Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Integral Designs eVENT Rain Jacket > David Sowards-Emmerd > Initial Report

Initial Report - Integral Designs eVENT Rain Jacket
May 16, 2005

Name: David Sowards-Emmerd
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8'' (1.73 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Chest: 41'' (104 cm)
Email Address: drunken_marmotATyahooDOTcom
Los Altos, California, USA
Date: May 16, 2005

Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking semi-frequently about four years ago, soon after moving to California. I generally take weekend (1 night) trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my backpacking experience is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000' (1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy snow in the mountains. In winter and spring I split time between Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snow camping in the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country. I have reduced my pack weight down to less than 50 lb (23 kg) over the past year - including food/water and a bear barrel. I'm trying to include more mountaineering, climbing and bouldering in my trips.

The product was received on May 11, 2005.

Product Description:

Manufacturer's Description:
''Designed to provide protection from rain and wind, this lightweight, fully waterproof unisex jacket is comfortable to wear all day long. Features include a fully separating waterproof front zip and an integrated elasticized hood. Adjustable cuffs and bottom hem are trimmed with black coated taslan nylon for increased durability. A large (8'' x 9'') vertical zippered breast pocket is designed to store maps and small items. Sizing is snug as the eVENT Rain Jacket is designed for active use over one or two base layers.

Made from eVENT, a direct venting, air-permeable PTFE trilaminate fabric with a triple grid 30 denier nylon face fabric, the eVENT Rain Jacket is one of the lightest most compact high activity rain jackets available. The fabric has a high rate of moisture vapor permeability which means that there is no excessive condensation buildup on the inside during active use.

Sizes:
Small 34-36'' 8.5 oz (242 g)
Medium 38-40'' 8.9 oz (251 g)
Large 42-44'' 9.5 oz (270 g)
X-Large 46-48'' 10.3 oz (293 g)

Packed Size: 4'' x 8'' x 2'' in Silcoat Stuff Sack
Colours: Yellow, Dark Green''

Specifications (as measured by tester):
Weight(jacket): 9.7 oz (275 g)
Weight(stuff sack): 0.42 oz (12 g)
Size(packed): varies, but approximately 7.5'' x 7'' x 3.5'' (19 cm x 18 cm x 9 cm)
Note: this could definitely be packed tighter into a smaller bag, or a hat and gloves could be put in the accompanying stuff sack along with the jacket.
Color: Yellow
Size: Large
Front Zipper Length: 26'' (66 cm)
Pocket Zipper Length: 6.5'' (16.5 cm)
Stuff Pouch (laid flat): 9'' x 9'' (23 cm x 23 cm)
Breast Pocket (laid flat): a full 10'' x 8'' (25.5 cm x 20 cm) plus it extends approximately 6'' x 2.5'' (15 cm x 6 cm) under the sleeve/underarm

Product Description:

The eVENT Rain Jacket is a trimmed down, highly-breathable rain jacket constructed of the direct-venting eVENT fabric. Features include a large, urethane-zippered (YKK) front pocket, a full length front urethane zipper (YKK), a sewn-on hood, a shock-corded bottom hem, and adjustable cuffs. The front pocket is actually constructed of two layers of eVENT fabric - I had expected mesh/netting for the inner side of the pocket. I'm curious if this works out better when trying to keep something dry, say a camera or phone, in that pocket. The cuffs are partially elasticized, and have a hook-and-loop flap as a secondary closure for additional tightening. The bottom hem contains a single, long piece of shock cord and has tighteners on both ends next to the base of the front zipper. The triple grid on the face fabric gives the material an interesting look (see photo). The inner side of the fabric has a soft, silky feel to it, and hopefully it stays that way! The cuffs, bottom hem, and edge of the hood are all trimmed with black taslan for added durability. Inside, all the seams, except at the taslan trim and the Integral Designs logo over the pocket, are thoroughly taped. Yellow thread was used on the yellow bits of fabric, and black thread on the black bits of fabric, camouflaging the stitching. Inside are two tags just above the hem: an Integral Designs tag and an eVENT tag with washing instructions and ''FREQUENT WASHING REQUIRED FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE'' written in bold. Lastly, there is no inner flap behind the main zipper and there is no hang loop behind the neck.

