TNF Resolve Over Trousers, Review

I've just received a pair of TNF Resolve over trousers from Webtogs for review. Given the weather conditions recently over trousers could well be a summer essential so it shouldn't take long to find out just how waterproof they are.

The TNF Resolve are made from TNF's own waterproof breathable fabric, HyVent. TNF refer to it as a 3 layer fabric, (the very similar TNF Venture over trousers are referred to as 2.5 layer but are heavier or perhaps lighter* at 220g) the Ripstop outer shell, the mid layer being a PU coating and micro pores and an unspecified inner layer, unspecified unless the mesh lining is classed as an inner layer. I'm fairly certain that waterproof clothing that uses a mesh drop liner is generally considered as being 2 layer, that of course may only be the case when a breathable membrane is used rather than a breathable PU coating.

The over trousers are a fairly slim fit, the waist is elasticated and also has a drawcord, there are 2 zipped mesh pockets but the zips are standard non waterproof type and although they have storm flaps they look quite small. The legs have zipped openings which open to just below knee level, again zips are regular type and like the pockets have quite narrow storm flaps. The ankles can be tightened by way of velcro which is useful. Finally the trousers are fully lined with a fairly open mesh fabric. The advertised weight is 200g.

Design aside it's how well they perform that will be the real issue, I haven't had the opportunity to try them yet so the best I can do is give an initial opinion based on the design.

Firstly and perhaps of most concern is the weight, the suggested weight is 200g, mine in 'Small' weigh 296g. I expect most kit to weigh a little more than advertised but in this case the difference is too much especially as with this kind of lighter weight kit the weight is probably second only to actual performance in importance and it may be the deciding factor when choosing between 2 similar products.



I'm undecided about the pockets, on the one hand I do tend to carry stuff in my pockets but they do have the potential to leak given that the storm flaps are minimal.



The zips on the lower leg do make it easier to pull them on over a pair of trainers but unfortnately the mesh lining tends to get caught up which makes them more difficult to pull on than they could/should be, addditionaly the mesh lining also tends to bunch up and get caught when removing them. I guess the mesh is to make them feel more comfortable when wearing shorts but as I don't wear shorts I find the mesh pointless, serving only to add weight and making them more troublesome to put on/take off.



On initial inspection it looks like the knees are articulated to ease movement, on closer inspection this isn't the case. There are seams running just below the knee but that's simply as the legs are made from 4 pieces of fabric rather than a 2 full length pieces (front/back). This results in having a seam running around the leg but I suspect that's simply to make better use of the fabric at the cutting stage during manufacture. The seams are taped but less seams is usually better unless they're required to create a particular shape.

As I mentioned previously the actual performance will be the critical issue, in the meantime the Pro's and Con's are as follows.

Pro's
Reasonably Inexpensive
Appear well made

Con's
Weigh Significantly More than Advertised (296g Actual/200g Advertised)
Poorly Protected (Pocket) Zips
Mesh Lining (Adds Weight, Catches on Shoes when Putting on/removing)



Clearly the weight is an issue, at nearly 300g it's possible to get something like the RAB Drillium eVent over trousers although it should be pointed out that the RAB's are 2 x times the price.

Interestingly I had a quick look on the TNF.uk website, the Resolve 'Pant' is listed as having an average weight of 360g it does however also mention a "comfortable brushed collar lining" and mentions that, "The adjustable hood stows in the collar"

That's certainly a 1st in my experience.

I also looked at the TNF Strider pant, the Strider appears to be a full zip version of the Resolve but the suggested weight is 270g

Berghaus Pro Trek Shell Jacket

I've been looking for a new shell jacket for quite some time but found it difficult to get something that met the design criteria that I had in mind. To be honest the criteria wasn't anything unusual or at least that's what I thought.

I wanted a decent wired hood that wasn't cut away at the sides, something like my old Phoenix Gore-Tex jacket or the Paramo VAL, I wanted a standard zip and double external stormflap rather than a waterproof zip, I also wanted at least one map sized pocket accessible behind the stormflap or at least accessible without needing to open the main zip, I wanted a waist drawcord and finally I wanted self fabric cuff tabs rather than rubber tabs. I didn't really care whether it was eVent or Gore-Tex as I didn't notice much difference in breathability with my eVent Montane Venture over my Gore-Tex jacket. The Venture isn't a bad jacket but I really disliked the hood to the extent that I've only worn it about half a dozen times.

