GoLite Wizard Jacket
Field Report by André Corterier

Personal Biographical Information:

Name: André Corterier
Gender: M
Age: 32
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 78 kg (172 lb)
Chest: 100 cm (39.5 in)
Reach (sternum to touching fingertips): 72 cm (29.5 in)
Arm length (shoulder to wrist): 58 cm (23 in)
Standard clothing size: L
Email: andreDOTcorterierATfreenetDOTde
Home: Bonn, Germany
DATE: 2004-12-20

Backpacking Background:

I began backpacking in my late teens using Europe’s "InterRail"-System – weight hardly mattered, as we were on trains a lot. I usually traveled through southern Europe during summer, for about three weeks at a time, moving from campsites (often without tent) to youth hostels etc. I recently rediscovered backpacking and have started out slowly – single-day 15 mile (24 km) jaunts by myself or even shorter hikes (pushing a stroller uphill through the woods). I am getting started on longer hikes, as a lightweight packer. My gear is either old or really new – nothing in between.

ITEM: GoLite Wizard Jacket
Year of manufacture: 2004
Manufacturer: GoLite
URL: http://www.golite.com/
MSRP: 299.99 USD

Weight Comparisons - scale accurate to 5 g (0.2 oz)
GoLite listed weight (size L): 570 g (20.1 oz)
GoLite measured weight (size L): 555 g (19.6 oz)

Product Description:
You may want to look at the picture provided by the manufacturer (link above). I found the manufacturer's website easy to navigate and full of pictures which seemed to give me a good impression of what the actual product looked like. This was certainly true for the Wizard, although it would have been nice to see the different available colors on the website. Due to the stretch panels on the jacket, which are always black, the jackets whose primary color isn't black have a less homogeneous look than the black one. The website shows the jacket in "night" color (black). Mine is in "fatigue", which is a darkish green, with the stretch panels in black. The surface is slightly shiny and shows the grid pattern of ripstop nylon - the tag inside says the shell is "100% nylon". You can find a (much) more detailed description of the jacket in my Initial Report.

Field Experience:
I've used the jacket throughout the field testing period as my main outdoor jacket, which meant wearing it most days. Temps ranged from about 5 C below freezing (25 F) to about 15 C (about 60 F), wind from none to lots, precipitation from none through light mist, heavy fog, light and heavy rain to light snow. Altitude was insignificantly above sea level, activities included hiking (duh), climbing, running and bicycling.

Cut & Fit:
I have found that with the hem drawcord pulled just a bit tight and the ConvertiCuffs partially extended, the jacket looks like a blouson, aka "bomber jacket". So my style issue with the 50's look briefly mentioned in my Initial Report has changed - I have found that I rarely bother to keep the ConvertiCuffs stored inside the sleeves. It find it much easier to just let them hug my wrists on the exposed side of the sleeve. This also has the effect of lengthening the sleeves that little bit which I otherwise found missing in the sleeve length (being a long-limbed person). I now consider the ConvertiCuffs, partially extended, to be part of the sleeve length and find that the jacket fits really well. The only style issue I could still raise is the weird-looking WatchWindow. When wearing black or green underneath the jacket, it is hardly noticeable - but it looks really odd with a checkered shirt in blue and white underneath. I have found that even when hunched over the aerobars of my bicycle, the jacket covers *just* enough of my back to create a wee bit of overlay with my rain pants so that I do not get soaked there. The cold spot I reported on in my Initial Report may have been due to the particular pants worn that day - I believe the jacket is of barely adequate length. For its intended purpose, that means it is just right, additional length would be wasted.

