Great Parka Features Don’t Come Cheap
Product: Mountain Hardware Vertigo Parka
Description: A two-layer construction Gore-Tex waterproof/ breathable parka
Pro: The Vertigo Parka offers the most features and some of the finest detailing of any waterproofbreathable (WB) parka I have tested in recent months. At this price, it should.
It comes standard with all the high-end features you expect, from generously-sized underarm zips and Velcro storm flaps to outstanding waterproofness and solid breathability. What sets this jacket apart are the little things. Tricotlined hand-warmer pockets for one. True, you can’t use them when wearing a pack, but around camp or town, it sure is nice to have a cozy place to tuck chilled digits. I like the tricot lining around the chin in the collar.
The hood is elasticized in the back so it gently cups the head, rather like a hat, and the front may be cinched down with only one hand from either side. The bill is stiffened and just generous enough to keep the rain away - a blessing for eyeglass wearers.
Con: Improvements could be made in the chest pockets. You can never have too much ventilation potential and I would like them to be mesh-lined for that purpose. Ventilation is the key to happiness in a WB jacket. Ventilation pockets and adequate pit-zips (underarm zipper openings which this jacket does have) will allow you to maximize air-flow, minimize heat retention and reduce moisture build-up.
Comments: There is no such thing as an absolutely 100 percent waterproof and breathable jacket. If you want waterproof, you buy waterproof and forget the breathability. Conversely, active people who demand breathable should buy a water-resistant jacket and pray you don’t get caught in anything more severe than a drizzle. Even with the best WB jacket, if you stand in the rain long enough you will get wet, that’s a guarantee. How long it takes to get wet depends on how well the jacket is designed and constructed, whether or not the outside fabric has a repellent coating and what waterproofbreathable materials are being used on the inside. The secret to a good WB jacket’s performance in inclement weather is not just in the coating or laminate, however. It’s in the durable waterproof finish applied to the outer fabric. Without this finish, jackets of any WB fabric, including Gore-Tex, will soon feel like a wet dish rag. The Mountain Hardware Vertigo delivers its as king at the top of the WB jacket mountain.
Suggested retail: $325
Company: Mountain Hardware, 950 Gilman Street, Berkeley, Calif. 94710; (510) 559-6700.