I've had good results with Mountain Equipment clothing and quite liked the look of the Morpheus although I was doubful about whether I'd like the hood in spite of it being highly rated. I was browsing the Field & Trek website and noticed that the Morpheus was on sale so decided to order one, being unsure of the size I checked Mountain Equipments website and decided on small.

I really liked the Morpheus, the design was clean and the fit was good, it ticked most of the boxes having an external map pocket, a waist drawcord, standard zip and external stormflap and self fabric cuff tabs but unfortunately the hood let it down. I felt that the hood was too small, too cut away at the sides and the collar didn't go up quite high enough. I wondered if a medium would be better but couldn't get a Medium Morpheus in the sale so decided to try the Mountain Equipment Ogre which was reduced. I ordered a medium but it felt too big and the hood still didn't feel right so it went back, it's possible that a Small Ogre might have worked as I think the hood is slightly different to the Morpheus but at £190 I needed to be 100% satisfied so decided not to take a chance.

I looked at as many different brands as I could think of and couldn't find anything so asked on Outdoors Magic for suggestions, eventually someone suggested the Berghaus Pro Trek and for want of any better suggestions I ordered one from Outdoor Action in size medium, price £140.

I'd tried a Berghaus jacket earlier in the year in one of those shops that sells end of line clothing, I think the jacket was the Dunedin and I'd liked the general fit and the style of the hood so I was reasonably confidant that the Pro Trek would be the one. The jacket duly arrived and after trying it with a variety of midlayers I decided to keep it. It doesn't tick all the boxes but I've had to compromise as the hood is right and that's the major thing for me.


Not a Slim Fit Jacket but I can easily get a down jacket underneath.

The Pro Trek is made using 3 layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell and is a bit heavier than my Montane Venture at 600g, it has a standard front zip with an external double stormflap, the flap closes with small velcro strips set at intervals rather than a full length velcro strip on the Morpheus, I think I prefer the small strips as velcro is a bit of a pain generally as it tends to catch up on everything else, to be honest I can't see why they don't just use studs to secure the stormflap. It has 2 handwarmer type pockets which use waterproof type zips but also have a little stormflap, there are 2 chest pockets capable of holding a map, like the other pockets they have waterproof zips/stormflaps. Finally there's a zipped mesh inside pocket.


Mesh Inner Pocket

The hood drawcord is elastic and the ends of the cord are kept out of the way behind the stormflap but the cordlocks are much too small, it's difficult to release them with bare hands and virtually impossible with gloves.


Hood Cordlocks


Hood Drawcords behind Stormflap


Micro Fleece inner collar, studs help keep the hood rolled and secured

I intend to replace them with side release cordlocks from Shelby in Finland which are similar to the ones on a Montane Flux .

The jacket also features pit-zips, how much advantage they'll be I've yet to find out, given a choice I'd probably do without as it's one more thing to go wrong, in any case the zips are the waterproof type and again have a small stormflap.


Pit Zips


Rubber Cuff Tabs, Stiff, Bulky and Prone to Snagging


Old Phoenix Shell Jacket with Self Fabric Cuff Tabs, Low Profile and Perfectly Functional

There isn't a waist drawcord unfortunately but that's one of the compromises I decided to accept to get the type of hood I wanted. The other compromise is the cuff tabs, they're the rubber type and to be honest I just don't see what advantage they offer over self fabric tabs, they're stiff, don't want to lie flat and tend to catch on gloves, pockets and so on, I'm seriously considering cutting them off and sewing on a plain velcro tab. I'd class the cut as full which is exactly what I wanted as it needs to work with a variety of midlayers, I didn't want a slim fit as I already have a close fitting waterproof for using outside of winter.


Ample Protection on the Hill, Less Stylish on the High Street


Volume Adjuster, Studs Secure Rolled Hood

The Hood, well the hood was always going to be the deal breaker, thankfully the hood on the Pro Trek is a full on mountain hood that should protect from wind driven rain/sleet/hail, the drawcord goes all the way around so it actually tightens around my face rather than simply pulling the hood down (or the shoulders up) like my Montane Venture. The peak/visor has a decent wire stiffener and has a volume reducer that is pretty similar to the Mountain Equipment design, and when zipped up the collar comes right up to nose level comfortably.


Hood Rolled and Secured


Micro Fleece inner collar

There's only one aspect of hood that I don't like or at least don't see the benefit of. The hood can be rolled away and secured with plastic press studs but to be honest the wire stiffener makes it a rather stiff and uncomfortable collar, it's much more comfortable to just have the hood hanging loose and in any case you'd need to remove the jacket to roll and secure the hood. To be honest I think it's a case of having an extra feature for it's own sake and like the rubber cuff tabs it adds little if anything to a jacket that would function just the same without it. Ironically the studs used to secure the hood could have been used to secure the stormflap, that in my opinion would have improved the jacket.


