FurTech Feedback

Winter Surf 15/12/07

It was windy and bitterly cold at Rhossili as we prepared for a bit of body boarding and I was wishing I had a neoprene balaclava. The only hat available was an OD Windy Ush which I wore for the walk down to the beach, thinking I'd leave it under a rock. Once there, the prospect of someone walking off with it didn't appeal, so I kept it on as we entered the sea.

Though I tried to keep my head up in the 4ft surf, each wave that crashed over me forced icy cold water through the fabric, but the majority drained away rapidly and my head was definately warmer because of the hat. After perhaps 45 minutes, I couldn't feel my feet (no neoprene boots) so it was time to go. Trotting across the windswept beach felt colder than in the water due to the windchill. Amazingly, 10 minutes later when I reached the car, the inside of the hat was relatively dry and water was beading on the outside (I'd proofed it a few months ago). In fact it was dry enough to wear while I changed, had a warming brew at the local cafe and drove home!

TGO Feedback

This link takes you to the The Great Outdoors Forum and a review of the FurTech Claw.

Field Trial by the University of Manchester

4.4.2 Summary of Wearer Trial 2

For the trial the participant wore a cotton T-shirt with medium weight woven trousers. The prototype jacket was worn directly over the base layer. The participant carried a side bag which contained food and drink provisions and an extra layer in case conditions worsened. The participant was a 25yr old male who goes walking regularly. The weather conditions were sunny and hot with a few clouds with one short spell of very light rain. The relative humidity was approximately 72% in the early morning and the winds were 6 miles per hour. The type of paths varied from stone, to grass and mud, with some wet overgrown moorland and small sections of road walking. The route was described as a moderate level, 8 ½ mile walk with an ascent of 1600ft and the activity took approximately 5 hours to complete, (see Appendix 4.3.)

On receiving the jacket the participant studied the features and also commented that it felt lighter than it looked and thought that the fit was good, emphasising weight and fit as important factors of wet weather breathable garments.

The results from the psychological scaling were interesting to compare to the first trial due to the contrast in the weather. The participant felt comfortable at the beginning and end of the walk. With regards to thermal sensation the participant went from feeling neutral at the beginning of the walk to feeling warm on completion. This was a drop of two points on the scale. The temperature had slowly increased throughout the day which would explain this.

This rise in thermal sensation had not affected the participant’s perception of comfort. This small rise in temperature was therefore within the participant’s tolerance levels. With regards to moisture sensation the participant felt dry at both the beginning and end of the walk. This was slightly surprising as due to the increase in temperature the assumption would be that the body would be sweating to cool itself thus producing more moisture within the system. The higher temperature of the environment could however be aiding the rate of WVT through the fabric, which shows that the breathability of the fabric was satisfactory in these conditions. Cooling would have also been aided by the pit zips and vents through forced convection.

At twenty minutes into the walk the participant began to slightly perspire, whilst ascending a relatively step hill in hot and sunny conditions. At this point the pit zips and chest vents were utilised which he states “instantly cooled me” At no point in the walk did the participant feel too cold or hot, this is due to the level of activity and the environmental conditions. The jacket kept the participant comfortable all day and was not removed. He liked the fact that he could remove his arms completely from the pit zips which resulted in efficient cooling, “I found this feature extremely useful and efficient.” All the technical features were used other than the hood which was not required. He claims that they “managed my comfort well.” The technical features enabled the participant to maintain thermal balance. Maintaining thermal balance was more important to the participant than getting slightly wet. When there was light drizzle the participant did not put his arms back into the sleeves for protection.

The participant did however put his arms back in when the wind picked up; this could be that the wind made the participant feel colder more quickly.

The fabric performed well in sunny and hot conditions, maintaining thermophysiological comfort and adequate protection.

Claw in the Pennines

"...We both tried your medium claw on 2 walks in Pennine hills over the last 2 weekends up to 2000 feet, low cloud, light to medium rain, steep climbs. Strong winds on the tops. One wearing your jacket over a thin Merino layer and a power stretch top, the other: one time a merino + power stretch + a fleece under a Goretex Paclite, the second time merino +power stretch + a down gilet under a Gore-Tex paclite. We swapped over halfway through.

Firstly we tried the condensation test, after a steep climb. The result is clear, (just like a Paramo jacket we borrowed from a friend) the one of us wearing your jacket had very little dampness on the inside of the claw. The Gore-Tex was a little damp when the rain was not prolonged enough to totally saturate the outside, but was wet enough inside to make your hand glistening wet when the rain was heavier and we climbed again . The down gilet lost half its loft....

...The vent zips worked well for both of us, it was not the weather to take your arms out but that works too. Even when windy you could open the arm part without rain getting in but the part on your body could just get rain in if the wind blew right in it. So that side needed zipping up a little. They can be used without disturbing a rucksack.