Features in Use:

ConvertiCuffs:
As I have noted above, I no longer bother storing the ConvertiCuffs inside the sleeves. Instead, they hug my wrists outside of them and can be pulled over my thumb as demi-mittens at a moment's notice. I find myself doing that a lot these days, as temperatures have been hovering around freezing. For jogging in the early morning, with temperatures a wee bit below freezing, I pull them over my fingers entirely. This encloses my fist in a tight layer of fabric. This makes for warm fingers when jogging, and moist ConvertiCuffs afterwards. Strangely, I find the highest amount of moisture stuck to the inside of the sleeve just inside of the cuffs - this area was positively wet after about a half hour of exercise.
Apart from jogging, however - where they are excellent - I have not made much use of the feature which allows to enclose the hand in the cuffs. When walking, I had the impression that the pressure exerted upon my hands by the tight fit of the cuffs reduced the circulation in my hands, thereby negating any positive effects the added insulation provided. This also became uncomfortable after a while. I find that I am unable to use this feature at all on my bicycle - while I can (just) close my hands around the handlebars of my bicycle and still have the ConvertiCuffs cover my fingers, I am unable to grab the brakes when doing so, because the fabric of the cuffs won't stretch that far. For me, this also precludes effective use of a walking pole.
Without extending them fully, however, I have found the cuffs to be good - hooking them over my thumb made the jacket move with my body even more when climbing, and putting my gloves on with the cuffs hooked over my thumb made certain that, even when hunched over aerobars, no part of my arms was uncovered. I found this enjoyable so far and am certain that I will be even more happy about it as temperatures continue to fall. The fact that "gloves" and sleeve are connected is something I am beginning to appreciate, whether I use actual gloves with the jacket or just extend the ConvertiCuffs.

WatchWindow:
Well, the season's been getting later here in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing colder temperatures and thus prompting me to wear long sleeves continuously. This means that the WatchWindow has mostly treated me (and lots of other people) to a clear look onto the sleeve of whatever I was wearing beneath the jacket. This - like the jacket in general - has proven to be an excellent conversation starter. My feelings about this feature are still ambivalent. I wonder whether it would work much better in an alpine sports environment. If I were gaining serious height (the kind that would have me want to consult the altimeter often), what gain would the WatchWindow bring compared to strapping the altimeter to the outside of my shell?
What it's definitely done is impress upon me just how much moisture I lose through sweating when physically active - as a lot of this condenses on the WatchWindow. I take this to mean that the WatchWindow isn't breathable, and will see whether any of this freezes once the temperatures get seriously cold (for me, from temperate Western Europe, that means -10 C (14 F) or less).

Pockets:
I have found the pockets to be a mixed bag. Their location allows me to adjust the amount of ventilation I want very well, especially if the wind is coming from the front (which it seems to do a lot these days, not just on my bicycle). Storage is something else, though. I keep my gloves in there in cold weather - this isn't a problem, as I put them on when I go outside. Other items like a ball-point pen or my keys, however, can fall out (and have done so) when I open the pockets for ventilation and move around a lot. Of course, when moving around a lot is when I need the ventilation most. I believe this could be improved.

Zippers:
They all still work, are not prone to snagging, and I have not had a drop of water enter through them (when closed).

MP3-Pocket:
The pocket takes my MP3-player well and I have to say I enjoyed having it there on longer bike rides and when jogging. I have now answered a question which I asked myself in my Initial Report - where one would add a second headphone guider loop to justify the use of the plural. One would put it on the other (right) side of the jacket, in the exact spot the existing one occupies on the left (when wearing the jacket). This would allow me to thread the other earpiece through it. As it is, the earpieces dangle by their cable, which is annoying at times. Also, while my cell phone fits into this pocket, it also slides out and falls when I position my upper body so that its top opening points down (e.g., when tying my shoes). This also could be improved.

SkullGlove:
The SkullGlove has seen little use so far, though that will certainly change for the Long Term Report. I have confirmed that it fits underneath my bicycle helmet, but in practice my glasses quickly fogged up. I will see whether this changes with less exertion. I do not always wear my glasses, either, but on my bicycle it is necessary.

Stretch:
I have little to add in this regard to what I've said in my Initial Report. The jacket generates next to no resistance to my movements, whether it is jogging, bicycling, hiking or climbing. While the stretch panels still seem curiously stiff to me, in combination with the jacket's cut the desired effect is achieved. I am happy about this.

Weather Protection:
I've been out in a few serious rain showers with this jacket and have stayed bone dry (except once, when I forgot to close the front pocket zippers). Not only that, but the material has let water simply run off its surface - drying it afterwards was more a factor of shaking moisture off than any actual air drying. I like this a lot as it implies less weight taken on and a lesser amount of potentially heat-sapping moisture located close to my body (if on the far side of the shell).

