Personal Information

• Name : Graham Blamey
• Age : 61
  
• Height : 1.82 m (6' 0")
  
• Weight : 75 kg (165 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 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 L - 330 g (11.6 oz)
Materials	86% Nylon - 14% Spandex
MSRP	US $70.00

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

"Performance and function to take on any trail. 86% nylon / 14% spandex; wind resistant and water repellent; highly breathable; stretch for freedom of movement; abrasion resistant; zip pocket on sleeve".

(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.

Initial Impressions

I liked the look of the Multisport Jacket as soon as I unwrapped it. The quality of construction is good and all stitching was straight, neat and even. I was a little surprised by the feel of the material. I have four similarly-styled mid layer tops, all in variations of 100 g or Powerstretch fleece and I think I was expecting something along these lines. Having said that, I really liked the feel of the material from the inside, and it slid over my head easily. The whole garment felt a little stiff and not very supple (the stand-up collar was a bit uncomfortable where it had creased at an odd angle when packed, but I think this will go after it's been worn a bit). The front zipper slid up and down easily and when the jacket was zipped right up the collar was snug, almost too snug. Still, I was trying it in the comfort of my living room and not a freezing, windswept hillside, so I'll reserve judgment there. The sleeves and cuffs were comfortable and I had a full range of movement without any discomfort. At the cuff end of the sleeves there are no fancy hook-and-loop closures, just a simple elastic inside the material seam, so no real adjustment here. One thing that did puzzle me was the name 'Jacket'. My definition of a jacket is something where I put my arms in the sleeves and fasten the garment at the front by means of buttons or a zipper. The Multisport, in having only a half-zip at the front, is what I would describe more as a pull-on, pullover, sweater or simply a 'top'.

All-in-all I liked the jacket very much, with one proviso. It seems to me, by the shape and materials of the jacket, that it's supposed to be fairly close fitting (this was confirmed in subsequent correspondence with Duofold). I'd ordered a size large, which would be my usual size for a garment of this nature but, had I been trying this on in a store I would probably have gone for a medium, as the jacket hung rather loosely from my fairly straight, slim frame. In accordance with Duofold's instructions, I have returned the jacket and am awaiting delivery of a size medium.

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

Does a different size fit me better?
Is the jacket comfortable?
Is the material water and wind-resistant as claimed?
Is the material breathable?
How warm is the jacket as a mid layer?
What weight of base layer will I need to wear for various weather conditions?
Will it make my Pertex windshirt redundant?
Can I wear it as an outer layer?
Is the sleeve pocket a superfluous extra?
Does it wear well?
How long can I wear it without washing it?
Does it wash and dry well?
Is it easily packable?

Likes

Style and design
Materials

Dislikes

None so far

Testing

Over the next couple of months of the Field Test period, I'll be using 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 in what are the worst winter months in the UK. Although it's unlikely I'll use it in any upland or mountain areas it's quite possible that even in the south-east we'll have moderately severe weather during this period, with sub-freezing temperatures, days on end of rain, drizzle or mists and even a little snow. I'll be wearing it several times a week for day-walks, bike rides, maybe 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.