Initial Impressions and Fit:

YELLOW! Very YELLOW! But it's the nice orangey kind you'd see on a high-end sports car, not the ugly kind. My wife commented that I looked like a Mariner when I first put it on. Overall, the jacket seems to be very well made, using the best materials as far as I'm concerned. As usual, the manufacturer knows best when it comes to sizing. Based on chest size, I lie between sizes medium and large, so I allowed the manufacturer to choose the correct size for me based on chest, height and weight. After sending this information in, I was able to try on both a medium and a large in Santa Cruz, CA and decided for myself that the large was slightly big on me, but in the medium, I really didn't have the full range of motion I wanted with my arms. As I hoped after trying them on, I was sent a size large jacket. Overall, it fits very well and is quite comfortable, even sitting around the house. My only complaint is that the wrist closures be able to tighten a bit more as they are slightly loose. The other area I was worried about was the hood, since it is not adjustable, but this seems to fit well and is comfortable so far. I was able to fit my Primaloft hooded insulating layer (Loki Lodur Highloft) underneath the rain jacket with minimal compression, so this jacket will definitely accompany me year round.

Specific things to test:

• One of the main things I'll focus on is breathability, especially during strenuous activities (climbing, peak bagging, biking, x-c skiing). Does it breathe well enough that pit zips aren't needed? Any problems with condensation inside, or wetting out?
• Is the elastic-only hood a good compromise, or are more adjusters needed? Will a helmet fit under the hood, or comfortably over the hood?
• Is the chin area comfortable?
• How glove friendly are the adjustable cuffs and is it easy to get to a watch? Are the cuffs large enough to be pulled up to the elbows?
• How well does the hood shed rain? Does it just drip right down on my face/nose? Does the hood work well over a rain hat?
• If the jacket breathes really well, will having something like a waterproof map in the front pocket create a noticeable local moisture buildup in that area?
• How comfortable is the front pocket with a heavier item in it, say a camera, GPS, or both?
• Are there any 'hot spots' when worn under a pack (waistbelt, back or shoulder strap areas)? Is the front pocket still completely accessible, or does a shoulder strap cover part of it?
• Durability: Is it tough fabric, or does it abrade easily with noticeable damage during the testing period? - Weatherproof: Does it keep out the rain? What about the zipper? What about the pocket - is my camera safe in there? I'll test this initially by wearing it in the shower.
• Is the material heavy enough and/or stiff enough to keep it off my skin? How does it perform on its own (no other top on) compared to with a light wicking layer?
• Can the hood be stowed or rolled down and tucked into the jacket somehow?
• How often will I wash the jacket and how will I determine when it needs washing?

Test Plan and Testing Locations:

As I'm currently looking for a job, my future is a bit uncertain at the moment, but most likely, my wife and I will take most of the summer off and backpack, climb and otherwise bum around California, and possibly Colorado, Utah, Washington? In any case, I will be able to get a good deal of testing in well before that time here in California, including a potential Lost Coast trip (notoriously rainy/wet area), a few more ski/snowshoe trips in the Sierra and southern Cascades since we've got a hefty snowfall this year, and more keeps coming (should be able to ski in July), hopefully a trip up Rainier late in the summer, and my usual wandering around California. Use probably fall under two categories: trips where I expect it to be rainy/snowing (immediately and then towards the end of the testing period) and sunny California weather summer trips where high country thunderstorms may dump some rain on me during the day, but where I'd primarily be carrying it as a windbreaker. I expect to use the jacket both for dayhikes as well as backpacking, and probably a bit around town also (although the yellow is a little bright). Unfortunately for immediate testing purposes, the arrival of this jacket seems to coincide almost exactly with the end of the rainy season, although showers are forecast for this week, and I will make sure to be 'out there' during the rain. Due to the light weight and packability of this jacket, I anticipate carrying it on all overnighters and extended trips during the testing period. I plan to use the jacket with a wide variety of setups, ranging from just a sleeveless base layer, to several base layers and a fleece jacket, possibly over a primaloft insulating layer and maybe under a lofty down vest.

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Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Integral Designs eVENT Rain Jacket > David Sowards-Emmerd > Initial Report