-shell over the jacket. This combination got quite a workout as it was my go-to system during the heaviest rains. The lightweight Vajra provided plenty of insulation by itself and when combined with an outer shell. Based on its performance against the lighter rains, it may have been sufficient by itself during the heavy downpours. Had I had a better hat to protect my poor bald head, I would have given it a go. As a result of wearing it alone and in combination with a hardshell, I am very pleased with the Vajra. I see this lightweight insulative layer getting lots of work in the future by itself, and combined with a hardshell or even a heavier insulative jacket on cold, wet days and nights. The jacket fits me nicely around the neck and through the shoulders and torso. The sleeves are long enough for my arms and the tail extends enough to help keep my big behind warm and dry. The jacket does not bind in the shoulders/pits. There are no loose threads, runs in the polyester shell, and the zippers work smoothly. Thus far, this has been a great jacket.
LONG TERM REPORTOctober 4, 2011
Not having been cleared by my surgeon to resume backpacking, I was left to complete this test series via day hiking. I took the jacket on my September 16th hike which was about 5 miles (8 km) in Kelly Canyon, which is located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Idaho Falls, in the Targhee National Forest. The area known as the Kelly Canyon Nordic Area starts at an elevation of approximately 5,900 ft (1,798 m) and reaches elevations of 6,700 ft (2,042 m). The sky was cloudy, the temperature was in the 50s F (10 - 15 C), and it rained. The temperature has fallen the past couple of weeks so I have been able to wear the jacket approximately 5 additional times. In the mornings, when I went to work, the temperature was in the mid 30s to mid 40s F (1.67 - 7.2 C) and the skies were partially to completely overcast. Along with the falling temperature, the weatherman is saying there is a good chance for snow in our area for elevations above 8,000 ft (2,438 m) this week. So there will be many more opportunities to wear this great jacket.
The Vajra still looks new. The jacket has been laundered a couple of times and there are no fraying threads, runs in the material, or problems with the zippers. The jacket continues to provide a great lightweight insulation with water repellency. I have to say, I am quite impressed thus far with the PrimaLoft One filling in the Vajra. Although I have not worn it in what I would call cold temperatures, the Vajra has provided great warmth on the cool days and nights I have worn it. Moreover, the jacket seems to breathe fairly well. This is a big plus during highly aerobic activities such as biking, cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing. In addition, with the bulk of it being the PrimaLoft One, the jacket compresses very nicely (see photo below left). Better in fact than my medium weight fleece jacket. And, the Vajra is lighter in weight than my medium weight fleece jacket. As much as I love my fleece jacket, the Vajra may replace it as my lightweight insulation.   Although not fully compressed, one gets a good sense of the Vajra's compressibility from the photo above left. In that photo, the jacket is in a stuff sack next to a 1L water bottle. The jacket can be compressed to about half of the size shown in the photo. When the jacket is pulled from such a stuff sack, the nylon shell is quite wrinkled. However, within seconds the wrinkles are virtually gone as illustrated in the photo above right. Therefore, I don't have to worry about folks making fun of the guy in the wrinkled jacket. From my testing, I believe the Sherpa Vajra to be a well thought out alternative to fleece. It can be worn alone through three seasons and as medium insulative layer in ones layering system for colder temperatures. This jacket will be a staple item for me for years to come.
Sherpa Adventure Gear and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test this great jacket. Read more gear reviews by Ryan Lane Christensen Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > Sherpa Adventure Vajra Jacket > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There is gray Lycra binding around the top of the collar, around each cuff, and around the hem. This binding is stretchable.