UKC

In reply to UKC Gear:

great piece of kit....mine goes everywhere. much better than a full shell for a day of cragging.

note: it can be a good idea to buy a lightweight stuffsac for it.

In reply to UKC Gear:
Great piece of kit. However, it would be good if Marmot stopped taking drugs and gave their products sensible colour names. What colour is Fog?

And is there anywhere that has some in stock?

I want one with a hood....I want one with a hood...Is anyone listening???????

I might buy one anyway - seems like a versatile bit of kit.

In reply to UKC Gear: "an economically viable source of brine" ! Yuck but LOL.

In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
I have one with a hood! It's a full zip jobbie, but the hood is un-lined (ie only pertex-type fabric) and rolls away into the collar. Got it in a sale in Needlesports a few years ago.

Still a brilliant piece of kit, and thoroughly recommended.

Aimless

In reply to UKC Gear:

How does this differ/compare to the Rab VR Trail jacket....

In reply to Jon Read: A certain climbing shop that I am linked with might have some in stock.
Iain

In reply to zebedoo: The Driclime was the original of this type of softshell - it has been around a tincy wincy but longer than the VR. I much prefer the DriClime myself, becuase the fit is better on me. I think the DriClime is a little more windproof but of course that could translate to a little less breathable.

HTH, Iain

In reply to Morgan Woods:

mine, which is an older version folds up into its own inside pocket which has a reversible zip. it's brilliant.

In reply to zebedoo:

I've owned both DriClime and VR, and while I thought the DriClime had better fabric than the VR, I still far prefer the VR because of the hood. The older VR tops had a much slimmer cut, which IMO was better - my new one is far too baggy for my liking and the neck's not as snug.

In reply to zebedoo: I've had an original Driclime for years, best bit of kit ever. Very light, and not too hot so great for moving fast, when its wet and windy but mild. I thought I'd try a VR Trail smock, and so far I've been impressed, but it's much warmer than the Driclime, and hence much less useful as a baselayer. I'll probably get another Driclime soon as you can't beat it for when you only want baselayer warmth but there's a cutting wind or rain. It also dries much quicker than anything else I've ever used.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Seems very like Mrs Ridge's Mountain Equipment smock, which she got years ago. That's a brilliant bit of kit, and we've looked everywhere for something similar to replace it. The Driclime might well be the thing to do it.

In reply to Ridge: Yep, one of my friends has one of those smocks, and it seems very similar to the driclime. I can't tell you how the cuts compare, but they are essentially the same sort of idea
Sam

In reply to Sam L:

Thanks Sam, that might be the Xmas pressie sorted!

In reply to IainWhitehouse:
Am I too late? Can't find any on your website.

In reply to Jon Read: They have some here: http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart_largeDD.asp?part=PN34683
Sam

The Original Driclime jacket and Catalyst Jacket can be bought from the following UK retailers:


Original Driclime Jacket:

George Fishers
Facewest
The Foundry
Up and Under
Lakes Climber
Tiso
The Outdoor Shop
Needle Sports
Joe Browns
Jackson Sports
The Outdoor Shop
Back Country

Driclime Catalyst

Snow and Rock
Tiso
The Outdoor Shop

In reply to Marmot UK: You discontinued the best driclime you made. It had a powerstretch hood and side panels and useable hand warmer pockets. I wore mine until it fell apart and was very disappointed with the new "improved" replacement. I bought the montane version instead, not perfect but better.

In reply to 3leggeddog: Completely agree - don't wear the hood normally but if geting chilly on a climb (and especially sat on a belay) it's a godsend.

Why why why get rid of it - because it didn't look cool?

It was/is my most worn bit of climbing/walking/biking kit but has far too many holes in it now and I'd love a direct replacement.

Mark

In reply to 3leggeddog:

Ah, but the new one has a little chest pocket!
At a guess given the choice between pockets to warm hands or a little pocket that will take a compass but not a map, I'd guess that the vast majority of people would like hand warmer pockets?

In reply to Ridge:
the old one had a zip chest pocket too (quite useful sometimes) so no upgrade there!

In reply to MarkM: Another vote for the old Hoody. When I replaced mine - it's looking a bit tatty - I didn't like the newer version so I bought a Rab VR.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Good article - I love this jacket. Its the first thing I put on for every alpine trip I do. Wearing it against the skin works best for me. Hot, cold, windy its perfect. I've had one 4 years and its still going just as strong.

Top kit!

In reply to MarkM:

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there.

It was a really useful mountain jacket, packed into its chest pocket, tab large enough to clip to your harness, adjustable cuffs.

I have a theory about good functional kit, it fits its niche market and sells well at a premium price. Accountants etc identify this and push to make more money out of the product. Product thus becomes less specific to attract a wider (fashion) market and loses some of its best features, (hood, adjustable cuffs etc) to increase profit margins. End result, product is no longer used by its original target market.

Thankfully not all manufacturers follow this, noone would buy buffalo if it didnt work! rant over

In reply to UKC Gear:
#Just another vote for the Driclimne - excellent versatile lightweight bit of kit.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Sorry but it's still not a patch on the gamma mx hoody..

In reply to UKC Gear: Mine has been worn loads over the last 2 years, and is fantastic, but I really wish it had a hood! Some of the older ones did, so please listen Marmot, make a new one with a hood!

Thank you to everybody who gave feedback regarding the Driclime Jacket.

It is important to point out that the Driclime Jacket was not discontinued because we thought it old and “uncool”. Retailers had begun to loose interest in selling the Driclime Jacket as softshell styles became more popular in the market place. (This is strange because it always rains in the UK where softshell is useless?)

This change towards softshell was the driving force for introducing the Driclime Catalyst jacket to the range. This gives a more interesting style with a technical story that retailers find more interesting and buy.

This means we can continue to justify making the style of jacket that has now become classic kit status.

If you have never tried out a Driclime Jacket then you are really missing out on an excellent bit of outdoor kit.

In reply to Marmot UK: So the retailers, rather than the customers, are dictating what the manufacturers produce.

All seems very messy - 'cos the customer doesn't get what he wants (a Driclime Hoody) and switches brand (to Rab) so Marmot lose a sale. The retailer doesn't lose out, only losers are Marmot and the customer.

Why don't you re-introduce the hoody on a direct sale? You won't lose your retailers because they have no interest in selling it and it's a specialist niche product anyway.

I'd buy a couple to start with!

In reply to Marmot UK:

Sadly, I can believe that. Fashion over function then?


Would you care to name these retailers? Also is it not beyond the wit of someone at Marmot to come up with a 'technical story' about the upscaling of the design of the Driclime to include a revolutionary new extremity protection system? (I wouldn't use anything so common as the terms 'pockets' and 'hood'). In one fell stroke you'd be keeping the retailers 'interested' and producing an item that many posters on this thread want to buy.


It isn't 'classic' kit. It's a jacket that is now nowhere near as good as the old design.


No I'm not. I'm waiting for another manufacturer to design something I want to buy, rather than compromising and buying something that's going to irritate me.

I hope this doesn't come across as being too negative, but I constantly find myself picking up a garment and thinking "That would be really good if only...", then putting it back on the rack because it doesn't quite do the job. It's not about having expensive, pointless dangly bits or umpteen mobile phone and GPS pockets, or incredibly complex venting systems. I want pockets to put my hands in and a hood to keep my head warm. It's not too much to ask for in a £70 jacket, is it?