Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Keela Rock Jacket > George Griffin > Initial Report

Advantages of system dual protection over conventional waterproof/breathable systems

The ability to move liquid and vapour moisture at rapid transportation rates, creates a more comfortable wearer environment.

Environmental conditions do not effect [sic] the performance of SDP.

The immediate absorption of moisture prevents condensation build in cold and wet conditions.

Two membranes provide extra durability, enabling the garment to continue working even if the outer is torn or damaged.

Two layers of waterproof material gives [sic] increased protection.

The air gap provides a thermal barrier protecting against heat loss.  Requires less layering than conventional systems.

System dual protection aids the regulation of body temperature and minimises shivering during periods of non-activity.

The swing tag also explains how the SDP works, I don't want to quote the whole of the swing tag and all the printed information can be viewed on Keela's website.


First Impressions

The jacket arrived in good condition and on inspection the jacket looked in good order, all the stitching is straight and there are no loose threads.  Overall it looks to be a well constructed jacket.

I also received an email from the manufacturer with 'tips and information' about wearing and using the jacket.  I did find this to be a nice personal touch and wonder if every buyer receives one, or whether there is a printed 'tips and information' sent with each jacket.

This looks a smart piece of equipment, the way that the jacket is constructed it looks like two jackets, by this I mean that you have the outer shell which is nylon and the inner is of a tight mesh construction.  It's this material that seems to give the weight to the jacket. The inner of the jacket can be seen in Fig 1. 

Two items that I did notice straight away were the two pieces of embroidery; one on the left sleeve and one on the back of the jacket. (figs 2 & 3)

      

        

I was concerned about these but on closer inspection both are tape sealed underneath but it will be interesting to see if these become a weak point for rain getting in.

The jacket has five pockets; four on the outside and one inside which is large enough to take an OS (Ordnance Survey) map.  The four outer pockets are arranged as two at roughly chest high and two are about midriff, the midriff pockets are larger and deeper than the chest pockets and will also take an OS map.  All four pockets are zipped and have a Velcro/leather pull on each zipper.

The pockets are covered by one long storm flap which is held in the middle by Velcro.

There is a double storm flap on front of the jacket which covers the zipper. The storm flap is held in place by three strips of Velcro. Each strip is 6½ in (16 cm) long. There are also  press studs at the top and bottom.

The scooped back is only about 2 in (5 cm) longer than the front of the jacket. Running through the bottom of the jacket is an elastic cord with cord grips so the jacket can be cinched in, to help keep warmth in.

The hood is a fold away type and makes up part of the collar.  Inside the hood is a mesh but this is different to the one in the main jacket.  The hood has a volume adjuster at the back of it, this is basically a piece of elastic with a cord grip which cinches the hood back to front.  The hood also has the same elastic and cord grips to tighten around the sides.

The hood has a wired peak which extends about 2¼ in (5.5 cm) from the hood.

The underarm zip ventilation runs in a straight line from directly under the armpit; the zip is 9 in (23 cm) long and has a small storm flap covering them, the zips are only one way (top to bottom) and also have a pull on them but this is a different kind to the pocket ones, these are just a basic piece of material.

Overall

This jacket looks like an ordinary lightweight waterproof jacket, until I pick it up.  The weight of the jacket tells that there is something else to it other than a nylon waterproof.  The second membrane inside the jacket, the manufacturer claims that this helps in two ways. Firstly, to help keep the wearer dry and secondly, it changes the conventional layering system and this means that the wearer doesn't need to wear/carry as much clothing.  The two membranes are described as being like double-glazing (similar to double pane windows).

The next four months

This jacket will be my main waterproof jacket for the next four months whether it be out on the trail, on the high street or riding my scooter.  Initially, I looked at this jacket just as a waterproof but seeing how the jacket is constructed, I will probably also use it as a jacket to help keep me warm when the temperatures are above freezing.

Some points I will be looking at are:

Does it really move liquid and vapour moisture at high rates?

Will the 'double-glazing' effect work, can I leave an extra layer at home?

How well will the jacket transport moisture with a day/full backpack pressed against it for several hours?

How well will the jacket deal with rain at 30/40 mph (48/64 km/h)?



Finally a big thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Keela for allowing me to test this jacket.

Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Keela Rock Jacket > George Griffin > Initial Report