Julbo Ultra Glasses

The lenses in the Julbo Ultra sunglasses are awesome. When I think of Reactalite lenses, I get this image of a 1980s Polaroid advert in my head but things have come a long way since.

A lens like the photochromic Zebra Light is the logical progression from multi lens glasses sets. Instead of having to predict the conditions or stop and change lenses, it all just happens. The lenses adjust from a pretty clear cat 1 lens to a pretty dark cat 3 lens.  I couldn’t say exactly what the reaction times are but I just never really notice it going on, so it must be alright.

The frames are light and comfy and the lenses are held just a little further away from your face than classic sunglasses to make sure they never mist up. Face coverage is excellent with no wind getting into my eyes. The nose piece is adjustable if you need it but it was fine for me as it was. The only adjustment I made is to the width of the arms, the distance between the arms ends when fully open. I have a narrow pin head so find most glasses don’t grip my head properly, which I notice when looking down. My solution to this is to superglue a piece of elastic band to the frame just inside the hinge. This stops the hinge from opening fully and makes them grip my head a little better. Because I use elastic band, it’s sort of like a mini shock absorber.

Dark Lenses

If you compare the 2 images in this post, the top one is in a studio with no UV, so the lenses are as clear as they can be. The image just above is a fairly sunny day on Middleton Moor. You can really see how much adjustment the Zebra lenses offer, photochromic lenses are really the way forward.

For Summer 2012 we’re pleased to announce that with any Arcteryx product over £75 you can grab yourself a half price Phase AR Zip Neck or with any product over £150 grab yourself one absolutely free!

To Quote Stu’s earlier review of the Phase AR Zip Neck:

Arcteryx Phase AR Zip Neck

The Phase AR Zip neck is now my favourite piece of base layer replacing the Mammut All Year Zip Neck. When I got some Phase AR, my first impression was that it would be too warm as the fabric seemed quite thick. However this is not the case and I have found it’s temperature window to be very similar to the Mammut All Year Fabric (which uses some wool blend and some synthetic panels) although the Mammut fabric is thinner. On the OMM I took both and wore the Mammut to run in and the Arcteryx in the tent, next time I will run in the Phase AR.  I think the Phase AR has slightly better durability than the All Year fabric and is more comfortable to wear as it has a little more stretch. The lack of a lighter colour in the Phase AR is a slight drawback for those in high UV environments. I think both Mammut and Arcteryx base layers perform better than any thing else I have tried ( and I’ve tried a lot) but I do find myself leafing through my base layers to find the Phase.

Read Stu’s full blog post.

Petzl Nao

Although the days are getting longer and longer, I have taken every opportunity to use my Petzl Nao since I was lucky enough to get a demo unit from Petzl in the early spring. The new Nao is something unique in the high powered lamp market as it auto adjusts it’s own brightness and beam pattern as you use it.

The Nao measures the amount of light that is reflected back at it, and the more light it receives the more it turns itself down. The idea is that if you are looking at a map then a lot of light will bounce off the map and the lamp will adjust to it’s preset reading light level. If no reflected light is received then you are looking into the far distance and the full power long distance beam light is used. If a small amount of light is being reflected then you are probably looking at something in the near to middle distance so medium power and a wide beam flood is used. Apart from not blinding yourself when you look at the map on full power the real benefit of the Nao is that it achieves a really long life from a small rechargeable battery.

It really works! Both for general about camp type use and technical night trail running which are the two things I have used it for so far. The light adjusts so quickly that half the time you don’t even notice it doing so. You tend to see the power go up if you look into the far distance but don’t see it come down as you look at close objects. You can switch between the reactive power levels (up to 5 levels) and constant power levels (again a max choice of 5) with short or long turns of the single knob. The chunky knob was easy to use with gloves on, a trick passed down from the Ultra.

