Integral Designs eVENT
Cruiser Jacket
Most recent update: March 8,
2007
Initial Report
Review Date: October 24, 2006
Name: Pat McNeilly
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 8” (1.7 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email
address: patrick dot mcneilly
at hhs dot gov
City, State, Country: Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Backpacking Background:
I have been hiking for at least 20 years but backpacking for only the last four
years. Most of my backpacking is done as
overnight trips and occasional weekend and weeklong trips. My typical pack weight is approximately 18 to
20 lb (8 to 9 kg) before food or water.
Most of my backpacking is the three season variety in the mountains of
Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In addition to backpacking, I also fish, hunt, and have been involved in
disaster relief. As a result, some of my
backpacking equipment gets use in a number of different venues.
Product Information:
Product: eVENT Cruiser Jacket
Size: Medium
Manufacturer: Integral Designs
Year of Manufacture: 2006
Color: Green
Jacket Weight: 10.8 oz (306 g) [measured];
11.5 oz (326 g) [listed]
Stuff Sack Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g) [measured]; no listed weight
URL: http://www.integraldesigns.com
MSRP: $200 US
Product Description:
The
Integral Designs eVENT Cruiser Jacket is a light
weight waterproof jacket constructed using a breathable 40 denier nylon eVENT fabric. The
jacket is a solid green color with a 1.75 in (4 cm) high triangular Integral
Designs logo and a 1.5 in (3 cm) eVENT logo attached
to the left chest region of the jacket.
The jacket has a 25.5 in (65 cm) black waterproof zipper with a 3 in (8
cm) zipper pull attached bearing the Integral Designs name. There is also a 1.75 in (4 cm) roughly
triangular patch of fabric at the top of the main zipper to protect the chin
from contacting the zipper. The jacket
also has a stand-up collar which measures 3 in (8 cm) in the front and 3.5 in
(9 cm) in the back. The hem of the
jacket is curved and the front measures 23 in (58 cm) from the base of the
collar to the bottom of the jacket, while the back measures 29 in (74 cm). Lycra bands rim the wrist openings and the
bottom hem of the garment. The product
utilizes raglan sleeves with shaped elbows.
The jacket has two front pockets with 7 in (18 cm) zippers located on
the side seams. The pockets measure
approximately 10 in (25 cm) x 10 in (25 cm).
All seams on the garment are taped.
Product Review:
The Integral Designs eVENT Cruiser Jacket arrived in
a padded shipping envelope. Inside, the
garment was stored in a clear sil-nylon stuff sack
which measures 9 in (23 cm) x 9 in (23 cm) and has a 9 in (23 cm) zipper and a
1 in (2 cm) hang loop. Located inside the stuff sack were two cards, one describing the
Cruiser Jacket and another describing the eVENT
fabric. The product appeared as
it did on the manufacturer’s website.
Overall,
the product appears to be very well made.
The outside of the jacket has a soft feeling somewhat like a cotton
polyester blend. The inside is a silver
color and has a rather slick feeling to it.
If examined closely, I noticed that the interior of the eVENT fabric has a very fine ribbed structure. The stitching appears to be very tight and
uniform. I do not notice any problems
with the taping of the seams. The only
thing of any concern that I noticed is that a few of the stitches around the lycra hem appear to be loose (I am
being very picky here).
The jacket fits very well and I can easily layer a fleece underneath without
feeling too tight around the arms or chest.
The manufacturer’s information indicated that the back is 3 in (8 cm)
longer than the front. However, I
measured a 6 in (15 cm) difference between the front and the back. When the jacket is zippered the lycra band at the hem pulls the
bottom in against the body which also pulls the hem in the back up slightly and
effectively creates a roughly 3 in (8 cm) difference between front and back.
The jacket has a raglan sleeve design which allows for no seams in the shoulder
region and no apparent binding when moving the arms. The sleeves are slightly long for me but this
allows me to reach up without having to expose my wrists. The lycra bands at
the wrists also provide just enough snugness to keep the sleeves in place but
not too tight around the wrist.
