Reviews > Clothing > Childrens Clothing > Sierra Designs Hurricane > Anthony Smith > Initial Report

Sierra Designs Hurricane Rain Pants and Parka
Initial Report
October 19, 2005

Tester Bios
Child
Name: Cameron Smith
Age: 6
Gender: Male
Height: 3’ 10” (1.17 m)
Weight: 40 lb (18 kg)
Chest: 21.5 in (55 cm)
Waist: 20.5 in (52 cm)
Hips: 25.5 in (65 cm)
Arm Length: 18 in (46 cm)
Inseam: 17.5 in (44.5 cm)
Backpacking Background: Cameron has been camping and hiking since he was about 18 months old. He will currently carry up to 5 lb (2.5 kg) of his own gear. Cameron is very comfortable sleeping in his own tent, and has expressed interest in trying hammock camping. Cameron is growing into an avid outdoorsman, always asking when the next trip to the woods is.

Adult
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 155 lbs (73 kg)
Email address: tjsmith1946@gmail.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida USA
Backpacking Background: I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored more towards backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights. I am planning some longer trips in the near future.
My current pack weight is around 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) without food and water, depending on if I'm solo camping or taking my son along, as I have to carry some of his gear. I am a dedicated hammock camper and have tailored my personal gear to that aspect of camping.

Product Information

Year of Manufacture – 2005
Manufacturer URL – www.sierradesigns.com

Item	Pants	Parka
Size Tested	Small	Small
Color Tested	Charcoal	Navy
Stated Weight	N/A	N/A
Weight as Delivered (including stuff sack)	4.4 oz (126 g)	8.4 oz (236 g)
Inseam	19.5 in (49.5 cm)	N/A
Waist	30 in (76.2 cm)	33.5 in (85.1 cm)
Length	28 in (71 cm)	21.5 in (54.6 cm) back length
Sleeve Length	N/A	23.25 in (59 cm)
Stuffed Size (Approx)	5.5 x 2.5 in (14 x 6.3 cm)	6.25 x 3 in (15.9 x 7.6 cm)
MSRP (USD)	N/A	N/A

Initial Information/Observations

The Hurricane Pants and Parka came in plain plastic wrappers with a small informational tag on each item. The tags detail specifics of the materials used in the construction of the item, as well as listing Sierra Designs' warranty. Both the pants and parka are constructed of a "2-layer Nylon taffeta face fabric with DWR and dry Polyurethane coating." Both tags list the fabric as 100% Nylon with a fabric weight as 3.6 oz/yd^2 (119 g/m^2).
Both products differ somewhat from what was expected based on the website descriptions. The pants are described as having ankle zippers and a zippered thigh pocket, which the item received does not. The jacket is listed as having Extremity Vents™ that go from wrist to upper arm, and the item received does not have these. Beyond those issues, the items are as described and the colors are a very close match to those shown on the website.
The jacket fits well around Cameron's body, but the sleeves are a bit long. This is easily handled with a hook-and-loop fastener on the wrist of each sleeve that also functions to seal the sleeves from rain. Also for sealing the jacket there is a drawstring around the base of the jacket and one on either side of the hood. All the drawstrings have a slide lock to assist with keeping the drawstrings in position when tightened. There are two pockets on the front of the jacket, one on either side near the bottom of the jacket. Both outside pockets have zipper closures, and the pocket is made of mesh which according to Sierra Designs allows some ventilation of the jacket if left open. The left side of the jacket also has two internal pockets that line up with the pocket on the outside. The Hurricane parka has a full-length zipper in the front of the jacket. The zipper is covered by a flap secured with 1.5 in (3.4 cm) sections of hook-and-loop fasteners spaced approximately 3 in (7.5 cm) apart along the flap. The top of the flap is sealed with a snap closure.
The pants fit Cameron well in both length and around his waist. The pants have a drawstring around the waist as well as one around each ankle, constructed of the same elastic and cord lock as the drawstrings in the jacket. The pants have two pockets, one on either side near the waistband. The pockets on the pants are constructed of the same nylon as the pants, not mesh pockets like the jacket.
Both the pants and parka came with a stuff sack constructed of what appears to be the same material as the items, with a mesh top that appears to allow the items to ventilate if put away damp. Each stuff sack has a drawstring closure with a slide lock that functions similarly to the slide locks on the pants and parka. Both the pants and the parka are easy to roll up and fit into the stuff sack without much effort at all.

Field Information

The Hurricanes will be tested in a variety of locations throughout Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama. During the testing period, expected weather conditions range from a high near or just above 80 F (27 C) to lows approaching or creeping to near 20 F (-7 C). We also anticipate varied levels of precipitation, from bright sunny days with low humidity all the way to torrential downpours.
We have numerous trips planned during the test period to include a 3 night backpacking trip, several one night trips, and several day trips that the Hurricanes will be utilized on. In addition, Cameron will use the Hurricanes around town should any precipitation occur.

Test Plan

Among the items we intend to explore with the Sierra Designs Hurricane are:
Durability
1. How well constructed are the seams on both the jacket and the pants? How well do they hold up to the “gentle” care a 6 year old provides his gear?
2. How well constructed are the vents, and how well do they hold up?
3. How well constructed are the pants, especially around the knees?
4. How well does the jacket handle being worn while a backpack is carried?
5. How well does the rain gear handle being packed into and pulled out of Cameron’s backpack?
Comfort
1. How well does this system prevent Cameron from getting wet in rain, potentially even in a downpour?
2. Does Cameron complain of being hot while wearing this rain gear, or does it seem to be comfortable for him? Do the vents seem to help with any overheating issues?
3. Is the gear comfortable for Cameron to wear while carrying his backpack?
Function
1. The jacket appears to have both a zipper and snaps for fastening. How easy is this for small hands to fasten?
2. How easy are the pants to get on and off, given a variety of shoes?
3. How easy is it for Cameron to get the jacket and pants into the included stuff sack? Is he able to do this on his own, or does he require adult assistance?

Any other issues that arise during our testing will also be reported on.

Our thanks to Sierra Designs and BackpackGearTest for allowing us to test this item.

Reviews > Clothing > Childrens Clothing > Sierra Designs Hurricane > Anthony Smith > Initial Report