Name: Louis Luangkesorn
Height: 5' 6” (1.7 m)
Weight: 150 lbs. (68 kg)
Age:34
Gender: Male
Email: lluang at yahoo dot com
Home: Pittsburgh, PA
Jacket Size: 41
Waist: 31in. (.8 m)

I am a beginning to intermediate backpacker. I have gone camping on occasion over the past 10 years. I have started going on backcountry trips over the past 1 1/2 years. I also go on day trips in Illinois and Indiana. I am also a photographer and I try to have my hobbies go well together. While I am lightweight for a serious photographer (manual SLR, 2-3 prime lenses, and occasionally either a compact tripod or a relatively light full sized tripod) the volume and weight of this effectively removes me from the ultralight backpacker category. My total weight (everything but the clothes I'm wearing) for a weekend fluctuates between 25-40 lbs. (11 - 18 kg) depending on season, how serious I happen to be about photography and cooking on that trip and who I am with. Since I've already given up on ultralight, I usually give myself the luxury of a tent, sleeping pad, cooking stuff and an alcohol stove. Other activities include running and bicycling.

Product Description

Manufacturer: Red Ledge
Website: http://www.redledge.com (under construction)
Product: Red Ledge Cirrostratus Jacket
MSRP: not available
Year of Manufacturer: 2004

Manufacturer's weight: not available
Measured Weight: 13 oz. (370 g)
Color: Mercury (gray)
Size: Large
Height down back Center: 31 in. (.8 m)
Front zipper length: 27.5 in. (.7 m)

The Red Ledge Cirrostratus Jacket came in a plastic bag. This was good because the box it was in was crushed and broken open. It has a rip-stop nylon shell with a thin polyester liner. The nylon shell is advertised as having the T-Core coating which is intended to allow the shell to be both waterproof and breathable. There are two zipped pockets for the hands. Each of the pockets is lined with the same thin fabric as the liner. There is also a zippered chest pocket. The chest pocket is lined by the rip-stop nylon of the shell. The two sleeves have elastic cuffs with a Velcro strap which can be used to tighten cuffs around the wrist, or possibly to force the cuffs loose around the wrists for ventilation. The waist has a drawstring cord that can tighten the waist. There is also a rain hood. When not needed it can be rolled up and zipped inside the collar. The hood has a drawstring in the back which can tighten the hood so that it conforms closer to the head. In addition there is a drawstring cord around the opening of the hood.

Field Conditions

The jacket has been used in southwest Pennsylvania. In addition to day trips, and I've packed it for weekend trips. I've used it when running and in day to day use. Weather conditions have included some reasonably good storms and some days of light rain and light flurries. Temperatures have ranged from the mid 30s to upper 50s F (around 1 C to 15 C).

Evaluation

Rain: So far, the jacket has been exposed to light rain and heavy storms. It does not leak. The liner on the inside keeps the outside fabric away from my skin so I do not feel the cold of the wind like I would do with a pure nylon jacket. The brim on the hood keeps the water from dripping right on my face and the ability to adjust the hood means that my face does not get lost in it, so I do not lose the ability to turn my head from side to side just because I want to keep my head dry. The long tail is a good feature as well. The tail is long enough that it is goes lower than the bottom of my backpack and keeps a bit more of me dry and relatively clean when it is raining outside. In addition, it protects against some of the splashing that occurs when I'm running in the rain.

Warmth: This is not the main purpose of this jacket, but the jacket provides some warmth. While the fabric is breathable it does act as a windbreak, and with the liner it keeps the outer fabric off the skin and the resulting layer of air provides some protection from the wind. By zipping it up all the way and tightening the hook and loop fastener (Velcro) around the wrists it seems to block the wind. However, it does not provide any warmth like fleece or a down liner would, but it does work well as a shell when used with a fleece jacket.

Comfort: When compared to a nylon shell, there are a couple of features that add to the comfort of the wearing the jacket. First, the liner on the inside of the jacket keeps the actual nylon off me. This results in none of the sticky and wet feeling that I have with nylon shells. Second the fabric breathes. Even when I have the jacket zippered up and the nylon cuffs as tight as they can go, there is not the buildup of moisture from sweat or otherwise with this jacket.

Convenience: I find it convenient to take this jacket with me. If it is nice out and I don't need a jacket immediately, I have stuffed it in a pocket of a shoulder bag or backpack. I have also attached it to a fanny pack with bungee cords. It is light and packs well. There has been no wear due to this and when I take it out there are no signs that it has been squished into a pocket or tied together.

Durability: While I have not subjected the fabric to rough treatment, I have worn it under a moderate weight backpack (20 lb/9 kg). So far there are no signs of wear on the shoulders. The rip-stop nylon seems as durable as other rip-stop nylon products and I do not see any signs of wear from use thus far. While it probably would not withstand being dragged on gravel or punctured by stakes, I think it will withstand being used with a pack.

A few nits to pick. First, the hood adjustment is in back of the hood, as opposed to near the collar. While it works, it is rather awkward to adjust when I am actually wearing the jacket with the hood up. Placing this by the collar instead will make it easier to adjust. Second, the zipper pulls for the pockets are very small. If I am wearing gloves they are very difficult to grab and use. Third, the pockets are lined with the same polyester as the jacket liner instead of nylon. I have not been putting sharp objects like pens and pencils in the pockets largely because I am skeptical of the durability of the polyester.

Overall, I like the jacket and I find it to be very useful and easy to take with me on hikes or on travel, or even for day to day use when I am not sure if it will rain or not. I would like to thank Red Ledge and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test this jacket.

Read more reviews of Red Ledge gear
Read more gear reviews by Louis Luangkesorn

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