Ellie claims to not like hoods but has now decided that she does not like other hoods. "

by Derek Goffin.

Independent Testing by Manchester University Textiles Department

4.4.1 Summary of Wearer Trial 1

To summarise the results and responses from each participant’s questionnaire, the answers have to be put into context with regards to clothing, the human body and the environment, factors identified in chapter 2.1.

For the trial the participant wore a 100% polyester sleeveless base layer with heavy weight trousers. The prototype jacket was worn directly over the base layer. The participant also carried a rucksack which contained food and drink provisions and an extra layer in case conditions worsened. The participant was a 24 yr old female who regularly walks and goes bike riding. The weather conditions were bad. There was constant rain throughout, which varied in its intensity. At the beginning it was lightly raining, it quickly changed to moderate rain with periods of heavy rain. The relative humidity was extremely high at approximately 92% and the winds were strong at 10 miles per hour. The type of paths varied from grass and mud to gravel and stone with very small sections of road walking. The route was described as a moderate level, 7 ½ mile walk with an ascent of 1800ft. It took 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete. (See Appendix 4.2)

On presenting the jacket to the participant, the initial response was,

“The jacket was much lighter than I thought it would be when I first saw it. It is really comfy as well, the inside is really smooth.”

This clarifies that weight is an important factor. The weight of additional layers is also eliminated with this jacket, which could be beneficial. Sensorial comfort is also commented on, so just from donning the jacket the wearer has received a pleasant experience.

The results from the psychological scaling showed that the initial perception of comfort from the beginning of the walk to the end of the walk varied very little, even though the weather conditions were bad. With regards to thermal sensation the participant went from feeling neutral at the beginning of the walk to feeling cool at the end. This was an increase of two points on the scale and suggests, when the jacket becomes saturated through prolonged rain the insulating properties decrease a little. With regards to moisture sensation the wearer went from being totally dry to slightly wet, but did specify it was only very slightly. The main concerns being that the cuffs stayed slightly wet and there was a tiny wet patch on the base layer near the centre front zip and the pockets. This shows how the construction of a jacket / features can affect and decrease the overall perception of comfort and the overall level of protection. This problem has been identified due to the wearing of this garment in a specific location in wind driven, rainy conditions. This may not have been uncovered through laboratory testing of the fabric as it seems to be design related. The participant noticed minimal sweat, briefly, on an incline where she was exerting a lot more energy, so even though there was constant rainfall and the relative humidity was high, the breathability of the fabric was satisfactory.

Features such as pit and chest zips were used to aid cooling on climbs, where a slight rise in temperature was experienced. The pit zips opened completely, but due to the strong winds and heavy rain the arm got revealed and got slightly wet. The sleeve area did not dry out that quickly which led to a slight feeling of discomfort. This suggests a garment that can dry quickly will help to maintain comfort levels of the wearer. The wind may have been aiding the drying process of the rest of the jacket. The participant said if she were to repeat the activity she would wear a long sleeve base layer to improve comfort. 

Adjustments allowed the wearer to fit the jacket and minimise the air flow. This seemed to help when she began to feel cold due to been on high grounds with strong winds.

Throughout the trial the wearer did not over heat. It would have been interesting to see how this would have been affected had the sun have come out and increased the temperature a little.

The trial revealed the significance of a well designed, functional hood in wind driven rainy conditions. It provided protection and kept the wearer dry.

“It was a great feature function wise, especially in those conditions. It stayed in place due to all of the adjustments and the peak allowed for full visibility and also helped keep my face dry. It was the best feature of the jacket in fact.”

The adjustments allowed the wearer to achieve perfect fit and performance and made the experience more pleasant by still allowing for panoramic views.

The level of protection from constant, moderate to occasional heavy rain was good and it seemed that comfort and breathability were not compromised by this. The insulating properties of the jacket were good and kept the wearer warm in periods of rest. Chapter 2.2.3 revealed a shortcoming with water resistant fabrics, which is due to the pores still functioning, pressure forces rain through them. The pressure from the rucksack did not force water through this jacket which if it were going to occur would be likely to in these conditions.

Mamore FurTech

"...it was pretty cold on Sunday on the Mamores and again only base layers and your jacket was used- they are absolute toppers!"

Stuart Wilson

Outdoors Magic FurTech Review

With this link you can see Outdoor Magic's review of the FurTech Talon and the longer Claw (8cm front, 4cm back).

(I'd just like to clarify that the FurTech lining is approximately 50% thicker than Paramo's, but only about 25% heavier - closer to the old Paramo fabric - giving a better warmth to weight ratio. Overall FurTech jackets are lighter, warmer and better vented.)

FurTech Claw on Buchaille Etive Mor

"Hi Andy,

I used the claw jacket for the first time at the weekend on a horseshoe route of Buchaille Etive Mor,it was a cold dry day perfect for trying out the CLAW.

