Capestorm Front Point
The Front Point jacket and pants are meant for serious mountaineering, so they’re as rugged and tough as the activity they’re designed for. At least twice on the ascent to the summit, I plonked myself down on sharp volcanic rocks with the kind of recklessness that would have holed anything lighter than a pair of jeans. No holes in the Front Points though.
The Toray Dermizax fabric is a three-ply breathable, windproof and waterproof material. How waterproof? In labs, waterproofing is measured is by putting a column of water over a fabric and measuring the level when water starts to seep through. This one is rated to 20 000 mm – pretty much as impermeable as you can get.
Although we were lucky enough to escape the rain in Kili’s rainforests on the first two days of our climb, we decided to do a field test anyway. Wearing the suit over my clothes, I stood under a shower at full blast. After five minutes, I emerged bone dry. Not a patch of damp. Not even a hair on my head was out of place. (In case you don’t think this was a stringent enough test, I invite you to stand in the shower for five minutes in a rain suit with your clothes on underneath. Let me know how it goes!)
Usually, the more waterproof something is, the less breathable it is, but this fabric remains highly breathable and there are also bi-directional pit zips in the jacket for moisture management. Aside from that, the jacket has an adjustable hood large enough to fit over a helmet (for real mountain climbing), with a peak to keep sun and rain out, and a fleece-lined collar that comes right up to your nose.
Because the fabric is soft touch (not at all plasticky and scrunchy) it’s not noisy inside the hood. Baffled zips, velcro adjustable cuffs, articulated sleeves, three external and one internal pocket and a hem drawcord are further handy features on the jacket.
The trousers have full-length covered side zips, so you don’t risk getting any mud inside when you put them on, no matter what the state of your boots. Pre-articulated knees improve ease of movement. The lower inner legs have scuff pads. They’re also not heavily elasticated at the waist, which results in a more comfortable fit when you wearing them over lots of clothes. There are loops for braces too, which you can buy separately.
Jacket
Weight: 548g
RRP: R1995
Pants
Weight: 564g
RRP: R1295
First Ascent Dry-Lite jacket and pants
Like most of First Ascent’s gear, the new Dry-Lite Jacket is so clever it should have a degree in Quantum Physics. As the name suggests, it’s lightweight and it keeps you dry, but there’s quite a bit more to it than that.
The Microtex Vapour-Tex eliminates the need for extra layers in the fabric to make it windproof, waterproof and breathable, so it’s that much lighter. First Ascent reckon it’s the lightest waterproof in its class and they’ve accomplished this without skimping on features. The Dry-Lite is rated to 10 000 mm and performed well in our power shower test.
For extra breathability, there are bi-directional pit zips and a set of gills. Well, actually the gills are vents on the front, which double as huge mesh zip-up pockets that you can access from outside or inside the jacket. Huge, as in you can carry a bottle of wine in each. (Not that you’d be likely to, but it’s good to know.)
The peaked hood adjusts with one tug to fit your face closely, keeping rain off your face and moving with your head. The fabric is flexible and comfortable and you barely notice you’re wearing it.
When it comes to the pants, there are zips at the bottom to make it easier to get them on over muddy boots, and velcro cuffs to make sure trouser bottoms don’t get soggy. There are also two hand pockets, which you could probably modify to become openings to the pockets of your trousers underneath, if you wanted.
If weight and space in your daypack for Kili are major concerns for you, the Dry-Lite waterproofs are the ideal choice. They pack down into compact pockets and are so light you probably won’t even notice they’re there.
Jacket
Weight: 325g
RRP: R1495
Pants
Weight: 225g
RRP: R795
