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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Integral Designs PLQ Jacket > Christine Korhonen > Field ReportIntegral Designs PLQ Jacket Field ReportChristine Korhonen February 1, 2006 Personal Information: Gender: female Age: 32 Height: 5' 4" (1.6 m) Weight: 150 lb (68 kg) E-mail: chris@wormguy.com Location: Western Montana Backpacking Background: I'm in Montana enjoying the summers and becoming re-acquainted with winter. Now that I'm back above the snow line, I'm attempting some winter camping and snowshoeing. I'm a lightweight backpacker mentally, if not always in practice. My summer pack weight is around 19 lb (9 kg) with a tent, but my winter pack hovers around 25 lb (11 kg). I have been backpacking since 2000. Product Information: Manufacturer: Integral Designs URL: www.integraldesigns.com Item: PLQ Jacket MSRP: US $200 Year Received: 2005 Color: Black Size: Large
Listed Weight - medium: 11 oz (315 g) Measured Weight - large (without stuff sack): 12 oz (340 g) Listed Stuffed Size - 8" x 5" (20 cm x 13 cm) Measured Stuffed Size - 7" x 5" (18 cm x 13 cm) Stuff Sack Measured Weight - 0.6 oz (17 g) Field information: I used this jacket in Montana and Wyoming at elevations from 4500' to 7500' (1400 m to 2300 m). Temperatures were around freezing with some light snow. PLQ jacket: The PLQ Jacket is a lightweight puff-style jacket with synthetic fiber filling and is one of the lightest jackets on the market. Field use: I've worn the PLQ several times after getting into camp during backpacking trips and after returning to the car after skiing or snowshoeing. It worked great when I got into camp since it fits over my hiking clothes (long sleeve wool shirt and lightweight shell). I could throw it on and start setting up immediately. As soon as I put it on, I immediately felt warm. The stuffed collar covers my neck and keeps it warm even when the jacket's front zipper is open. The thumb loops are just the thing, keeping the arm insulation over my wrists and covering enough of my hands so I don't have to put on gloves. The jacket is long enough to cover my butt when I stand, but I can push it up easily so I don't have to sit on it if I don't want to. The front zipper vents well, so I can release some heat without taking the jacket off. I haven't had a need to use the inside zippered pocket yet. Comfort: I find the PLQ very comfortable. The Primaloft insulation is very soft. I've been spoiled by down, but this insulation is nice and light. It doesn't bunch up, even when I'm lying on the jacket, trying to sleep. I haven't been able to wear the PLQ through the night yet, because the nights have been warmer than expected. I did discover that I have to wear a layer between my skin and the PLQ. When I tried to wear the PLQ by itself, the inner lining felt clammy after a while. A thin long-sleeve wool shirt provides a good wicking layer under the PLQ for me. There are tags sewn into the inner side seam of the PLQ, one that says "Pertex" and the other "Primaloft". Normally these types of tags bother me since they tend to scratch on my sides, but since I wore a shirt under the PLQ, the tags haven't been an issue. There's an extra loop sewn inside the jacket at the neck. I assume this loop is meant to be used when hanging the jacket on a hook to prevent the inner lining from wear. Sometimes I can feel this loop on my neck, depending on the shirt I'm wearing underneath. It doesn't hurt, but it's slightly annoying. The jacket makes some noise when I move around and it rubs together. This is most noticeable when I'm trying to sleep since I tend to move around a bit before I get comfortable. Waterproofness: I wore the PLQ while hiking on one trip when it was snowing lightly. It took some minutes for the flakes landing on the PLQ to melt, longer than I thought it would, but they eventually melted and the jacket wet-out in those spots. Curious, I tested the PLQ in my shower and found that the front zipper is the jacket's weak spot as far as water goes. All the moisture that came into the jacket was through the zipper and down the back of my neck. Although the outer lining wet-out after 5 minutes in the shower, the jacket did not saturate to the point where water came all the way through. Packing: The jacket packs down nice and small, and I can easily take it along on day trips even if I don't end up wearing it. I like this about it a lot. Likes: Light Comfortable Packs small Will watch: Hang loop at neck Side tags Test Plan: I will test the PLQ along the trails of Montana and Wyoming. I will pay particular attention to durability: how well the jacket stands up to normal wear-and-tear and washing. Conditions are expected to be snowy and cold. Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear Read more gear reviews by Christine Korhonen Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Integral Designs PLQ Jacket > Christine Korhonen > Field Report | |||||||||||||||||||