• Name : Graham Blamey
• Age : 62
  
• Height : 1.82 m (6' 0")
  
• Weight : 76 kg (168 lb)
• Email : gg@higray.fsnet.co.uk
• County : Essex
• Country : UK
• Additional product related information
  
• Torso :  53.3 cm (21")
• Chest : 104 cm (41")
• Waist :  86.4 cm (34")

Backpacking background

I started serious walking about 23 years ago and backpacking a few years later. I have backpacked, with my wife Ginny, mainly in Europe and the UK. We have spent three weeks of each year for the last seven years, backpacking in the French/Spanish Pyrenees. We spend at least one day a week on long day-walks, and take a number of three- to four-day backpacking trips throughout the year. We also take part in several night and weekend orienteering events. Our backpacking style is getting increasingly lighter as we explore the possibilities brought about by new materials and designs.

Product Information

Manufacturer	Duofold - USA
Manufacturer's URL	http://www.duofold.com
Country of origin	Vietnam
Sizes available	S - 2XL
Size tested	M
Colour	Black / Grey
Listed weight	Not listed
Weight as received	Size M - 305 g (10.75 oz)
Materials	86% Nylon - 14% Spandex
MSRP	US $70.00

Some features of the Multisport Mid Layer Jacket (taken from Duofold's website).


(This garment is now described on Duofold's website as "Duo Dri Men's Half Zip Jacket").

Product Description

From the labelling and care instructions enclosed with the Multisport Jacket I learnt that the "Fiber content is: WOVEN - 67% Nylon, 18% Polyester, 15% Spandex. KNIT - 92% Nylon, 8% Spandex".

The care instructions are: "Machine wash warm with like colours, no bleach, no softener, tumble dry low, cool iron". This is pretty standard for most synthetic garments, although, for the past few years I have used a washing powder in tablet form that has an integral softener. I guess I'll have to wash this garment (at least during the test period) by hand and I'll be interested to see if I notice any appreciable difference between this and my other synthetic garments that have been washed with a softener. I don't have a tumble drier and I certainly wouldn't ever consider ironing a synthetic garment that I was then probably going to squash in my pack.

The Duofold Multisport Mid Layer Jacket is made from a fairly closely-woven material that is a mixture of nylon/Spandex over most of the jacket (the areas shown as black in the picture) with a finer nylon/polyester/Spandex in the grey areas. The thicker material of the main body is claimed to be water and wind-resistant and the thinner, grey, stretchy areas are supposed to provide extra breathability and ease of movement at times of high activity. The material of the main part of the jacket has an interesting feel on the outside, rather smooth like a GoreTex rain shell, but the inside is more like a soft, fine corduroy. The front zipper comes down to about mid-sternum and zips right up to the top of the stand-up collar, where there is a small triangular pocket to cover the zip puller. See also my INITIAL REPORT.

Field Test Conditions

During the Field Test period, I've worn the Duofold Multisport Jacket on a couple of one-night backpacks, on a number of day walks, a few times at the gym and on bike rides.

The backpacking trips were on parts of The Three Forests Way, near my home, where we were looking for suitable overnight bivvying sites for a longer trip we're planning for later in the year.

The weather in the UK in January was cold, with averages below 10 C (50 F) during daylight hours and 3 C (37 F) during the night, with overnight temperatures dipping to -5 C (27 F) on a couple of occasions in late January. The UK had, surprisingly, almost no rain in January, so although it was cold, it was reasonably pleasant. In February, we had a brief, mild, wet spell and then a return to colder temperatures with some nights recording -8 C (17.5 F) in parts of the south-east UK. On occasions, a biting windchill made daytime temperatures feel more like - 6 C (21 F). What little snow we had during this period was wet and more like sleet, and didn't stay around for long. March has continued to be cold, dry and windy, to the extent that the south-east UK is anticipating enforced drought measures. The forecast is for milder (possibly wetter) weather to move in from the south-west at the end of the month.

Fit

In my Initial Report I mentioned that I thought the large size was a little too big for me. I received a medium size in exchange at the end of January and although the fit in the body of the jacket was better, it was clear that I wouldn't be able to wear more than a couple of base layers under it. The sleeves of the medium were a little shorter and the cuffs reached my wrists with no extra material to allow for movement.

Field Test

During the Field Test period I've tried to use the Multisport jacket in as many combinations as possible but I have to say that I've had difficulty finding a place for it in my outdoor wardrobe. For some reason, I just don't feel comfortable with the material. In my Initial Report I likened the outer surface to that of a GoreTex rain shell and the inner to that of fine corduroy. I was expecting the inner surface to feel softer and warmer against my body (over a base layer) but this hasn't been my experience. Pulling the jacket on is a bit like pulling on a stretchy, thin Neoprene wet-suit top.