The waterproof zipper runs the length of the jacket’s front and is somewhat
stiff. This is particularly true as I
pull the zipper to the very top near my chin.
I find it rather difficult to get the zipper the last 2-3 in (5-8cm).
The collar is stiff enough to stand up on its own but no too stiff to be an
annoyance. The pockets seem to be large
enough for holding fairly large items.
There are two tags on the inside of the jacket at the collar with differing
cleaning instructions. The first is from
Integral Designs which indicates that the jacket should be hand washed with
mild soap. The other tag appears to be from the eVENT
fabric manufacturer which indicates that the fabric should be machine washed
with liquid detergent. This leaves some
ambiguity on what the proper cleaning method is.
Test Plan:
I plan to use the eVENT Cruiser Jacket as my primary
raingear on any backpacking to hiking trip I take during the course of the test
period.
I plan to evaluate the following:
Size/Fit:
How is the Cruiser Jacket in terms of layering?
How bulky an item will fit underneath?
How easy is the jacket to put on when wearing various types of materials
underneath (e.g., fleece, wool, polyester)?
Do the sleeves allow the wearer to reach overhead without binding?
Do the lycra cuffs provide adequate closure, or do
they allow water to run in (particularly when reaching up)?
Does the collar close tightly against the chin and is it comfortable?
Waterproofness/Breathablity:
How well does the jacket keep out water in various rain conditions.
Does it handle light rain but not a downpour?
Is the jacket breathable? Does hiking in
the jacket cause excess sweating?
Does the jacket work well as a wind shell in the absence of rain?
Features:
Does the waterproof zipper operate smoothly?
Does it loosen up over time?
Does the collar provide adequate protection from water running off a hat or the
back of my head?
Are the pockets large enough to hold items such as gloves?
Can I access the pockets with gloves on?
Durability/Care:
Does that 40 denier fabric need special care.
Can the fabric hold up to abrasion? Are
there special wear areas, such as the elbows or the zipper?
How easy is the Cruiser Jacket to clean?
Is there a difference between machine washing and hand washing for this
product?
Will the loose threads on the lycra hem come loose?
This ends my initial report of the Integral Designs eVENT
Cruiser Jacket.
Field
Report
Review Date: January 10, 2007
Field Information:
I have been using the Cruiser Jacket on a variety of trips. This includes everything from weekend trips
to driving around town and shopping in the jacket.
I have worn the jacket on overnight trips in Maryland
and northern New Jersey
where temperatures ranged from 18-50 F (-8-10 C). I did not run into any rain on these trips
but did encounter some windy conditions along with the cool temperatures. I have also worn the jacket on a number of
day hikes throughout central Maryland and
northern Virginia. Temperatures on these hikes ranged from 25-60
F (-4-16 C) with varying wind conditions.
On a few of these day hikes, I did run into mild to moderate rain. Elevations for all these trips ranged from
300-1500 ft (91-457 m).
Product Review:
I have been using the Cruiser Jacket for approximately ten weeks and I find
that the jacket’s fit is very comfortable and I have received a number of
complements on the looks of the jacket (one from another outdoor clothing
manufacturer’s representative). The
garment is very well made and I have not noticed any problems with wear of the
fabric or loose seams (other than what was mentioned in my initial
report). As I mentioned above, the
jacket can easily fit over a fleece and I can even add a third insulating layer
but at that point I feel some bonding under the arms and around the chest. I am able to fit my down vest under the
Cruiser Jacket but if I wear another insulating layer under the vest I seem to
get a little too much compression of the down.
The inside of the jacket has a somewhat slick feeling and I find that I
can easily slide the jacket on over most any fabric without any problem.
The sleeves allow for adequate movement and stay in place when reaching over my
head. Although the sleeves are slightly
long for me, the lycra cuffs
tend to fold inward slightly. This
allows for the extra fabric which is folded inward to provide complete coverage
of the arm and wrist when reaching out.
