White Sierra High Camp 3 in 1 Review
November 26, 2012
66 The Good
- Inexpensive
- 3-in-1 system very versatile
- Helmet compatible hood
The Bad
- Heavy
- A little baggy
- Fabric has low breathability
- No pit zips or powder skirt
- Seams not taped (not waterproof)
With a zip-out liner that can also be worn alone, the High Camp 3-in-1 is a versatile, acceptably functional jacket at a very reasonable price. While the jacket provides adequate warmth and weatherproofing, it is relatively heavy and less breathable than others in the test. It also lacks many of the resort-specific amenities of others in the test. At the cheapest price of any jacket we tested—you get what you pay for.
Materials
The Mountain 3-in-1’s outer shell is a generic polyester twill treated with a DWR coating with a sewn in liner. The zip-out liner is ripstop nylon with a generic synthetic fill. The exterior shell’s stitches aren’t taped, so they eventually leaked through after a day of wet precipitation on a soggy day on Mount Hood. The exterior shell’s liner and the zippers mating the interior and exterior jackets add weight to an already heavy outer fabric, making this a fairly heavy jacket for the warmth it provides. The Mountain 3-in-1’s waterproof breathability isn’t in the class of the other jackets in the test.
Features
With a zip-out liner, the Mountain 3-in-1 is a more versatile parka than most in the test. If conditions heat up, simply zip out the insulated liner. If things heat up from there, on say a sidecountry hike, however, there are no pit zips to further ventilate the jacket. The hood is large enough to fit over most helmets, but there is no powder skirt and relatively few pockets, none large enough to stash goggles, spare gloves or climbing skins.
If you’re shopping for a system jacket, compare this one to Columbia’s Ultrachange Jacket, which offers much higher performance but at a significantly higher price.
No reviews have been posted for this product.