Anyone know the practical difference between a hard shell jacket of 15k vs 20k waterproofness and or breathability??
I found a 20k jacket with 2 chest and 2 hand pockets. Bought and discovered that the chest pocket bottoms were alongside the hand pocket bottoms at the bottom hip hem! Perhaps great for folded skins stowed vertically but anything else couldn't be reached with the jacket on! Alternative 4 pocket hard shell is only 15k, so wondered what difference??
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@colinstone, marginal I’d say for skiing, I’d go with the 15k if it had the features you want, unless you are planning skiing in heavy continuous rain of course. If you are ski touring there’s an argument that the lighter one is better, more breathable etc.
Also why do you need to store skins in your jacket pocket, I’d suggest once removed put them in your rucksack?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Markymark29 wrote:
@colinstone, marginal I’d say for skiing, I’d go with the 15k if it had the features you want, unless you are planning skiing in heavy continuous rain of course. If you are ski touring there’s an argument that the lighter one is better, more breathable etc.
Also why do you need to store skins in your jacket pocket, I’d suggest once removed put them in your rucksack?
I wouldn't. You need to keep them warm so they stay sticky in case you need to use them again. Sticking damp skins in your rucsac then finding you need them again after the weather has turned nasty is a mistake you only make once!
@Markymark29, as Jedster wrote. It was the only reason I could think of for having such deep chest pockets. The 2 goggles stash pockets on the inside could also hold skins.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Could you glue the pocket shut at the required depth
Maybe with some webbing tape
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@colinstone, both are equally waterproof in use. You aren’t going to exceed the equivalent of a water column 15m high whether it’s raining hard or gently.
The rating is on new fabric, and tells you nothing about durability - the 20k jacket could end up at 5k after a years use, and the 15k might still be 14k. It also tells you nothing about all the other reasons you get wet in a jacket like collar and cuff design.
It’s hard to beat a 10quid PU waterproof if you really want to keep the rain off. Breathability is massively overrated IMO.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@colinstone,
If you have the depth - double layer just below the initial depth.
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Markymark29 wrote:
@colinstone, marginal I’d say for skiing, I’d go with the 15k if it had the features you want, unless you are planning skiing in heavy continuous rain of course. If you are ski touring there’s an argument that the lighter one is better, more breathable etc.
Also why do you need to store skins in your jacket pocket, I’d suggest once removed put them in your rucksack?
Putting the skins under your jacket keeps the glue warm in cold weather.
@Markymark29, and if they get too cold, they stop sticking.
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Quote:
both are equally waterproof in use. You aren’t going to exceed the equivalent of a water column 15m high whether it’s raining hard or gently.
This. Plenty of great tents have considerably less. My tent has 3kmm flysheet and 5kmm groundsheet and has been in some pretty awful storms, covered in snow etc. and never leaked.
As for breathability imo anything waterproof lacks breathability. Perhaps some are a little better/worse but don't expect them to be breathable. Zips are they way to go if you want breathability.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
colinstone wrote:
Anyone know the practical difference between a hard shell jacket of 15k vs 20k waterproofness and or breathability?..
Yes. Zero. I currently have both, and it makes no difference I can ascertain. That's comparing two current model well designed, well taped jackets with proper zips. They both work. I'm not expect anything else.
I'm a massive believer in breathable stuff, mind, it's night and day compared with the old stuff.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I often ride in a 5k/5k soft-shell and really can't tell the difference for lift accessed stuff compared to an expensive gore-tex jacket in reasonable weather. I would rather destroy the cheap soft shell on rope tows.
But also I often just wear a flannel shirt, and as long as it's not puking or raining, I'm perfectly comfortable in that.
Get a bit more technical for uphill stuff, where I think breathability does matter, to avoid layer removal faff, and have somewhere warm to keep skins.
Personally, for normal use I can't see how you would notice any difference between 15k and 20k.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I have both 20 & 15 jackets
15 is warmer as it has some insulation.
My 20 is just a shell. Ive never got 'wet' in either - I have got cold chills in the 20 when the windchill just rips through you - like on open lifts!
So colder weather I wear the 15
I wear 20k bottoms though. I dont get cold legs when wearing them, but by the time I wear my knee supports, pull my socks up its like a mid layer anyway!
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