Reviewer Information[return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Email address: chuck_kime AT yahoo DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: May 9, 2006

Backpacking Background[return to top]
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5. After 17 years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load in my ALICE pack. Advancing age, arthritic knees and injuries have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and hammocks, make some of my own gear, and look closer at my ‘toys’ with an eye for multi-use and light weight. I now have a sub-30 lb (14 kg) 3-season load, and should be able to reduce it well under 20 lb (9 kg) – before food, fuel and water – without much more effort.

Additional Information applicable to this test
Shoulders: 56” (142 cm)
Girth at chest: 57” (145 cm)
Chest: 46” (117 cm)
Waist: 42” (107 cm)
Hips: 46” (117 cm)
Torso: 21½” (55 cm)

Product Information[return to top]
Manufacturer: Duofold
Model: Multisport Mid Layer Jacket
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.duofold.com
Listed weight: none
Measured weight (Size XL): 12.4 oz (352 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Black/Grey
MSRP: $70.00 US

Features/claims (from retailer site)[return to top]

Soft, breathable fabric resists wind and repels water. Best of all, it wicks away moisture to keep you even drier.
Extra spandex adds supple stretch for easy freedom of movement.
Built-in abrasion resistance protects your skin against chafing.
Convertible collar with half zip lets you customize your comfort.
Zip pocket on sleeve stows your keys and change.
Bold color-block pattern gives you a sleek, modern look.

Description [return to top]
The Duofold Duo Dri Multisport Mid Layer Jacket is a pull-over design with a half-zip and stand-up collar. The major portion of the jacket (see photo at top) is a black knit with a tight outer weave and a soft lining. The side panels and inner sleeves are a grey stretch fabric. The jacket has a straight hem and cuffs, with elastic in the grey portion of the cuffs. A single zippered pocket is included on the left upper arm. For a more detailed description, please see my Initial Report.

Field Testing [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly, generally in the wooded areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains. Almost all of these outings included a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures from lows around 25 ºF (-4 ºC) to highs around 70 ºF (21 ºC) on the days I wore the jacket during the 4-month test period. Elevations ranged from sea level to approximately 1,500’ (457 m).

Since my Field Report I have continued wearing the jacket to and from work, at least on cooler mornings, and around town to add some more miles, as well as our annual Spring Camporee, where overnight temps dropped to about 40 °F (4 °C) both nights, with highs near 65 °F (18 °C). I find it quite comfortable, even as an outer layer (we have had quite a ‘warm snap’ – the Camporee was a cool weekend), and my wife likes the looks of the jacket, which is uncommon for most of my backpacking attire. Additionally, I washed (machine wash cold, line dry) the jacket, also using a pill remover on the inside of the collar. The jacket looks nearly new, and feels great. This one will get a lot of wear over the coming years

Things I was looking for:

Durability. Does it stand up to wear and washing? Does it pill, pull, or otherwise abrade significantly under normal circumstances? If not, how long does it take for this to happen?
Comfort. Does it move with me? Does it bind? Does it ride up when worn with a pack? Does it stick to my skin if I am wet/sweaty? If so, does it bind or inhibit my movement?
Warmth. How cold can it get and still keep me warm? How much warmth does it add to my sleep system?
Wind. Does it stop the wind? Does the inside surface get chilled?
Wicking. I tend to generate a lot of heat when moving, due both to large muscle mass and plenty of – ahem – ‘natural insulation’, so I will be especially interested in the capability of the jacket to keep me dry. Where does the moisture go? Can it escape?
Looks/fit. Does the jacket retain its shape when worn for consecutive days without washing? Does it fit over my normal cold-weather layers?
Fabric. Is it durable? Does it stretch appropriately? Does it fade? Is it waterproof? Windproof?
Packability. How packable is the jacket? I plan to put it in my pack when I’m not actually wearing it.
Ease of washing. Would it be easy to wash in a trail town, for example? Are there particular washing instructions that must be followed? Does it dry quickly?
Pockets. Are the locations convenient? Are they adequately sized?
Zippers. Do they function smoothly? Are they durable?

My findings:

Durability. The only pilling I have noticed is on the inside of the collar, where my beard stubble rubs on it. This is also where I had the irritation during our trips – perhaps there is a relationship?
Comfort. It moves well without binding, and stays put.
Warmth. It adds about 15-20 °F (8-11 °C) to my jacket.
Wind. The black portions stop the wind fairly well.
Wicking. Unzipping the jacket has been sufficient to vent any undue heat, and it must wick well, as I have yet to feel sweaty while wearing it.
Looks/fit. Fits very well under my wool jac-shirt, and a military-style field shirt I wear. It also has my wife’s approval as an outer garment.
Fabric. Stretches nicely. The black portions repel light rain, at least for the length of time I have been in the rain.
Packability. Packs down fairly small.
Ease of washing. Washed well, was dry by morning. Yay!
Pockets. Left sleeve pocket very nicely sized for ID/credit cards.
Zippers. I am impressed with the fabric ‘wedge’ at the top of the zipper when zipped, to protect the wearer from the zipperhead.

Things I like [return to top]

Light.
Comfortable.
Warm.

Things I don't like [return to top]

The collar just fits my neck (I wear an 18 in/46 cm collar on my shirts), but I’ve been called a fathead before. :-)

Thank you for your time.

Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy

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