Hood Worn Rolled, It's Quite Stiff and Uncomfortable due to the Wire Stiffener


Hood Worn Loose with the Peak/Visor turned down, I find it more comfortable this way

That said I like the jacket and while it's yet to be tried in the conditions it was bought for it should be tested quite soon given the weather reports.

Extremities Tuff Bags, Pack-Lite Mitts

I prefer shell Gloves/Mitts to those that are lined, of the lined gloves I have all get wet through and then take ages to dry and taking them off means you lose all the protection in one go. I have a pair of Marmot shell gloves which are reasonably good but they're a bit too tight with anything more than a basic fleece liner. I bought them last year from ULOG but couldn't get XL as they were in the sale so went for L instead. It seems they aren't made anymore unfortunately.

In my opinion the reason you don't often get breathable shell gloves is the difficulty of taping the seams, most if not all Gore-Tex/eVent gloves are 3 part. there's a plain nylon outer glove, then a liner made from a waterproof breathable fabric which in many cases isn't seam taped and then a thin fleece liner. There are some shell mitts made from waterproof breathable fabric and I'd put that down to it being easier to tape the seams on mitts.

I've looked at both the Extremities Tuff Bags (Gore-Tex) and the MLD eVent mitts. The MLD mitts are incredibly light at 35g/Pair Large but aren't seam sealed, instruction for sealing them youself using silicone sealer are given on the website. The MLD mitts are a very simple design and appear to only have one drawcord at the cuff but as a simple waterproof shell look like they'd work well.

The Extremities mitts aren't quite as basic, they have taped seams, a shockcord and captive cordlock at the cuff and also a webbing strap and buckle at the wrist, they weight 75g size large. In the end though I decided on the Tuff Bags as they were available without needing to wait and Field & Trek had themn reduced to £32.

I ordered the Tuff Bags in Large, having tried them on in the past I knew they'd fit ok. They feel really light but could have been (or could be with a little modification) even lighter. The shockcord used at the cuff is 3mm and has an nice plastic end cap thing but if you were really keen you could replace it with 2mm and use a mini cordlock, in fact it might be worthwhile swapping to a lighter shockcord anyway as the fitted stuff puts quite a bit of stress on the fabric. The cuff strap at 20mm seems overkill for such a light mitt considering it needs a 20mm buckle and combined with the cuff shockcord must make up a fair percentage of the total weight of the actual mitt, again if you were seriously keen to lose a few grams you could remove it completely or cut it off leaveing just enough to stitch on a lighter strap/buckle or shockcord/cordlock.





I don't have a liner sorted yet apart from my normal fleece gloves. I have a pair of Wild Country Extreme mitts from way back, they have a heavy stiff Gore-Tex shell and a removable fleece liner and I considered using the liner with the Tuff Bags but it's a bit too long. I do however have a pair of Wintergear mitts of a similar design, they're made from a lighter coated breathable fabric with a removeable fleece liner. I haven't been able to try them though as they're in my mum's attic. Failing that I may go for a pair of Buffalo Pertex/Pile mitts and only add the Tuff Bags when I really need them.

Paramo Velez Adventure Light

I seem to be making a few purchases recently that I didn't expect to be making and haven't bought the things I'd intended to buy. I bought the Uniqlo down jacket on a whim and I've been really pleased with it, in fact it just keeps impressing me more and more. I'd been considering a pertex-pile smock/shirt to use primarily for canoeing but having been reading some posts by Robin (Blogpackinglight) and Maz (The Journeyman Traveller) Paramo started to attract my attention.

I've never really considered Paramo, I've read the threads on Outdoors Magic and looked at Paramo briefly in shops but to be honest thought it too expensive. There doesn't appear to be any middle ground where Paramo is concerned, it seems to be very much a case of love it or loath it. There's a similar degree of entrenched opinion when it comes to Gore-Tex v's eVent although in my experience there's little difference in reality and I'd make my choice on fit/features rather than the fabric.

The one Paramo item that really made me loook more closely was the Velez Adventure Light (VAL) To me it looked similar in cut/style to a Buffalo Pertex-Pile Mountain Shirt (and the various clones/variations from Snugpak/Montane/Extreme Outdoor gear) but without the bulk. It seems like a coincidence but there were also a few Paramo releated threads recently started on Outdoors Magic and one that was of particular interest was about what to wear under the Velez smock.