The Glencoe region had its first covering of snow albeit a light powdering and the temperature was bitter in the wind. I pulled the jacket over a merino wool base layer and you soon appreciate the design, as we started to climb the body heat soon built up and I produce a lot off heat even in cold temperatures. I noticed the difference - no stripping off, you can control the heat build up with the vents in the arms, as we reached the ridge, while admiring the view, I was struck by the lack off cold sweat on my back which is the norm with me and as the freezing wind hit us the jacket proved to have more than enough protection from the elements.

The hood design is also worth a mention, easily rolled down and even easier to put up, resizing it is a doddle and a distinct lack off claustrophobia that you get with most hoods when fully done up is noticed.

On the quality of the jacket at first glance it looks fragile but on closer inspection the build quality is apparent. Its soft feel is what strikes you but after using it even though it was only one day it feels bombproof.

All in all a great package the "Faff Factor" is eliminated I never had to resort to stripping off layers or having to change to a dry base layer at the top,I will give you more feedback as I will soon be using the jacket in more extreme temperatures and I am sure it will perform great!

Yours Stuart Wilson"

Talon Feedback

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the Talon jacket, which I received last week.

I was actually looking for a multi-activity jacket, and my initial choice was the Paramo Velez, but I wasn’t convinced that the smock design would offer me sufficient ventilation. Clearly ventilation is THE issue for any non-membrane waterproof which has pretensions to be anything other than a cold-weather garment, and there was enough information on your website to convince me that you had thought very hard and put a lot of design into this issue, so I went for the Talon, despite the fact it is not specifically designed for my purpose.

The first thing to say is that it is very comfortable to wear, including against bare skin when wearing a short-sleeved baselayer (unlike my eVent jacket). The use of short-sleeves makes the maximum use of the rain vents, and I can’t see myself wearing a long-sleeved baselayer under it until it gets really cold. The rain vents themselves are superb – I haven’t really worked out how they stay opened-up during normal walking, but they do, and in the mild, autumnal weather we’ve been having recently they’ve kept me really cool, despite the inherent warmth of the jacket.

The fit of the Talon is perfect for me – it’s a close fit but does not in any way feel restrictive, and has just enough extra arm length to cope with lifting my hands in the air. The short cut loses a couple of pockets compared to the Claw, but means I have good access to my trouser pockets, and also saves some weight and bulk for when the jacket ends up in my pack. I would have preferred it to be slightly longer at the back, but that is just a matter of personal preference.

The hood is exceptional. I can wear it in pretty much any position on my head and still it remains secure. The clear visor is innovative and practical, and I can see more manufacturers following your lead. (I was actually expecting it to be more opaque, from pictures I had seen and comments I had read, but it really is clear, and you really can see through it). I cannot get the hood comfortably over a cycling helmet, but I cannot really complain about that, as it is well outside the garment’s brief. (I can, of course, put the cycling helmet over the hood).

I love the retractable Velcro cuff loops. I have one soft-shell on which the Velcro on the cuffs snags the material of the jacket almost constantly when in normal use, and not to have the cuffs flapping around when not in use is fantastic. I have taken to wearing my gloves under the sleeves rather than over as I used to, and this causes no problem at all. I do have my doubts about the durability of the cuff-loop housing, but I will be happy to be proved wrong.

The crotch strap works really well (gets a few looks in WHSmith, though), and the pockets are big and situated well between the chest strap and the hip strap of my rucksack.

The only thing that concerns me slightly is that the main zip, which does not have a front stormflap, may let water through in driving rain. It certainly did in the “monsoon conditions” of my shower, but in real-world rain I have yet to have a problem.

As someone who always researches products thoroughly, I would not have bought this jacket if I did not think it was the most versatile jacket on the market. It is also, to my taste anyway, considerably more stylish than those made by any of your direct competitors. (I know, it’s not about fashion…) On top of all that, it actually keeps me dry in the rain! Even when the outer wets out! The manufacturers of membrane waterproofs seem to deny that their garments will ever wet out if the DWR is good. But clearly they do, and clearly their effectiveness is drastically reduced as a result. (I am no scientist, but I know when I’m wet and cold!).

Good luck with the brand in the future,

Yours, Tim Maple

Contemplate OMM... 2007

This year, in the Lowther Hills, Saturday became progressively wetter and windier. I used the same Blizzard Tube and Vest as last year and they now show some signs of wear (compressed cells, cracked foil and a tear) having been carried on most trips I've made over the year. They were especially effective at keeping the wetness at bay inside our tiny single skin tent - even when the rain stopped outside, every gust of wind was blasting us with sprayed condensation. Inside the tube it was warm and cosy, though more condensation collected in the bottom than I'd noticed on previous occasions.

The event also demonstrated the quick drying effectiveness of FurTech type clothing worn by increasing numbers of competitors.

More on Blizzard here.

Buy Blizzard Kit here.