Trail Lite Designs Cloud Cape (raingear)
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:48 pm
I just took delivery of a Trail lite Designs Cloud Cape in 1.26 oz per sq yard Cuben fiber.
The Cloud cape is based on a hybrid of a poncho and a jacket.
It has the hood and full front zipper of a rain jacket but the short arms and wider opening of a poncho.
There are microlock drawstrings to adjust the hood and hem.
There are no pockets and a minimum of seams to seal.
The material is "Storm" Black Cuben Fiber which is an Ultra High Density Polymer treated with a high energy plasma. The results are a completely waterproof, extremely light, and strong as steel fabric. It's not a woven material. it's made of monded layers of spectra and mylar film.
This may look like a plastic poncho but Cuben fiber is stronger than Silnylon. It is impossible to tear this weight of cuben with your bare hands. It also will not stretch.
The Trail Lite Designs cloud Cape weighs 3 ounces on my scale seam sealed.
The full length front zipper is of the water resistant variety and is very high quality.
I will be reviewing this gear over the course of 4 months and 2,175 miles of hiking the length of the Appalachian trail.
My strategy is to use this cape along with my Golite umbrella for rain wear.
You are probably wondering about the lack of lower arm protection. For the warm summer rains on the AT I will use nothing. For cold rain and possible snow, (Smokey mountains or New Hampshire's white mtns) I have a Tyvek windshirt, the arms of which though breathable also absorb no water.
The key to this design and the startegy is to maintain a compromise between rain protection and ventilation. The full length front zipper is a huge factor in making this cape versatile.
The hood is of three piece fitted construction and can be cinched tight like a rain jacket.
I look forward to bringing you a complete review.
The Cloud cape is based on a hybrid of a poncho and a jacket.
It has the hood and full front zipper of a rain jacket but the short arms and wider opening of a poncho.
There are microlock drawstrings to adjust the hood and hem.
There are no pockets and a minimum of seams to seal.
The material is "Storm" Black Cuben Fiber which is an Ultra High Density Polymer treated with a high energy plasma. The results are a completely waterproof, extremely light, and strong as steel fabric. It's not a woven material. it's made of monded layers of spectra and mylar film.
This may look like a plastic poncho but Cuben fiber is stronger than Silnylon. It is impossible to tear this weight of cuben with your bare hands. It also will not stretch.
The Trail Lite Designs cloud Cape weighs 3 ounces on my scale seam sealed.
The full length front zipper is of the water resistant variety and is very high quality.
I will be reviewing this gear over the course of 4 months and 2,175 miles of hiking the length of the Appalachian trail.
My strategy is to use this cape along with my Golite umbrella for rain wear.
You are probably wondering about the lack of lower arm protection. For the warm summer rains on the AT I will use nothing. For cold rain and possible snow, (Smokey mountains or New Hampshire's white mtns) I have a Tyvek windshirt, the arms of which though breathable also absorb no water.
The key to this design and the startegy is to maintain a compromise between rain protection and ventilation. The full length front zipper is a huge factor in making this cape versatile.
The hood is of three piece fitted construction and can be cinched tight like a rain jacket.
I look forward to bringing you a complete review.