An environmental review of Petzl highlighted that their greatest problem was disposable batteries. Since then Petzl have been promoting rechargeable lithium batteries. First was the Core battery for the Tikka/Zipka range and similar technology is being used with the Nao. The battery is a custom Lithium Ion one.  The software on your PC allows you to customise the minimum and maximum light output for the different amount of reflected light. You can even have multiple sets of settings for different sports and change the battery between them whilst it is connected to your PC. This is very quick and as the battery is USB charged it’s often connected to your computer with the included lead. The Nao can also be converted to a remote battery with the Nao Belt Kit.

Nao battery with USB connection

The software is mainly graphical so it’s quite obvious what you are changing and you get an average battery life estimate for your settings. The battery life will always be an estimate because it depends how long you spend looking at what distances. Petzl have down extensive field testing to try to make the estimates as realistic as possible. If you want battery predictability the Nao also has a constant mode where it behaves like any other lamp. You can have between 1 and 5 reactive levels and between 1 and 5 constant levels. If you run your battery flat, you can even replace the rechargeable lithium battery with disposable batteries, however once you have done so the Nao will only run at constant low power.

Nao Software (click to enlarge in new window)

Again I found that the software really works.  On the factory preset – multi activity, the flood beam did not come on early enough for me when running so I increased the reading threshold to maximum and also increased the maximum power of the wide beam, now I get more light whilst looking the same distance in front of me as before. I saved this as my ideal run settings and can refine it again if I want.

The next new feature of the Nao is the strap. Petzl have replaced two thirds of the elastic in the headstrap with cord. The front third of each strap is still elastic to maintain comfort and head grip whilst the rest is cord. The idea is that when you stow the Nao in your pack you use the cord lock to pull everything together and then it  doesn’t come out of your bag in a tangle. This works well but means you have to adjust the tension each time, but that’s very easy. If you never change between a head, hat and helmet so always want the same tension then a little knot in the string works marks the right place. The optional head strap is minimal and not fitted as standard as Petzl don’t think that most people use them. Maybe it’s just because I do a lot of running but I still prefer a top strap, however a minimal one works just fine.  The strap works fine with a helmet and is comfy with a hat but I think lacks a little padding behind the light unit when worn on the bare head.

Headstrap cinched

Headstrap with minimalist top strap

Continuing on with the green theme the Petzl Nao comes in a almost fully recyclable box with no nasty plastic windows or the like. The only part that cannot be recycled is a small magnet that holds the box lid shut. However Petzl are encouraging me to cut this off the box and re use as a fridge magnet. A nice touch or a load of old tosh depending on your stand point.

The Nao has one more surprise up it’s sleeve – the price! The launch price is £135, which for a lithium battery rechargeable lamp kicking out 355 lumens is really good. You can get more lumens per pound but £135 for the feature set and versatility of the Nao seems like a pretty good deal to me. If you are wondering why it’s called the Nao it is Chinese for mind or brain.

I am pretty impressed by the performance of the Ambit so far, I can’t wait to test one over several hours, but can’t keep one in stock for long enough!

Rab VR Lite Alpine Jacket

I’ve had the jacket about six weeks now and in Yorkshire that’s meant everything from snow and sleet to summer warmth. The jacket has been used mountain biking, running and walking but principally it has been my climbing jacket.

The VR Lite Alpine is generally billed as a light, lined windshirt for high aerobic activities however for me that’s not how I tended to wear it. Even worn against skin the VR Lite Alpine was a little too warm for me to cycle or run in even with the temperature in the low single digits. I had to constantly fiddle with the zip to keep comfortable. On a road bike this would be less of an issue but as a rule I think I would stick with unlined windshirts and baselayers for cycling and running.

For me where the VR Lite Alpine comes into its own is lower aerobic activities where it makes a great replacement for a fleece and windshirt or a much lighter and less bulky alternative to a softshell jacket. For moderately aerobic activities like walking, climbing and belaying the jacket provides as much warmth as a microfleece and almost complete protection from the wind without feeling or looking too much like a shell. In fact the Pertex Equilibrium face is easily the most comfortable windproof fabric I’ve come across. It’s also really comfortable under a hardshell if the weather turns as it offers a very smooth face. I should also add that the Apple model is an lovely intense green colour without the washed-out look that some vapour-rise has suffered from in the past, in fact the image rather undersells it.

