UKC

NEW REVIEW: Mountain Equipment Kalanka Jacket

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 UKC Gear 14 Dec 2011
Kalanka #4, 3 kbCharlie Boscoe reviews Mountain Equipment's 'tough and super hard' Kalanka jacket. Made from stretch Gore-Tex Pro Shell, and billed as offering soft shell-like precision and comfort but the protection of a hard shell, it's designed for the most demanding climbing and mountaineering. First tested in Nepal, the jacket then faced a bigger challenge: soggy, miserable UK autumn weather...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=4244
 tom290483 14 Dec 2011
In reply to UKC Gear:

does anyone ever get the feeling that UKC reviews are always a little too "this kit is amazing, go buy it"????

i cant remember the last time a bit of kit got slated or even just a slightly poor review.
 chris_B 15 Dec 2011
In reply to tom290483:

Why would you slate a piece of gear you were reviewing - no one else would give you any free gear!
 Sarah Stirling 15 Dec 2011
In reply to tom290483: Hi Tom, I get that a glowingly positive review like this might lead you to doubt its authenticity.

The gear review team are all independent, and they're asked to write balanced reviews that include both what they did and didn't like about the product. There is a lot of good kit around, and sometimes it turns out a reviewer just really got on well with a product and can't find much negative to say.

Plenty of reviews do find fault with products. A couple of examples spring to mind - a Metolius Mastercam that broke: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=2907
A survival kit the reviewer thought was more of a kid's toy: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=3769

Our first rope bag round-up this summer contained a very negative review of an Edelrid bag. Edelrid acknowledged this and then showed us their new rope bags at the summer trade show, which we have now included in the review - a huge improvement.

Gear companies want authentic, real reviews of their products, not advertorial, and they usually accept the negative comments, as long as they are well founded. I have an email in my inbox from a gear company, I sent them a quite negative review to read. Their response is quite typical: "a bit disappointing but if it helps the guys with future developments!"


Cheers, Sarah
 MtnGeekUK 15 Dec 2011
In reply to Sarah Stirling - UKC/UKH:

How do I become a gear tester?
 adrspach 15 Dec 2011
In reply to UKC Gear: Shame that I can not be a tester of jackets like this. Tried quite few over the weekend and even though I am not Arnie all of the XLs were realy tight over my chest. Few years back they weren't. Perhaps they make them now more for sizes of people in countries where they were made.
 masa-alpin 15 Dec 2011
UKC Gear (by Charlie Boscoe)> some people might like the whistle and the lack of a pocket on your left arm.

I am the one!! I hate a lift-pass pocket and love 2 chest pockets, and that is one of the reasons, if not the most important, why I can't replace my knackered Mountain Equipment Alpine G2 softshell, despite I have been looking for a replacement for a long time but have failed so far.
So, according to your review, the jacket has no downside for me! Indeed, a usable hood and pit-zip are absolutely essential criteria for me, and in addition it looks like the downsides I find in G2 have been improved, judging from your review.
Hmmm, I am seriously tempted... I will have a look.
 tom290483 16 Dec 2011
In reply to Sarah Stirling - UKC/UKH:

Hi Sarah,

Appreciate the response.

I didnt mean to come across as having ago at the ME kalanka because funnily enough I actually bought one a few weeks ago. I guess it was just the fact that after two days on the mountain there are a couple of niggles I have with it and Charlies review seemed all too good based on my own thoughts!

Cheers,
Tom

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