Kuiu Mountain Pro Jacket

[Gman12]

I just saw this jacket advertised and it looks interesting to me. Anyone have any experience with this jacket? I love my jetstream jacket and thought it would be the perfect jacket if only it was waterproof. This new Kuiu jacket is advertised as being both waterproof and windproof which is pretty intriguing. For those concerned with the weight, it is also slightly lighter than the jetstream.

 

[prm]

That caught my eye too. On paper it looks promising. Interested that they state the outer material is waterproof, not just a DWR coating. DWR never works for me as I never properly maintain it.
Questions I have are; how warm is it, and how well does it manage body moisture?

 

[7LRM]

Which jacket?

 

[jjordan355]

Interested as well as I hate having 6 different jackets for layering or conditions.

I don’t feel like Kuiu has ever hit the mark for an all around jacket in cold/wet/windy weather. Seems there’s always a compromise of one of those three. If this is a more do it all jacket it may be in my cart soon.

 

[Richard295]

I recently studied this as a possible sale buy and passed for a two reasons. 1) This light waterproofing and light warmth jacket thermal tests at 1.4 clo. This is the same warmth as my lightweight Beyond Alpha Direct 186 active insulation hoody or heavier Classic 200 weight fleece. That warmth is adequate for active climbing/hiking @ 3 MET in 0 °C, since 1.4 clo keeps skin neutral with only a thin base. For static glassing or stand hunting @ 1.2 MET, you’d need ~4 clo for freezing (32F) total. For this use and temp, the jacket is a light mid-layer at best, not your main insulation. Supplemental insulation in the form of a puffy will probably fit under neath for rain protection without sizing up.

2) It has very high MVTR at the expense a low 11,000 mm HH versus about double that for most conventional rain gear. That is a good tradeoff for it to serve double duty as a windshirt. The low HH is only a problem if you glass on your elbows; that be a problem because your elbow pressure will push water through the low HH material. It relies on its electro spun porosity to achieve its excellent MVTR. In sustained heavy rain, like all conventional WPB rain gear (Outdry EX & Gore Shakedry excepted) the DWR will eventually become overwhelmed and the pores will get water in them. This the results in the MVTR dropping by ~50%. You will then get wet from your own perspiration.

For me, 3 separate layers provided higher functionality at less weight, a Polartec Alpha Direct 186 hoody, a windshirt, and a Outdry EX hard shell.

It would be difficult for most people to read the specs and know exactly how warm and dry it would keep them. Hopefully the above information answers those questions. For those whose needs match the actual characteristics. I think you will be happy.

Richard

 

[Richard295]

“Without sizing up” was a typo; it should read “with sizing up”


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