Probably my favourite feature of the jacket is its cut which provides impressive freedom of movement without riding up or bagging when not extended. How this is achieved is, as far as I’m concerned magic, however the multi panel construction of the sleeves may well have something to do with it.

Thanks to this cut and the fabric the VR Lite Alpine is the most comfortable out I’ve ever climbed in. When you wear it under a harness it stays put even when you’re making cross-throughs or other rangy movement, with the cuffs cinched up there’s no bagginess around the wrists and both pockets are easily accessible.  The hood comes in handy on breezy belays and would be especially appreciated when winter climbing or walking. I would have slight reservations about gnarling my way up granite chimneys in the VR Lite Alpine as it is ultimately a lightweight piece but that’s a harsh test for any garment.

Speaking of winter climbing, it’s not something I’m really into any more but I have to say I reckon this would be pretty high up on my kit list. The jacket would provide ample warmth on early starts and whilst climbing without being too sweaty on the walk in.

So there you have it, I use the jacket in a very different way to Stu – he uses it as a light windshirt whereas for me its more of a fleece replacement – but we both really rate it.

Clothing Sale Page

There is also a very small amount of Winter 2010 gear left which is now at 40% off but size and colour choice is very limited in those styles. There is now a Super Sale category for all items which are 40% off just for you ultra bargain hunters

Super Sale

Rab VR Lite Alpine Jacket

In Jan and Feb I used it for biking and running, and generally wore a baselayer underneath, although if it’s warmer than expected the best solution is to remove your baselayer and put the VR Lite back on. I am disappointed in the performance of cycling gear so have taken to wearing proper outdoor gear on my bike (both road and mountain) during the winter and so have racked up quite a few road  in the jacket. The athletic cut and generous arm length made it very comfortable.

However it’s not called the ‘Alpine Jacket’ for nothing and it performed just as well on my ski/touring trip this spring. Whilst the jacket is lightweight at 345g, it still features adjustable velcro cuffs, 2 decent Napoleon pockets and an adjustable hood. I have used a few lightweight products recently which have gone a bit too lightweight at the expense of features that you need. Happily Rab have keep a good hood and pockets rather than chasing the sub 300g weight tag.

Top of the La Legette Du Mirantin

As the weather was pretty good, I wore the VR Lite Alpine as my general jacket for the 2 weeks I was away. I prefer this style of jacket to a softshell as it is much more functional as a layering piece but just as good as an outer layer. In the past I think that the shiny outer on windshirts has meant people have shied away from using them as everyday jackets but the matt finish on the Pertex Equilibrium eliminates this problem.  In cooler conditions I can see that you wear the jacket next to your skin and possibly layer over it but as the temperature rises you are better to wear a thin baselayer or techinical T underneath for when it’s just too warm for the jacket.  If you use it both ways then it’s can be used year round for most activities.

The only thing I have noticed is that the jacket has suffered friction damage from the straps of my pack when running. This has not affected the function of the jacket but will turn into a hole after a couple of years use. This is not a fault with the jacket but a limitation of lighter weight fabrics. I have had exactly the same experience with the Montane Krypton Jacket that I am also testing. If you want your gear to last 5 to 10 years of constant use then you should steer clear of lightweight fabrics.  Most people have a pile of redundant gear which is not worn out, surely it’s better for stuff to be lighter, more comfortable and pretty worn out by the time you replace it than over engineered.

I really can’t think of anything negative to say about the VR Lite Alpine Jacket as I really do love it.  Combined with a couple of weights of baselayer and a good shell, it forms part of a proper clothing system.

The VR Lite Alpine Jacket is part of our Rab Summer 2012 Range.

Here’s a quick 2 minute video from my GoPro camera. All filmed at Red Mountain.