The water resistant zipper remains somewhat stiff and I have noticed that I occasionally
have a problem getting the zipper started.
I find that I have to be particularly careful when aligning the ends of
the zipper. If not aligned properly the
jacket won’t close. If I reposition the
ends of the zipper I am able to zip the jacket properly. I have not had any problems with water
getting through the zipper as of yet.
I
have not worn the Cruiser Jacket in any downpours but have been out in some
light and moderate showers. One thing I
will note is that water actually beads up on the jacket and runs off. If I step into a dry place, I can literally
shake the water off the jacket. The
jacket provides ample coverage but the rear bottom hem tends to be pulled upward
and exposes a bit more to the elements. I have not had any major problem with
this up to this point. I also note that
when I wear any kind of pack with a hip belt the rear hem does not ride up as
much and this becomes less of an issue.
The collar stands quite high up on my neck and provides very ample
protection from rain when wearing a hat.
During light rain situations, I have found that when only wearing a
baseball cap (i.e., no rear brim) I did not notice water running down my
neck. On the other hand, when caught in
a shower in town without a hat, the collar was not enough protection from
moderately blowing rain. The best
solution I have for this is to wear a waterproof hat with a brim which seems to
work fine but I have not been able to test this in heavy rain.
The eVENT fabric of the Cruiser Jacket seems to
breathe very well. I have been on a
number of hikes in warmer temperatures and have found that although I feel heat
building up under the jacket, I do not have excessive problems with
perspiration. A few times I have been in
conditions where I feel I am really working up a sweat and found that simply
up-zipping the jacket part way allows for adequate ventilation.
In colder temperatures the fabric tends to get stiff and makes a crinkling
sound when I move around. This does not
seem to affect the performance of the jacket with respect to water repellency
or breathability.
In windier conditions, I have used the Cruiser Jacket as a wind
shell. I have found it to work well in
this capacity.
The pockets on the Cruiser Jacket are located on the side seams and are fairly
low down on the garment. The pockets are
of ample size and I can fit my hands in side but I feel that I am reaching far
back to get access to the pockets. The
pockets can store gloves, a map, or any variety of small items. However, when wearing any type of hip belt, I
am not able to access the pockets. I
also find that the zipper pulls on the pockets are too small. I find it difficult to open the pocket
zippers quickly, particularly when wearing gloves. If I wear anything but the thinnest of gloves,
I am not able to open the pocket zippers.
The material of the Cruiser Jacket does seem to retain odors. I have found that over time the jacket has
begun to pick up less than favorable smells.
The manufacturer does note that relatively frequent cleaning is
necessary to keep the eVENT fabric working
properly. Although the jacket has been
picking up odors and worn very often, I have not seen any problems with the
water repellency or breathability of the fabric. I have yet to wash the garment but have
rinsed the jacket in only water which has helped in removing some of the
odors. I anticipate washing the garment
as part of my long term report.
I typically do not use a stuff sack for my rain gear since I prefer to have it
available without any additional fumbling.
Since it is available, I have used the Cruiser Jacket with its stuff
sack on hikes where I did not feel that rain was likely but I wanted an
additional shell garment. The jacket
stuffs very easily into the sack and the sil-nylon material of the stuff sack
slides nicely in and out of a pack. Most
of the time, though, I am not sure what to do with the stuff sack and it ends
up staying in one of the jacket’s pockets.
This concludes my Field Report.
Long Term
Report
Report Date: March 8, 2007
Field Information:
Since my Field Report, I have used the Cruiser Jacket on a series of day hikes
in central Maryland and northern Virginia. Temperatures on these hikes ranged from 20 to
50 F (-7 to 16 C). I only encountered
light rain on a few of these hikes but did run into some windy conditions. Elevations for all these trips ranged from
500-1500 ft (152-457 m)..I continue to wear the jacket
around town running errands and to other outdoor activities.