The first  time I wore the jacket was on a day walk, when I substituted it for a 100 wt fleece mid layer over a mid weight base layer. I spent the first couple of hours of the walk feeling chilly as the jacket felt cool on me and it was only when I put a mid weight fleece on over it that I started to warm up. Later in the day when we came out of woodland onto a more exposed hillside, I had to put on my Pertex windshirt as well. I felt that the Multisport jacket was doing very little and was just an extra layer I wouldn't normally have worn.

On subsequent walks and on the two overnight backpacks I've taken the jacket on, I've tried various combinations of one and two base layers, different lightweight fleeces and outer layers and I've yet to find a combination that suits me and the Multisport jacket. At the moment I have to say the answer eludes me.

When involved in anything active, I've found that I can zip the front zipper up almost to the top but zipping it right up makes the collar feel a bit too constrictive.

On bike rides, the jacket has been reasonably comfortable and, over one or two long-sleeved base layers, has done a reasonable job of being windproof. Although I never really felt warm, I never really expect to on bike rides this time of year, particularly as the weather has sometimes been bitingly cold. The material has proven moderately water-resistant since I've never felt much moisture getting through in light rain. Essentially, the stretch material panels have meant that the jacket isn't restrictive, but the problem on bike rides has been that I would prefer a longer sleeve length as the cuffs ride up quite a bit and leave a gap between them and my gloves.

At the gym, with the jacket over a long-sleeved base layer, even after 30 minutes on a Nordic trainer, I was unable to break into a sweat and it was only when I put a sweatshirt on over the top that I started to get to a working temperature. It is quite comfortable for this type of activity though.

All-in-all, I have to say that my experience with the Duofold Multisport jacket has disappointed me. I should add here that it takes a lot for me to start sweating. On walks and when backpacking, if the weather's only a few degrees above freezing, it takes an hour or two of vigorous activity for my body to get to a comfortable working temperature. (I function best when the sun is blazing down and others are wilting.) As we move into spring and the weather starts to warm up, I'm hoping the jacket will become more useful. I just don't feel I've been able to exploit it's true potential in the current weather conditions.

During the testing period I'll be looking at every aspect of the Multisport Jacket, including:

Does a different size fit me better?

Yes, with reservations. The body of the jacket is a comfortable fit with one or even two base layers under it but the sleeves are a trifle short.

Is the jacket comfortable?

I have to say, on most of the occasions I've worn it, no. I'm finding the feel of the jacket difficult to get used to.

Is the material water and wind-resistant as claimed?

Reasonably, but I've not really had a good opportunity to test this yet as I've almost always worn other layers on top.

Is the material breathable?

So far I've not experienced any lack of breathability with the jacket, but then I have never got really hot in it either.

How warm is the jacket as a mid layer?

I don't find it particularly warm at all. I feel warmer in a 100 wt fleece.

What weight of base layer will I need to wear for various weather conditions?

So far, with two base layers under it, I've found I need another layer on top to feel really warm in the cold temperatures we've been experiencing in the UK.

Will it make my Pertex windshirt redundant?

No. I still find that in cold, windy conditions I need my windshirt on.

Can I wear it as an outer layer?

Not in the weather conditions prevailing at the moment and, at the size I have, there's not a lot of room for too much under it.

Is the sleeve pocket a superfluous extra?

For me yes, I've not used it.

Does it wear well?

So far, yes.

How long can I wear it without washing it?

I've washed it once (by hand) during the Field Test period.

Does it wash and dry well?

Yes. It was easy to wash and rinse out and then I spun it in the washing machine and hung it to dry in my airing cupboard. It dried fairly quickly and I didn't need to iron it.

Is it easily packable?

Yes. Like most synthetic garments, I just scrunch it up and stuff it in my pack. It takes up little room.

Likes

Style and design.

Dislikes

Material feels cool against me.
Doesn't really keep me as warm as I expected.

Testing

Over the next couple of months of the Long Term Test period, I'll continue to use the Duofold Multisport Jacket as a mid layer, possibly even a base layer or even an outer layer and under a rain jacket for some of the time, as the weather warms up in the spring in the UK. Although it's unlikely I'll use it in any upland or mountain areas yet, I'll be wearing it several times a week for day-walks, bike rides, at the gym and on at least two 3-4 day backpacking trips somewhere in the south east UK or English/Welsh border.

I am grateful to BackpackGearTest and Duofold for the opportunity to test this product.