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What is the Lightline Eco Parka?
Part of Mountain Equipment's best selling Lightline series, the Lightline Eco Parka is an eco-friendly version of the regular Lightline parka. Unlike the standard version, this one is built with recycled materials yet still provides a fantastic amount of warmth and comfort for those sub-zero winter days.
What is it made of?
The outer of the Lightline Eco Parka is constructed with Mountain Equipment's own recycled Drilite Loft fabric. Drilite Loft is an extremely tough, windproof and highly water-resistant fabric with a microporous Polyurethane coating that provides a hydrostatic head of 1500mm to keep the insulation dry in hostile environments.
The Drilite has also been treated with a PFC-free Durable Water Repellent (DWR) to help water bead up and run off. Still, even though the fabric is incredibly weather resistant and windproof, it is not 100% waterproof.
The rest of the inner jacket is lined with a recycled nylon to maximise breathability and, should you be brave enough to be wearing just a t-shirt, next to the skin comfort.
All the down insulation used to fill this parka is recycled, meaning it contains duck and goose down reclaimed from various sources like pillows and bedding. Being recycled doesn't mean the down is lesser quality; this insulation has a minimum fill power of 700 and is made up of at least 85% down clusters, offering a high level of heat retention for cold weather and a fantastic warmth to weight ratio. Down insulation is also highly compressible, making it much easier to pack down and stuff away into a kit bag if you're travelling for multiple days.
Can't quite catch the lingo? Here's a quick breakdown.
PFC-free DWR - PFC-free DWR's are much more environmentally friendly than regular treatments, as they don't contain the PFC's (per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals) that damage the environment once released through waste from the manufacturing process.
Fill power - Fill power measures the warmth and efficiency of the down, alongside its ability to loft/fluff up. A rating of 700 fill power means that 1oz of this down fills 700 cubic inches of space when fully lofted. For a more detailed explanation, you can check out our YouTube video on fill power by clicking here.
All that lovely, ethical down is kept in place in stitch-through baffles to keep it close to your body to maximise performance.
What are its features?
The hood on the Lightline is a key feature for us at Trekitt, especially me, I love a good hood! M.E have improved the hood of the Lightline, and it now features a 3-panel construction for a better fit. It also has a wired peak to stop it flopping down over your eyes, a Velcro volume adjuster and side draw cords to really seal out the elements. You can also get the hood over a climbing helmet if you fancy some vertical adventures. As well as all that, the hood is completely removable if you want to save weight or just don't need to use it.
The main zip is a reliable two-way YKK moulded version to reduce ice build-up, backed up by an internal baffle to keep out the drafts.
Storage wise, you get two YKK moulded zipped hand pockets and a zipped internal security pocket to keep valuables safe and warm.
The sleeves are finished off with a part elasticated and part Velcro adjusters to tightly seal out the cold over bare wrists or bulky gloves. At the hem you get dual, one-pull hem drawcords for quick adjustment, even with gloves on.
As this one is a parka, it of course has a longer length, providing better coverage around the top of the legs for maximum warmth - perfect for casual days in town during winter as well as exploring the great outdoors.
Features:
- DRILITE® Loft 50D outer fabric with PFC free DWR; totally windproof and highly water resistant
- 296g (Size 12) of recycled down with a minimum 700 fill power
- Stitched-through construction throughout
- Longer length for extra warmth and protection
- Zip-off Mountain Insulated hood is fully adjustable
- 2-way YKK® moulded centre front zip with rear insulated baffle
- 2 zipped hand warmer pockets
- Inner zipped security pocket
- Adjustable cuffs