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Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Adidas Wandertag Mens Rain Jacket > Test Report by Michael Pearl
ADIDAS WANDERTAG JACKET
INITIAL REPORT - April 18, 2016
TESTER INFORMATION
I have a great appreciation for the outdoors and get out at every opportunity. I am a three-season, learning to be a four-season backpacker and year round hiker. Currently, my trips are two to three days long as well as an annual week-long trip. I utilize the abundant trail shelters in my locale and pack a backup tarp-tent. I like to cover big distances while still taking in the views. I have lightweight leanings but function and reliability are the priority. I mostly travel woodland mountain terrain but enjoy hiking beautiful trails anywhere. PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Adidas INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The Wandertag jacket arrived folded inside a clear plastic bag. There were four hang tags attached to a label inside the jacket. One is simply an Adidas brand tag and another a bar code sales tag with model, size, color and price information. Two other provide information about climaproof and state the jacket is completely waterproof and highly breathable, water column: 10,000 mm, breathability 10,000 g/sqm/24h. TRYING IT OUT
The Wandertag fits nicely and is comfortable. The zipper fastens easily and moves smoothly. I find a bad zipper on a good waterproof fabric very frustrating. The collar has a very soft and smooth finish on the inside. However it is rather tall and touches my ears when fully zipped. This will take some getting used to. The hook and loop cuffs seal securely at the wrist. The hood is very roomy but space is easily eliminated by the two drawstrings and hook and loop on the back. The bill or visor looks to be a good size and angle for shedding water. The hood can be folded up and tucked into an exterior pocket in the collar. However this makes the collar rather bulky. The two external side pockets are small and just fit my hands. The left interior chest pocket is a little larger. There are two drawcords on the sides at the bottom of the jacket. Both are easily accessed and engage and disengage without trouble. SUMMARY
The Adidas Wandertag men's jacket is a clever named, well made rain jacket. I like its purposeful design and minimal features. However I would trade hand pockets for underarm vents. Now it's out into the field (and I just can't resist) for some wonderful wandertag walking in wet woods! FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
Two Day Hikes - Appalachian Trail - Hanover, New Hampshire PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I have packed the Wandertag jacket on all my day hikes. However I only list two as all others it stayed in my pack. What my use thus far has shown me is that I no longer even notice the collar. This was a minor issue I had while trying on the jacket during my Initial Report. Hiking at a moderate pace at 50 F (10 C) in steady rain my upper body remained dry wearing the Wandertag. However raise the temperature to 60 F (15.5 C) on the same trail, at the same pace with slightly less rain and I became damp in the jacket from perspiration. No rain fell on my night out. But the Wandertag was a nice defense against mosquitoes until the temperature dropped. Then it was just enough to block the chill in the air before bedding down. In the morning the Wandertag made it more comfortable to move from my sleeping bag to the crisp morning air. SUMMARY
While the Wandertag and walking in the woods have been wonderful, it hasn't been very wet here lately. Still I feel the Wandertag is a good backpacking rain jacket. While I did overheat once I have modified my use of rain jackets in warm weather rain over the past few summers. I no longer try to stay dry while hiking. I rather get dry and stay dry at the end of a hike, day or overnight, especially overnight. I have no doubt in the Wandertag's ability to keep me dry in camp while it's raining. I hope to have just such an experience during the next portion of the test series. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
It has been a rather dry season in my region. So the Wandertag Jacket has not seen abundant action. The occasions that I did use the Wandertag I was nothing but pleased with its performance. All features continue to function as before. The most used being the zipper, it continuously opens and closes easily and never snagged my chin thanks to the chin guard. The loop and hook closures at the wrist still hold tight. I really haven't used any of the pockets, so I would still trade their weight for underarm vents. The hood covers my head very well. I made one adjustment to the back of the hood very early in the test series and never felt the need to change it. The front draw cords I pulled tight a few times to block the wind. They both cinch and release easily. Most importantly the fabric has retained its excellent level of protection from the rain and wind. SUMMARY
In the end I like the Adidas Wandertag Men's Jacket. It has withstood the use I have put it through without incident. It remains in very good condition with no defects. The Wandertag has kept me dry and warm when needed. I feel it is best suited for temperatures below 60 F (15.5 C) if moving at a fast pace. In temperatures up to 65 F (18 C) I was comfortable if at rest or slow pace. I will continue using the Wandertag for the remainder of the season to discover its low temperature comfort point. When spring comes back around the Wandertag will be in my pack once again. This concludes my Long-Term Report. I would like to extend my appreciation to Adidas and BackpackGearTest.org for making this test series possible. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Read more reviews of Adidas gear Read more gear reviews by Michael Pearl Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Adidas Wandertag Mens Rain Jacket > Test Report by Michael Pearl |