Product Review:
As I continue to wear the Cruiser Jacket, I like it more and more. It keeps rain out well and I have found it to
be very breathable. It also seems to be
an excellent wind shell. I have noted
that as long as I zip the jacket up I usually stay warm in windy conditions.
As mentioned above, the jacket breathes very well. I have not found myself wishing for pit-zips
or other venting options. I wore the
Cruiser jacket while attending my very first orienteering meet (what a blast –
if you haven’t you should try it) where my son decided we should run the
course. I agreed and even though I was
overdressed, I was not drenched in sweat at the end of the course which really
surprised me.
Since I have not encountered any heavy downpours while wearing the Cruiser
Jacket, I tested the product in my home shower.
I put the jacket on over a grey t-shirt so that I would be able to
easily see any areas were water may have gotten through. I wore a waterproof rain hat with a 2.5 in (6
cm) brim to prevent water from running down my neck (I felt this would
reasonably replicate what I would wear on the trail). I subjected the garment to the full force of
the shower for a full 5 minutes at which time I dried the jacket off with a
towel to prevent water on the outside of the jacket from wetting the shirt
underneath. I found that the jacket did
not leak at all. A small amount of water
did manage to get down the front and back of my neck. The water resistant zipper on the front did
not let any water through which was a concern that I had. After the shower testing, the jacket seemed
to dry very quickly at room temperature.
One exception to this was the lycra
hem at the bottom and around the wrists.
These areas remained wet much longer than the rest of the garment and
felt rather cold and clammy when I put the 
jacket
back on.
I next decided that I should launder the jacket and repeat the shower sequence
to see if the laundering process affected the product in any way. Since the jacket has two different washing
instructions, I went with the instructions from the manufacturer of the eVENT fabric since they likely know more about the fabric
than Integral Designs. These washing
instructions state “Machine wash warm with liquid detergent. Secure all zippers and closures. Rinse twice.
Hang dry. Steam
iron warm to rejuvenate water repellent finish. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Do not dry clean.” These instructions were followed to the
letter. I then repeated the shower test in the same manner noted above. I did not find any water entering the jacket
other than around the neck, as before. I
did notice that water did seem to wet the fabric in the area of the shoulders,
whereas other areas the water beaded up.
I believe this was due to not ironing this section of the jacket as well
as other areas.
The jacket has shown little wear. I have
noticed a small 0.75 in x 0.5 in (1.9 cm x 1.3 cm) patch on the left front
shoulder area which has begun to show some wear from pack straps rubbing. I have found a 1 in (2.5 cm) pull in the
fabric on the left sleeve from a run in with a thorn. I have not noticed any decrease in
performance due to these small problems.
I also noted that after laundering the jacket a few of the threads at
the base of the collar have loosened up.
This isn’t an opening of the seam but it was noticeable and potentially
could be a problem later on. The photo
at the right shows some of the loose threads with simple pin easily inserted
under the threads. I would not have been
able to easily do this prior to washing the jacket.
This ends my reporting on the Integral Designs eVENT
Cruiser Jacket
Summary:
The Integral Designs eVENT Cruiser Jacket is a light
weight, well constructed rain jacket.
The overall design of the jacket is simple without excess frills but
allowing for good fit. The Cruiser
Jacket appears to provide good protection from rain and wind and has excellent breathability. For
the most part, the Cruiser Jacket is simple and performs well,
however, the location of the pockets and their zippers makes them hard to access.
Things I like:
1. Light weight
2. Good fit
3. Good water repellency
4. Good breathability
5. Snug fit at wrists
Things I don’t like:
1. Loose threads at Lycra hem (minor
issue)
2. Small zipper pulls on pockets
3. Not able to access pockets with
hip belt
4. Stiff main zipper
5. Conflicting washing instructions
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Integral Designs and
BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this excellent product.
