Alpine Design Mens Juniper Mountain Insulated Jacket Review

Mountains are unpredictable places and I've been caught by a surprise squall more than times than I care to count.  I vividly recollect the offset one I was in — poor Kevin hadn't bothered to pack rain gear and now he was dug out underneath a juniper tree being pelted with July hail at eight,000 feet.  Don't be that guy, pack rain gear.  Patagonia advertises the Super Jail cell Jacket as perfect for this sort of thing.

Patagonia Super Jail cell Jacket Features:

• 2-layer nylon GORE-TEX® cloth with Paclite® Fabric Technology repels moisture and packs down to nothing
• Helmet-compatible, 2-manner adaptable Optimal Visibility Hood™ with laminated visor provides skilful visibility in poor weather
• Affect Point Organization™ with embedded string locks in hood and hem for quick-and-like shooting fish in a barrel aligning
• Microfleece-lined neck and wind flap for side by side-to-skin comfort
• Full reach gusset panels under artillery let you achieve without raising the body of the jacket; watertight, coated pit zips offering ventilation
• Harness- and pack-compatible pockets feature supple watertight, coated Slim Zips that reduce bulk and weight
• Low-contour gusset cuffs create a tight wrist seal
• 2.seven-oz xl-denier 100% nylon GORE-TEX® textile with Paclite® Fabric Technology and a DWR (durable h2o repellent) finish
• 383 grand (13.5 oz)
• MSRP: $269

Super Cell Delivers Light, Packable Protection

Patagonia'south Super Cell jacket is a waterproof/breathable backcountry trounce designed to be light enough to toss in your pack 'but in case' yous see choppy atmospheric condition.  To that terminate, it'due south loaded upwards with Gore-Tex Paclite engineering science and, despite weighing just xiii.5oz, is cut from the same vine as total-featured, large mount jackets.

The Super Cell is jam-packed with some very thoughtful blueprint touches from the wizened gnomes in Patagonia's design department.  I peculiarly similar the Touch Point system for adjusting the helmet and hem of the Super Prison cell – information technology'southward actually just a new, clever take on an existing system.  These are simply flat tabs that you clasp to release tension in the shock cord, but they're much easier to use than traditional clunky mechanisms.  The Touch Points are located on the hood, collar and hem of the jacket and are designated by contrasting fabric colors.  It sounds similar a petty thing and, indeed, it is – only it'due south dainty not having to fumble with a tiny fiddling plastic contraption.

Despite the Super Cell'southward low weight, nosotros meet a lot of alpine blueprint in the jacket.  The helmet-compatible hood is fully adjustable and the visor offers expert visibility, though I found it too weak to stand upward to significant air current.  The zippers Patagonia selected are slim and low-contour which slide easily while even so helping the Super Cell to pack down modest.  The pit zips are generously sized and pull fairly easily, just crucially they don't cause any chafing or discomfort in your armpits.  Naturally, Patagonia placed the twin hand pockets loftier on the jacket to work with a harness or backpack waist belt and the pockets are sealed and taped so that no wet can get into the jacket.

The Gore-Tex Paclite cloth has been around in diverse incarnations since 1998 and the latest version is low on weight, high on techyness.  The 2-layer material features a Gore membrane bonded to Patagonia's 40D nylon, leaving the membrane exposed on the inside of the jacket.  To combat performance degradation, Gore treated the inside of the fabric with a special chemical chosen a fluorocarbon that repels peel oils and water.  The result is a fabric that'southward slightly more susceptible to damage yet is lighter and less massive to pack down small – squashed into the hood, the jacket squishes to an 8″x6″x4″ package.

In practice, the Patagonia Super Cell provides consistent performance without blowing anyone's socks off.  Let's be articulate here – the jacket is well-designed and highly functional, simply most functioning qualms are going to be leveled at the Gore-Tex Paclite.  This textile is Gore's least-expensive laminate and it lacks both the durability of Pro Shell and the breathability of Active Beat out.  In many ways, information technology's designed only to exist worn occasionally and, so, won't perform well in farthermost weather condition.  Patagonia's design minimized the cloth's performance limitations by including big pit zips and, crucially, designing the Super Cell to have plenty room inside for air to circulate.  Additionally, it's worth noting that Patagonia included a bear on of microfleece on the neck to protect the Gore-Tex from oils, and there's also a patch of fleece on the chin for condolement.  In its defense force, I would say that durability is superior than the average 'simply in instance' offer due to Patagonia's 40D nylon and high production standards.

The event?  The Super Cell has bomber waterproofing thanks to the trifecta of dense 40D nylon face up material, Patty's Deluge DWR coating and 100% sealed seams – not to mention the Gore-Tex itself.  However, when I got aerobic I was soon creating a microclimate with all sorts of condensation inside the fabric; unlike other comparable shells, though, the fabric doesn't feel clammy confronting your skin fifty-fifty when in that location's condensation.  Another plus is that the Super Cell did a great job at resisting wetting out – fifty-fifty the insides of my elbows beneath MTB elbow guards didn't saturated the fabric.

The Good

• Touch Bespeak System is better than any other design
• Helmet-compatible hood moves well, adjusts easily
• Roomy cut allows for air circulation
• Sealed zippers are light and flexy for like shooting fish in a barrel packing
• High hand pockets are sealed to continue h2o from getting in the jacket
• 13.5oz is a competitive weight at this price signal

The Bad

• Gore-Tex Paclite operation is unremarkable by today'southward standards
• Hood visor fails under high winds
• Fairly expensive

The Bottom Line: Good Design, Paclite Underwhelms

Patagonia's Super Cell hardshell delivers a whole lot of brand-name punch in one package — the combination of Gore-Tex and Patagonia'due south superior build quality guarantee a piece that will last for years.  I'm not blown away by Paclite's performance and it's a whole lot of shell for a 'simply in case' slice, just the Super Prison cell still has a whole lot going for it.  Overall, Patagonia'southward superior tall-centric design wins out in the end.
Purchase now: Bachelor from Backcountry.com

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Source: https://www.feedthehabit.com/outdoors/patagonia-super-cell-jacket-review/

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