Breathability:
This is the aspect of the jacket I am most impressed with. For a seriously waterproof shell, very little moisture seems trapped underneath it. The WatchWindow has allowed me to compare the amount of moisture condensed underneath it with the amount of moisture condensed underneath the stretches of sleeve next to it. The difference is striking - with significant moisture (aka "wet") showing on the WatchWindow, the insides of the sleeves a little higher up still felt almost dry. I have the strong feeling that the venting options of the jacket are a large factor in this - I have been able to prevent excessive sweating the best when I was moving quickly - on a bicycle, it worked perfectly, still very well when jogging and also when hiking (as I then tend to sweat less). Steep, long uphills, however, combining slow movement speed and low relative air speed with high exertion, led to moisture buildup underneath the jacket until I felt able to open it entirely.

Warmth:
This may be the reverse side of the coin in respect to breathability - I was disappointed, at first, at how little the jacket seemed to help in keeping me warm. While it definitely keeps out the wind (once all zippers are closed), it still has very little in the way of insulation. But then, it is marketed as a "Storm *Shell*". I can layer insulation underneath it if I feel so inclined, but do not have to carry the weight of the insulation if I do not.

Durability:
No issues so far. I have worn the jacket almost daily and to all of my more active outdoor pursuits. It has served very well and is unblemished. I have not yet taken it through thick brush or the like, however. This may still occur during the Long Term reporting phase.

Comfort:
The jacket is comfortable. Especially in the beginning, however, when keeping the ConvertiCuffs hooked over my thumbs, I found that the pressure exerted on the fold of skin connecting my thumb with my palm became uncomfortable after a while, even painful (after a *long* while). This may be due to long limbs (I am almost certain that another cm - call it a half inch - of sleeve length would take care of this problem). This could also be a slightly longer ConvertiCuff. I have found that the amount of time which passes before this becomes uncomfortable is lengthening - I am uncertain whether this is due to less pressure exerted on the area because of a loss of stretch or something similar, or due to my becoming used to it. In either event, about an hour or so is now a time frame in which I do not encounter this problem.



Suggestions for Improvement:
1. Get rid of the "SkullGlove" contraption. It seems like a fine balaclava, but I would really prefer being able to choose whether or not I take it with me, and if I chose to, I'd want to store it in a real pocket while I'm not using it. I find that having it sown to a pocket detracts from its usefulness, and the pocket in question, while I haven't found it bothersome even with a backpack on, adds nothing to the jacket's usefulness. So it's dead weight.
Of course, one might be able to engineer a "SkullGlove" much like the "ConvertiCuffs". I am thinking of a tight- fitting elastic hood, stored in the collar, with an additional section of the same material extending from one side of the hood and fixed over the lower half of the face by attaching it to the other side of the hood with hook&loop fastener. This might make the "SkullGlove" more accessible and smaller (less weight). It might then also be an experience-enhancing feature of the jacket in fact, not just in name, extending the neat unified arm cover feature of the ConvertiCuffs to the head cover.
2. Make the ConvertiCuffs (a little) larger. They would be more comfortable then.
An idea might be to triple the material on the back of the hand, rather than double it - as it is, when I have my thumb through the hole of the ConvertiCuff meant for it, the material on the back of my hand is folded over once, with the fold at the forward end of the sleeve. This means that in order to close the mitten, I fold a single section of fabric over my hand. If the section of material to be so folded over was a sleeve, I'd be able to insert my fingers into this sleeve. This might create a mitten which would allow me to grab things.
3. Add a little hook&loop fastener to the top of the MP3-pocket. Whatever the wearer chooses to store there would be that much less likely to fall out.
4. Convert the pockets on the front to "Napoleon" pockets. I believe that to do this, the mesh part of the pockets would only need to extend downwards for another 10 cm (4 in) and have their zipper on the side closer to the center zipper. The longer length would allow for more storage options and prevent small objects from falling out of the pocket when the zipper is open for ventilation purposes. Having the zipper on the other side makes the contents more easily reached (by using the other hand).
5. Add a second headphone guider loop to the other side of the jacket.