The Alpinist Mountain Standards reviews apply Alpinist's tradition of excellence and authenticity to gear reviews by providing unbiased, candid feedback and anecdotal commentary to equipment tested (hard) in the field. Our panel is comprised of climbers who use the gear every day as part of their work and play. Only the gear they would actually buy themselves, at retail price, qualifies for the Alpinist Mountain Standards award. The five-star rating system is as follows: One Star = Piece of junk. Two Stars = Has one or more significant flaws, with some redeeming qualities. Three Stars = Average. This solid piece of gear is middle-of-the-road on the current market. Four Stars = Better than most comparable gear on the market. It has one or two drawbacks, but still 90% positive. Five Stars = Is there such thing as perfection? An Alpinist Mountain Standards award-winner. Review Panel Adam George Caroline George Larry Goldie Blake Herrington John Race Bert Severin Jed Workman The rest of the MS Team Also in This Area
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 Marmot Variant Jacket: Conceptually Alluring, Functionally ImpracticalPosted on: May 10, 2012 
MSRP: $160 I'm not so old school that I only place hexes. Far from it! I clip bolts and use seventy-meter ropes and leashless tools. But with all this new techno-advanced gear, I find some tried and true systems more useful. I like light base layers for exertion and thick ones for rests. The alternation is harmonious with the mountain elements as you travel through. There will someday be a single layer that can do the job of many, but Marmot's Variant is not it. So for now, I'll stick to the old ways. The jacket is simple in design: a thicker synthetic panel warms my core while fleece covers the rest. It has a sleek performance fit and no more frills than a pair of thumbholes and a single pocket. The design is alluring and has a certain attractive aesthetic. advertisement
Denali or perhaps the Polar Regions are the only places I can imagine exercising in such a thick layer. Skinning up 3,000 feet in Alaska's Talkeetna Mountains this winter is another such place. Temperatures can be -20F, and without the sun's radiation, it can be downright frigid. Standing on top of a peak last winter, I recouped my energy and contemplated a new steep powder line. Only after fifteen minutes standing around at 0F (-18C), sipping ginger tea and chewing up my last moose jerky, did I even consider putting on a puffy outer layer. Disproportionately weighted clothing like the Variant makes an assumption that certain parts of the body need less insulation and wind break than others. And while this hybrid design is conceptually alluring, it's only functional in certain environments and conditions that are not common. Generally, I overheated during exercise and then suffered sweaty chills during rest, despite having a wicking layer. When I'm not exercising, the Variant keeps me toasty—unless the wind is cutting through the Power Stretch. I group the Variant with obsolete layers such as the heavy-duty Synchilla jacket. Wind rips right through the fabric, necessitating a windproof layer that makes me overheat. Sure, fancy new designs look good at the coffee shop but this jacket, at least, is not mountain functional. As the season pushed into late February the Alaskan sun began to show itself once again, and I pulled out my shades for the first time in months. I frequently ripped the Variant's zipper open, gasping for air and a chance to cool down. The Variant would go back into the pack and I'd climb in my traditional, lighter weight layers. I visited the Matanuska ice that was now warming up from ceramic to plastic. Runoff splattered me, freezing instantly. I was grateful for the water-resistant front panel as I adjusted my line. Only forty feet off the ground and I was already cooking in the shade of a deep gash. Chills from my clammy sweat percolated down my core—still 300 feet to go. Since then the Variant has lived on a hook in the entry. Each time I go out, I stop and think if this might be the adventure for it, then I grab my good old standbys, and walk out the door. Pros: Good performance fit, water resistant, wind breaking front panel, durable Cons: Too warm for exercise, difficult to use in a layering system Rating: 
Motorcycle jacket
I also see some Jackets from this site: www.jafrum.com/Motorcycle-Jackets. There are several jackets with alluring styles to support with what we really need. Be it for cold winter days, down to biker's jackets and motorcycle jacket. We need to protect ourselves with the exact clothing. Stephen Heinstein
Great post! That's exactly the suit that you need to wear when you travel. The suit is meant to use for protection against any climate. Even if you are traveling with a car in cool areas, you need to buy such clothes to keep you warm -E.C www.nissanusa.com alpinist
JB, you are correct, sir! 0F is -17.7777778C. verve825
Great, objective review, and much appreciated. I believe that 0F is ~17C, however. Regards, JB |
truth, truth...