UKC

Been eyeing this one up for a while now and looks very good on the peg. But those of you using one for Scottish Winter - does it stand up to its reputation?

In reply to jo: if you just want a winter jacket then get a patagonia stretch speed ascent. more breathable than any membrane virtually waterproof- and certainly good enough for scotland- and cheaper...

In reply to d hunter:

Dave I already have 3 Winter Jackets. I was eyeing up the Etheral as it doesnt seem quite as bulky as the ones I have for climbing. Will have a look at that one you suggest but still require reports on the EIP.

Thanks

In reply to jo:
I bought an Etheral Ice Parka for the very same reason as you are considering. I bought it to go over the top of my Montane smock if it was required. A full weight shell is alot heavier. I do have a MountainHardware Etheral Ascent Parka that I love and continue to use but it is 300g heavier.....probably more robust!

The Etheral Ice is a great jacket and the fit is superb. The only flaw is that it does not have glove attachments on the arms but I will be modifying that soon. The Jacket is light but has heavier material in the right areas.

So far it has not shown any signs of wear or any other defects. I love Mountain Hardware and would recommend their stuff to anyone.

In reply to jo: the ice parka is in my humble opinion a bit bulky and heavy for a back up jacket. an epic jacket by mtn hardwear would be lighter cheaper and cut just as well but its your call...

In reply to jo:

The only thing I would say about the Ethereal IP is that the torso is cut so as to be very body hugging. The idea is cut down on fabric rucking under your harness which might obscure your view to your feet on steep ice (as well as looking just toadally uncool dude etc). On continental water ice, this is probbly OK, since you are unlikely to be wearing tons of warm clothing underneath, but for UKland I found that the cut was impractically ocvertechnical. Once you'd put a thermal vest and a fibre-pile on, the torso was very tight. Getting the next size up meant the arms were completely Orang Utang. For less money, and only a marginal increase in weight, I feel that the more generously cut MH Mithril is much better suited for British use, and works pretty damned well everywhere else too for that matter.

I would certainly sentiments already uttered that MH build quality is excellent.

In reply to The Original North Col:

Please excuse the garbage last sentence caused by a random word generator. What I meant to say was:

'I would certainly endorse the sentiments already uttered which suggest that MH build quality is excellent.'

In reply to d hunter:

Glad you said that, as I've just bought one from TK Maxx.

In reply to The Original North Col and D Hunter.

Ach, I'll stick to the ones I have then. Bugger.

Thanks

In reply to jo:
Just tie dye one to the required colour, sorted. WIMMEN!

In reply to jo:

Hi jo, i was just going to check up on me profile and saw yours was top of the updated list. whaddya go and erase all that nuts stuff yee had on your profile for. It was funny, and made yer sound pleasantly bonkers too! ;D

BTW there's a possiblity i'll be coming over on an 'emergency' climbing trip! One of my (also rather bonkers) friends just suddenly sent an email round a group of climbing friends, basically saying " here, wouldn't it be mad if four of us just jumped on the discounted seacat ferry on Friday and went to Creag Meagaidh.".
So if you want,and we come over, it looks like I may be able to return your offer if you are looking to get out at the w/end!

p.s. to try and actually stay on your topic! : If its of any help in deciding i had a MH borealis jacket and the pants, which both of which were excellent. The were also meant to be, in there own words, of the 'lightweight idiom' which they definately were. I was amazed how they managed to make it as fully featured as a full weight jacket and it was several uses before i fully appreciatted/discovered all its little features. And yes, it was more hardwearing(sorry-pun intended) than i had dared hope.
(just a pity some fecker had to brake into my car on the chance i had left the CD-code panel in my glove box(which i had) and find the jacket&pants under the seat while they were at it! £500 squids worth gone just like that)

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:



clucking bell. which TK Maxx would that be then. Could you give me directions! (quietly though!)

In reply to belfast_jonny:

Shucks! I deleted it because it made me sound quietly bonkers. And being quietly bonkers and having medical certificates to prove it I decided I better not advertise the fact if I am to climb with other people :-D However....just for you...

Will email you about this weekend.

Thanks for the info on the Borealis. Ok I give in.will go and loo at MH Jackets Lol! You lot trying to get me to spend money like ?

In reply to belfast_jonny:

It was mentioned in another thread, so I went into my local TK Maxx (Sheffield) and sure enough, £250 jackets for 80 quid.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Just to be totally clear as this has become a little confusing, Mountain Hardwear jackets are not in TK Maxx in Sheffield. I can only assume that Tom is talking about a differnt brand mentioned at the top of the thread. Tom - if I am incorrect on this assumption please let me know as the source of product is likely to be questionable. We have never and will never supply any TK Maxx outlet with Mountain Hardwear product. Hope that clears that one up!

Whilst I'm on thanks for the kind words from everyone about our product, making great outdoor product is a real passion for everyone here at Mountain Hardwear and it's nice to get the positive feedback.

In reply to d hunter:

Dave - I was thinking of going for the 'Speed Ascent' and my g/f keeps saying 'how much!?!' I was a total buffalo fan for years but mine has now worn out, I get away a shell over a dri clime on our little icefalls here in Finland, or a windshirt over a fleece on colder - hence drier - days, but am doing a winter trip to Lofoten late this year and want to be fully 'shoft shell' again. Is it worth twice the money for a buff/montane?

In reply to TobyA:
in my opinion yes.
harder wearing
lighter for equal warmth
nearly waterproof.

In reply to Rob Wylie - Mountain Hardwear:

Rob, yes - sorry it does sound a bit confusing. I was responding to someone else's post higher up the thread about another brand's softshells being sold in TK Maxx (..well I couldn't get my hands on a Mountain Hardwear Alchemy jacket.. )

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: so which brand?

In reply to Rob Wylie - Mountain Hardwear:
...............Whilst I'm on thanks for the kind words from everyone about our product, making great outdoor product is a real passion for everyone here at Mountain Hardwear and it's nice to get the positive feedback.

Oi! What were you doing listening. Don't be gettin' a big head now!

On the other hand!
In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
(In reply to Rob Wylie - Mountain Hardwear)(..well I couldn't get my hands on a Mountain Hardwear Alchemy jacket.. )

Yeah, me too please, whilst yer feeling so good about yourself! i'd love a replacement borealis jacket & pants.
I'd say as many nice things about your stuff as you like!




















go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on!





























ya know ya want to! :| :[
Awwww! go on!

In reply to belfast_jonny:

My guess is the Patagonia: look at d hunter's first reply on the thread. TK Maxx have had a lot of Patagonia stuff recently.

In reply to Rob Wylie - Mountain Hardwear:

Some care needed with words, I suspect...I think TK Maxx might be a little concerned about your suggesting the 'questionable' nature of their sources...I'm sure you didn't mean to imply anything underhand.

In reply to captain paranoia: I agree with you, TK Maxx are a 100% reputable retailer, no question. I'm not suggesting that they would do anything illegal. My point is that if we supplied genuine Mountain Hardwear product to TK Maxx I'd know about it, and we haven't. Therefore any Mountain Hardwear product offered for sale within TK Maxx would have been aquired through non-conventional methods, I guess 'questionable' should have read 'non-conventional'.

Hopefully that clears that up.