The Velez AL retails around £200 which was more than I wanted to pay but searching ebay I found the Paramo Extras shop who had the VAL on sale at £135 including postage and also available as a 'Best Offer' buy. I was a bit unsure about sizing as I'd read that Paramo was a bit strange but checking the size chart on the Paramo website it looked like I needed a Small. I ended up going for a Small in Fire/Black and made an offer of £120 which was accepted. I was still a bit concerned about sleeve length as I find some brands are too short but figured that I could always return it if it didn't fit properly.

Postage was free but I was able to upgrade to 24hr Special Delivery for £1.50 and being impatient that suited me fine. The VAL arrived yesterday so as soon as I came home from work the package was opened and the smock tried for size.



I'd almost managed to convince myself that it wouldn't fit but I'm pleased to say it's perfect, the sleeves are long enough and it's not too loose worn with a base layer yet I can easily wear my Montane Flux underneath it, the icing on the cake is the hood, just the type I like with a drawcord which goes all the way around and doesn't resemble a flat cap like the one on my Montane Venture.



As yet I haven't been able to test how waterproof it is, some people report that it's as good as Gore-Tex/eVent, others say it leaks so time will tell. It's hard to believe that it's as waterproof as a hardshell as it's so soft, it really is comfortable and I've been wearing it all day.



I don't think I'll find it too warm but if I do it's easily vented by opening the side zips which open from about chest to waist level. There's a spacious chest pocket and also 2 internal hand warmer pockets, unfortunately to access the hand warmer pockets you need to open the side zips, maybe it has to be done this way due to the way the inner/outer fabric works?

With regard to the waterproofing I'm not too concerned as had i not bought it I'd have gone for a Pertex-Pile smock which isn't waterproof anyway, the worst case scenario in my opinion is that even if it isn't as waterproof as a hard shell it's still a really soft, flexible and not bulky soft shell that should dry quickly and for my intended use it'll be perfect I think. If however it keeps me as dry/comfortable as my regular waterproof jackets I may well be a Paramo convert.

Did I mention I'm absolutely delighted with it? :-)

Rain Gear, Part 2, Trousers

While I may have spent too much looking for the perfect waterproof jacket I haven't had the same problem with regard to overtrousers. I have a pair of Berghaus Extreme 3 layer Gore-Tex ones with full side zips that are as old as my Phoenix jacket. I bought the full zip type so that I could put them on while wearing skis and while they can be a bit of a handful in a breeze they work well. I haven't had much call to use them in recent years so they're still in pretty good condition apart from the odd stain caused by wax.





Of course when I starting kitting out again I wanted to get something lighter and by chance found a pair of light overtrousers in my local Trespass store. I think they're the Trespass'Prusik' model made from coated ripstop type nylon, the coating/fabric being branded as Trestex. What I liked about them apart from the price was that they had almost full length zips which makes them easy to get on/off over boots. The zip is double ended which allows me to vent them if required and has both internal and external stormflaps, the outer one closed with velcro patches, the waist has a simple shockcord and cordlock. I consider these my winter overtrousers and so far they've proved to be both waterproof and breathable. They pack down nice and small, weigh 299g and if I remember correctly cost around £15 in the sale. They're not the lightest available but you can pay much more for very little benefit, breathabilty may potentially be better in more expensive brands but I feel that condensation is less of an issue in overtrousers, in any case I haven't noticed condensation in these.









While being pleased with the Prusik's I still wondered if I could reduce the weight but found it difficult to reduce it significantly without spending quite a bit. The obvious answer was to look for something for summer use, basic overtrousers would be fine as hopefully they wouldn't be needed too often (Whatever gave me that idea!) so I went back to Trespass to look at the really basic Trespass Packa range. I found exactly what I was looking for, basic overtrousers in plain breathable coated nylon, again branded as Trestex with simple stud fasteners at the ankle. I paid around £10, sale price again so no complaints there. There was one small problem though, they have vents to allow access to your trousers pockets (2 front, 1 back) but they can't be fastened shut with the result that when it was breezy they allowed rain to enter and inflated like a balloon. The easiest option was simply to seal them on the inside with duct tape although I could sew them closed and seal the stitching as I would a flysheet using silicone sealer thinned with white spirits (I could possibly glue them shit using silicone). I wore these on my last overnighter and in spite of tramping through and falling into peat bogs and wet heather they performed really well being both waterproof and breathable, I was wearing lightweight Columbia Omni trousers and any lack of waterproofness or breathability almost certainly have been apparent. These pack even smaller than the Prusiks and are half the weight at 150g. Personally I think they're both great, they've worked well so far and if they get damaged it isn't going to cost much to replace them.











