Field Report

VersaLayer Ability Softshell Jacket
Field Report
July 25, 2006

Biographical Information

Product Information

Field Conditions

Field Test

Summary

Future Test Plans

VersaLayer system

Biographical Information
Name	Jennifer Pope
Age	25
Gender	Female
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)
Weight	140 lb (64 kg)
Email address	Jennifer dot Pope at gmail dot com
Location	Los Angeles, CA
Backpacking Background Intermediate. I've been a car-camper as long as I can remember and started backpacking in Northern California when I was 16. I've been backpacking for a little over a year after a hiatus during college. I backpack in the Sierras as well as other National Forests and Parks in the Los Angeles vicinity. I also spend time in the California deserts and the mountains and coast of Northern California. I'm a tent camper leaning towards lightweight; but I'm also a fan of gadgets and I like being comfortable. I also frequently day hike close to home and while car camping.

Product Information (back to top)
Manufacturer	VersaLayer
Manufacturer URL	http://www.versalayer.com/
Year of Manufacture	2006
sleeve length (from top of shoulder to wrist)	20 inches (51 cm)
hip width	40 inches (102 cm)
jacket length (from neck to bottom of jacket)	29 inches (74 cm)
Claimed Weight	28.0 oz (794 g)
Actual Weight	29.0 oz (822 g)
MSRP	$349.95 US
Outer Material	2-way stretch woven nylon with an 80 wash DWR coating
Insulation Material	CoreWarmth Poly Fiber-Fill
Lining Material	Poly Microfleece / Tricot Mesh
Purpose	"The Ability is designed for high output alpine activity."

For a more detailed product description please see my Initial Report.

Field Conditions (back to top)

I brought the jacket with me on a trip to Sequoia National Park. I car-camped the first night at 6,700 ft (2,040 m) where temperatures ranged between about 60 and 80 F (15 and 25 C). The skies were clear and there was a slight breeze. The following night I backpacked for one night. Camp was at 10,300 ft (3,139 m). That night temperatures dipped into the 40s F (5 C) and there was a fairly strong wind throughout the night and morning. I was able to wear the jacket in the evening and morning while hanging around camp.

I also wore this jacket for a day of sailing in San Diego Bay. It was overcast but in the 60s (15 C). It was breezy since we were on the water and traveling fairly quickly over the water.

Field Test (back to top)

Unfortunately it's been a little warm in California for a jacket this heavy. Thus far I've only been able to wear the jacket on a handful of occasions: during the evening on a backpacking trip, on an afternoon sailing excursion, and another time it was merely packed along in my pack but it never got cool enough to actually wear it. Thus far I've never been in cool enough condition to actually be doing physical activity and wearing the jacket (unless steering a sailboat is considered physical activity).

In it's limited experience I've really liked the jacket. I like the flexibility of being able to compress the insulating material if it's not quite as cold. When I wore the jacket on the sailing trip I frequently went from cool into warmer areas. I was able to regulate this by both compressing the insulating material and unzipping the jacket.

This jacket packs pretty well for the warmth it provides. I carry a fairly small pack (52 liters/3200 cubic inches) by my standards. I am able to fit the jacket in my pack along with my bag, pad, cook pot (with my kitchen inside), the rest of my clothes, food for the weekend and a few other miscellaneous items (lucky me- hubby carries the tent). On one trip I packed the jacket on the outside of my pack (see below- though it's kind of hard to see since the jacket and the pack are black). The jacket survived slightly rough treatment being banged around on the ground every time I set my pack on the ground. Any dirt I accumulated I simply brushed off.

Versalayer on a backpack

Unfortunately I haven't encountered any moisture yet. No rain or any other moisture. This also means that I haven't had a chance to use the hood in the field yet.

Summary (back to top)

The jacket is heavier than I initially expected and it hasn't been ideal for the type of weather I have experienced over the first two months. Even so, I like the jacket so far. I hope to be able to use it in a greater capacity over the next two months. The jacket seems very well made and of high quality materials and it seems to shed dirt pretty easily.

Future Test Plans (back to top)

I will continue to wear this jacket hiking, backpacking, biking, and for casual weekend wear as weather permits. In addition I'll be wearing the jacket on a sailing trip to Catalina Island where I hope to get some cool ocean breezes on and off the boat. I hope that the weather will cool down for the rest of the test period so this jacket can get a more thorough workout. I'll be wearing the jacket from sea level up to over 10,000 ft (3,050 m) - give or take depending on where my late summer hikes take me. I'll be under diverse conditions which may include beach sand, the rocky mountains of the Sierras, forested areas, shrubby chaparral and probably more. I may encounter rain (light or thunderstorms), wind, cool temperatures (in the 30s F/~15 C), hot temperatures (up to the 90s F/50s C), etc. Though I don't expect to be wearing the jacket up to the upper limit of that temperature range.

I plan to evaluate how well this jacket works during the late summer months. This jacket is designed to be worn in a wide range of temperatures and I plan to find out if a jacket can really manage that. I will evaluate how well the jacket ventilates to keep me cool and dry when it's warm and I'm exerting myself. I will also report on how well it works with just a thin base layer and with a base layer and a mid layer when it's cooler outside. I hope to encounter temperatures cool enough to test both ends of the spectrum. I plan to evaluate how well the VersaLayer system works keeping me warm and cool as well as how it works functionally in the field.

In addition to performance, I will also report on the durability of the jacket over the 4-month test period. I'll report on whether it tears or fades over time. As well as how easy it is to keep clean and if it holds on to odors and dirt. I'll also report on how easy it is to pack and whether is holds up to being packed on the outside of my pack.

I want to thank BackpackGearTest.org and VersaLayer for giving me the opportunity to test this item.

Read more reviews of Versalayer gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Pope

Reviews > Clothing > Jackets > Versalayer Ability Softshell > Jennifer Pope > Field Report

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