Gear Review: Mountain Equipment Frontier Softshell

Mountain Equipment introduced us to their Frontier range around this time in 2015, a modest collection of simple, functional softshells which included a hooded jacket, a hood-less jacket, an armless jacket (a gilet or vest) and a pair of trousers - not at all a jacket. After not much deliberation, I spent some of my own cash on the hooded jacket and, a year down the line, it is one of my absolute favourite items. Let's have a quick look and see why.

The first thing you may notice is the cut of the jacket which is fairly slim fitting. This is Mountain Equipment's Alpine fit which removes excess fabric but retains a full range of motion. For me, a medium is perfect over just a base layer and it can layer over a light mid-layer (something like the gridded Rab Baseline) but you may need to size up if you intend to layer over thicker items like an insulated jacket.

The second thing you'll see is the jacket's simplicity. Two hand pockets and a napoleon pocket, a large hood (with all the adjusters you'd come to expect) make up the Frontier. It is made from Mountain Equipment's own Exolite fabric, a stretchy, double-weave fabric that has abrasion and weather resistance. Like a lot of softshells, the weather resistance is provided by the tightness of the weave rather than a membrane so the breathability of the jacket is excellent.

Features:
The Frontier jacket has the following features:

• EXOLITE 210 double weave fabric
• Mountain HC hood
• 2-way YKK front zip
• 2 hand pockets
• Napoleon chest pocket
• Internal zipped pocket
• Adjustable cuffs
• Dual tether drawcords
• Weight - 580g

The Hood
The hood is classed as Mountain Equipment's HC Hood, meaning that it will accommodate a helmet but adjusts down well over a bare head. A wired visor keeps things nicely in shape. It's perhaps not as impressive as the hood found on the Lhotse waterproof but still, perfectly adequate to keep a stiff breeze at bay. There is some shape to the brim but I would have liked a stiffer wire.

Details
The dual tether drawcords are a small work of art. Instead of one continuous piece of elastic running around the hem of the jacket, the Frontier has three. Two between the front zip and the hips (on either side) and one longer one around the back. I like this for two reasons - you can adjust the front and the back of the jacket independently and there are no loops of elastic to get caught on errant tree branches or rocks.

Dual tether drawcords

The Napolean pocket is pretty small and fairly useless in my opinion; I can't recall a time where I have used it in anger. The handwarmer pockets on the other hand are suitably large enough for hands (obviously) but also stashing gloves or hats on colder days. They are even large enough to accommodate the UK yardstick of pocket design - the OS map.

Napolean pocket

The adjusters and subtle part-elastication of the wrists allow you to pull the sleeves up to your elbows - perfect for those hard-working moments.

Part-elasticated cuffs are neat and tidy

In Action
I have worn this jacket right through the spring and autumn and even on some winter outings in the mountains, such is its flexibility. It's a great all-rounder - a jack of all trades which makes it an extremely useful item for the outdoors wardrobe. My only minor quibble would be the face fabric has started to bobble on high wear areas such as the shoulders and hips though it doesn't affect the overall performance.

The Frontier jacket on Scafell Pike

Gear Review: Arc'teryx Gamma LT Hoody

The Gamma LT Hoody is Arc'teryx's no-frills softshell jacket, designed for year-round use across a wide range of activities. Unless it's pouring down, this jacket is one of the first out of the wardrobe, as it provides a barrier against wind, snow and even the odd light shower. It's incredibly versatile and, most importantly, fantastically comfortable. Looks pretty good too.

The Arc'teryx Gamma LT

Arc'teryx are well known for the quality of their products, and this jacket is no exception. The Gamma LT is made from a very tough-feeling fabric - Arc'teryx's own, called 'Burly'. The fabric uses a double weave to create a wicking layer on the inside and a weather-resistant one on the outside. It feels thicker and more durable than some similar fabrics from other brands and comes at a greater price, but the payoff is quality and longevity. This will still be performing when other jackets are past their best.

Let's look at this one in more detail:

Features
Here's the extensive list of features directly from the Arc'teryx website (even after I have removed some of the more trivial ones):

• DWR finish (Durable Water Repellent) helps repel water from fabric surface 
• Mechanical stretch textile for unrestricted mobility
• Articulated patterning for unrestricted mobility 
• Gusseted underarms 
• Stretch wrist gussets 
• Helmet compatible StormHood 
• Laminated brim 
• Adjustable hood drawcords 
• Full-length Vislon front zip with wind flap and chin guard
• Laminated cuffs and hem
• Adjustable hem drawcord
• Internal chest pocket with laminated zip 
• Two hand pockets with zippers 

You'll notice the word 'laminated' used a lot; this is one of Arc'teryx's party pieces. Lamination is the technique of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, usually permanently assembled by heat, pressure, welding, or adhesives. Lamination in clothing allows for seamless construction, which reduces weight and bulk. So there you are.

Arc'teryx are renowned for excellent-fitting items, and this is no different. Perfect length, perfect fit around the chest and perfect length in the arms. Arc'teryx has a range of cuts depending on the item's intended use; this one is the 'Athletic' fit meaning it is cut to reduce excess fabric but still have room for that all-important mid-layer should you need it.

The Hood
Not much to say about the hood, really. It's designed to fit over a helmet, as most softshell jackets are these days, but the drawcords allow a snug fit over a bare head. You'll most likely find yourself using the hood to keep the wind (rather than the rain) out and, to this end, it works well.

The hood on the Gamma LT

Details
The jacket is fairly stripped back in terms of detail; a couple of handwarmer pockets complete the set, alongside the usual adjusters.

One of the simple handwarmer pockets

One feature you may or may not like are the cuffs, which have a stretchy panel around the wrist rather than a traditional Velcro adjuster. This works well if you aren't wearing gloves but can be a bit of a faff if you want to layer it over bulkier gloves. That said, you would be more likely to tuck the sleeves into larger gloves than the other way around so I can see the logic. Personally, I would have preferred the tried and tested Velcro adjuster.

The stretchy cuffs

In Action
This jacket is truly versatile and can be used year-round given the right weather. It layers nicely beneath a waterproof and can happily accommodate a warmer mid-layer during the winter whilst providing superb resistance to wind. There are plenty of softshells on the market that will o doubt do a similar job but I see this one as an investment - the extra thought in the fit and materials along with the timeless design will keep this at the front of the queue for a good few years yet.

A casual day on Graystones