I think it's easy to overlook the cheaper brands and it was only by chance that I found them but sometimes you can find perfectly servicable products at a really good price by looking at the item rather than the brand name. I don't mind paying for a top end product if there isn't an alternative, it's virtually impossible to get a light, warm sleeping bag or duvet jacket for example without spending serious money but in the case of the over trousers I probably saved between £50-£100 and thats money that can be better spent on other kit where there isn't a low rent alternative.

Rain Gear, Part 1. Jackets

I've mentioned my waterproofs in passing but thought it might be worth a more detailed look. I basically have 2 sets, one light summer set and a heavier set for winter but obviously there's some overlap, in addition I have a few other items, some from way back.

As far as jackets are concerned I have an old 3 layer Gore-Tex Phoenix Opal which is still ok but could use a wash and re-proof. It cost £145 from 'West Coast Outdoor' in Fort William, sadly they aren't around anymore but I always looked forward to reaching Fort Bill for a look around together with a look in Nevisport, this was back before Ellis Brigham/Blacks etc.

The Opal is a basic mountain jacket that ticked the boxes back then, two way zip, double studded stormflap, drawcords at waist and hem, map pocket behind stormflap, 4 external pockets, velcro adjustable cuffs and a helmet compatible wired hood. Not a bad spec list even yet, thankfully free from gimmicks and the hood is the best of any jacket I own with or without a helmet. The weight is reasonable for a 3 layer jacket at 862g.









I also have a Berghaus Mera Peak I.A. which I bought about a year ago. I was looking for a new jacket but still going by the guidelines from the late 1980's and about the only jacket that fitted the bill was the Mera Peak. It's fairly similar in design to the Phoenix Opal but made from 2 layer Gore-Tex with a mesh drop liner. It has the I.A. zip system to allow you to attach a Berghaus I.A. fleece, a bit pointless in my view but a feature which was starting to appear in Berghaus jackets around late 1980's early 1990's. The design of the hood/internal collar is more fussy than the Opal and the visor is poor as it isn't wired, it does have some kind of stiffening but overall it's floppy. It's an ok jacket but the design is a bit too fussy in some areas, clearly the result of trying to appeal to the broader market as I've seen more Mera Peaks worn in the high street than in the hills. Weight is 868g.





Once I started to look at current trends I realized that not only were perfectly capable jackets available at around half the weight of the Opal or Mera Peak but that there was a new fabric on the market. In the good old days it was Gore-Tex v's Sympatex now Sympatex had all but disappeared but to provide some competition to Gore-Tex there was Event. The general view seemed to be that Event was more breathable so i decided to look for an Event jacket and set a maximum weight limit of 500g or thereabouts. I shortlisted the Montane Venture and the RAB Bergan and eventually decided on the Venture.

The Venture is a very different style to the Opal/Mera Peak, it's shorter with only a hem drawcord, a velcro stormflap over a 2-way zip, no map-pocket behind the stormflap and a hood with the now common 'Flat Cap' style stiffened visor. The jacket has performed as expected although I don't find it any more breathable than Gore-Tex. The worst aspect of the jacket is the hood, it's absolutely massive. The result is that unless the hood drawcords are fully tightened the hood won't stay up and because the drawcord doesn't go all the way around it really only pulls the hood down (or the shoulders up) rather than closing it in around my face, there is a volume reducer but it only serves to pull the front of the hood up and back. That aside it's ok but I may have been better with something like the RAB Latok/Latok Alpine which appear to have a drawcord which goes all the way around. That said I won't change until the Venture is worn out. The Venture in Medium weighs 450g.







Finally my lightest jacket. I wanted something for summer use that would pack down small and be super light. I knew about the Haglof range but really wanted something cheaper. In the end I decided on a Marmot Essence which I discovered on the Webtogs site, it wasn't really cheap but wasn't too expensive either. The spec is pretty basic, a very light jacket with a breathable coating, underarm gusseted vents, 1 way front zip with a single storm flap behind, one zipped chest pocket, elasticated cuffs and a hood with a similar style peak/visor to the Venture. The hood works better on the Marmot Essence as it's smaller, although again tightening the drawcords tends to pull the shoulders up, like the Venture there a Velcro'd strap to reduce the volume. I intended to use the Essence only in Summer but used it last time out, the small packed size and minimal weight make it an attractive proposition, I haven't had any problems regarding breath-ability or waterproofing so at only 183g it's all good given the intended use, the packed size is great and colour sublime.