How to choose a jacket? I have been outdoors for 20 years, so I can be considered an old donkey. However, I took many detours and stepped on many pits in the early days of the outdoors. The equipment was constantly iterated during the pit mining process, and I gradually became a semi-expert.
A few easily confused questions:
1 Waterproof ≠ waterproof!
Water-repellent is processed through the surface of the fabric, which only repels water droplets for a short time and slides off quickly. It looks very effective, but it cannot be waterproof for a long time. Even Niu B’s Bird Brand will last. The water-repellent function will also lose its effectiveness after a few minutes of rain, and water droplets will seep into the fabric or adhere to the clothes. Water-repellent, only suitable for short to moderate rain. To be truly “waterproof” outdoors for a long time, the national standard needs to reach a waterproof index of 3000+, and a better one should be 10000+
2 Waterproof fabric ≠ waterproof clothing (jacket)
p>
Waterproof fabric must be “fully glued” on each seam to be called waterproof clothing. If there is no glue at the seams, it will seep into the interior from the gaps in ten minutes. The cost of lamination will increase by at least 100 yuan, and some irregular brands do not have lamination.
3 Moisture permeability is more important than waterproofing:
If the jacket cannot let out sweat and moisture, , might as well buy a plastic poncho for 9.9 yuan! The national standard needs to reach 3000+, and the better one should be 8000+. In fact, waterproofing is easy to do, but moisture permeability is more difficult. The so-called original ones (fake birds) have poor moisture permeability.
How to identify whether moisture permeability is good or bad?
It’s very simple. You can sell a genuine product through regular channels and compare it with the clothes you have. Pour a cup of hot water (not boiling water, 50 degrees is about right), put clothes tightly over the mouth of the cup, put glasses or glass on the clothes, usually there will be white mist on the glass in 3 seconds, sometimes it will take a long time before there is a trace of white. fog. Comparing the two clothes, whose white mist appears earlier. Because this method is relatively crude and everyone’s hot water temperature is different, two pieces of clothing need to be compared at the same time. You cannot make a conclusion based on the time when white fog appears on one piece of clothing alone.
4 The “breathability” of ordinary clothes ≠ the “moisture permeability” of jackets
The “breathability” of ordinary clothes “Breathable”: You can directly feel the breathability by blowing air through your mouth, and the gas is directly transmitted through the small pores visible to the naked eye.
The “moisture permeability” of the jacket: moisture (sweat) penetrates through micropores invisible to the naked eye and cannot be blown by the mouth. If you can blow out the air directly with your mouth, it will not be waterproof.
So no matter how good the jacket fabrics are, such as GTX, event, etc., they will be a bit stuffy when you sweat during a big exercise, and they are not as breathable as ordinary jackets, so don’t use ordinary clothing. Ask for a jacket with a breathable feel!
5 Is a double-layer lining jacket better than a single-layer lining jacket?
Big mistake! Climbing long distances outdoors takes a lot of energy, so carry as little as you can under safe conditions. Therefore, high-performance jackets should not be too heavy. Those who play in advanced outdoor activities usually wear “unlined” 3L (3-layer sticker) jackets. Because there is no lining, it reduces at least 200 grams, and it is mainly waterproof and laminated. The strips can be clearly seen at a glance, preventing the adhesive strips from being hidden in the lining and making it impossible to confirm whether the adhesive strips are neatly integrated and fit tightly. Lined jackets are generally entry-level and casual outdoor wear. Domestic 3L single-layer jackets (without lining) are mainly made of Pathfinder and Kailer Stone. Camel is a basic casual jacket, relatively low-end and entry-level (many people in the outdoor circle did not think that Camel was an outdoor brand at first, but a casual brand with an outdoor look).
6 Are jackets warmer than down jackets?
Most people who are new to the outdoors have this understanding, but you will be disappointed immediately. The warmth of a jacket is mainly achieved by protecting it from wind and rain, and protecting the middle layer (fleece jacket or down jacket) inside from being disturbed. The main function of a jacket is “protection”. If it is a weather with little wind and rain, a jacket is actually not as warm as a down jacket. In the cold season, the warmth of a jacket alone is not enough. You need to add a fleece jacket inside. If it is colder, you need a fleece jacket + down jacket. This is what is often called three-layer dressing and four-layer dressing methods for outdoor use.
After talking so much, which brands are worth buying? If you are not short of money, you can go directly to Arc’teryx (but don’t sell fakes. Products priced below 2,000 yuan from Niaojia are definitely fake! Only recommend to official stores). If you want good performance and high cost performance, domestic products of good brands are the first choice. Domestic products worth a few hundred yuan are not inferior to foreign brands worth a thousand yuan. If you are hiking in Tibet or Xinjiang, choose Pathfinder and Kailer Stone. If it’s an outing in the city, anyone can choose from fishing or riding an electric scooter to keep out the wind and rain. Some people say that I only recognize big international brands. International big brands are indeed correct, but this is 2022. If you want affordable and durable, you can’t go wrong with well-known domestic brands. The price is…I have no IQ tax. The rise of domestic products is an inevitable trend, and Chinese brands will eventually become international brands.
