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This beast of a down jacket is one of M.E.’s iconic and continuous bestsellers. It has a fully adjustable and removable hood that offers excellent protection in sub-zero temperatures.
This beast of a down jacket is one of M.E.’s iconic and continuous bestsellers. It has a fully adjustable and removable hood that offers excellent protection in sub-zero temperatures.
Mountain Equipment

Mountain Equipment Mens Lightline Jacket Shadow Grey

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Your Pre-Order is prioritised (at no additional charge); meaning that as soon as the product arrives with us, we can wrap it straight back up; ready for collection via Click & Collect or despatch to you — it often never even hits the stock room shelves!

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With Pre-Launch, the date when we expect to receive the product ourselves is still a little too hazy to be confident in accepting Pre-Orders.

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Estimated Delivery & Collection Dates

Estimated Delivery & Collection Dates are given on Pre-Order and Pre-Launch products. They are for indication purposes only and can change at any time without notice.

The dates we provide are based on indications given by our suppliers. Whenever we get updated information from our suppliers we will endeavour to update the Estimated Delivery & Collection Dates provided on product pages.

We estimate this will be ready for despatch to you or collection via Click & Collect on Undetermined
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90-day returns period

We hope that you are perfectly happy with your order from Trekitt, but we understand that you may want to return your purchase. We offer a 90 days return period from the date of purchase, and endeavour to process all returns within 48 hours of receipt.

We do not offer a free returns service. Therefore, all customers are responsible for any postage costs when returning any goods (excluding warranty returns).

For your convenience, follow here to the Royal Mail Returns Portal to arrange return postage for your items. This is not a Trekitt operated service.

The Trekitt Returns Policy Includes...
A 90 day return period and the Trekitt 2-year Common Sense Guarantee.

Exemptions
PPE (Facemasks, Climbing Equipment etc. ), Food Goods, Socks & Underwear can only be returned if they have not been worn and/or removed from their original packaging with all swing tags still attached. If there is any sign or possibility that the goods have been used, tampered with or contaminated in any way, then we cannot accept a return on the grounds of consumer safety. Zips are typically not covered under a manufacturer's warranty.

The above does not affect the Consumer Contract Regulations. Click here to read more.

Mountain Equipment Mens Lightline Jacket Shadow Grey

Season:ZZZ Discontinued

Brand:Mountain Equipment

Code:000148-01011-

The Lightline Down Jacket from Mountain Equipment is designed to meet the demands of modern mountaineers and all outdoor enthusiasts who require a reliable, warm and durable insulated jacket. It offers a superb warmth to weight ratio and uses some of the best natural down in a stitch-through, mid-baffle construction.

As well as providing maximum insulation, the Lightline is windproof and highly water resistant, so it works best as a standalone jacket in freezing and damp conditions…perfect for UK winter mountaineering then!

Because of its excellent pack size, it also works superbly as an over-layering jacket to keep in your pack. Simply whip it out when you need to chuck it over the top of all your layers to provide warmth on those exposed belays, or when stopping for lunch on winter outings.

How you wear it will depend on what you’re doing, how much effort you’re putting in and of course what the weather conditions are. Check out our YouTube video for more information on layering.

What is the Lightline Down Jacket made from?

The outer of the Lightline Down Jacket is constructed with Mountain Equipment’s own Drilite Loft fabric. Drilite Loft is an extremely tough, windproof and highly water-resistant Nylon 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 Durable Water Repellent (DWR) to help water bead up and run off, but even though the fabric is incredibly weather resistant and windproof, it is not 100% waterproof, so always carry a shell jacket, because it will rain!

The rest of the inner jacket is lined with an un-coated nylon to maximise breathability and, should you be brave enough to be just wearing a t-shirt, next to the skin comfort.

The stuff that’s keeping you warm inside this lovely jacket is 296g (size large) of M.E’s high quality Pure Down with a 700 fill-power. What’s fill power? Well, for those who don’t know, it’s an internationally recognised measurement of how well down will “loft”. Loft describes how “fluffy” the insulation is, the “fluffier” down is the more space it can occupy and the more warm air it can trap in all those fine filaments. Down simply doesn’t work when compressed. The number used in Fill Power describes the amount of space one ounce of down will occupy in cubic inches when allowed to reach its maximum loft. So, in the case of the Mountain Equipment Lightline Jacket, one ounce of down will loft up to fill 700 cubic inches, or to put that in perspective, it’s equivalent to about 12 litres, or the same as a Large Exped Fold Dry-Bag.

What makes Mountain Equipment's down so special is their Down Codex programme. Most companies are now taking steps to make sure their down is coming from ethical sources, but Mountain Equipment are taking the whole process to another level. The waterfowl (geese and ducks) are all by-products of the food and meat industry, every supplier wishing to work with Mountain Equipment must accept the terms of their Down Codex and allow a full audit of all parts of the supply chain - that means everything from farm to factory. On top of all of that, you can even trace your down on their website right back to the source using a unique 12-digit code printed on the label inside every Mountain Equipment down product. In fact, Mountain Equipment are so proud of how ethical their down is, they’ve sewn a label to the inside telling you all about it, and there’s even a leaflet in the pocket with the full story.

All that lovely, ethical down is kept in place in stitch-through baffles to keep it close to your body to maximise performance.

The use, throughout the Lightline, of technical fabrics and high quality down keep the overall weight (of this size large) to around 740g.

What are the main 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.

To make the collar extra comfortable Mountain Equipment have lined it with a soft tricot material, this makes it much more comfortable than having the Drilite next to the skin.

The main zip is a reliable two-way YKK moulded version to reduce ice build-up and it is 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. This is also where you’ll find the stuff sack.

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.

How does the Lightline Down Jacket Fit?

Designed primarily as an outer insulating jacket, the Lightline has a regular fit that will easily allow layering underneath. However, what you don’t want is a big baggy jacket as you’ll waste energy warming up all that dead air space, and conversely you don’t want it too tight either as that’ll hinder the downs ability to fully loft.  

I’m 6’3”, 13.5 stone with a 42” chest and 34” waist and this size large fits me perfectly. There’s enough room for plenty of layers, I’d usually wear a base layer and a light fleece; it even fits well over the top of my shell for use as a belay jacket.

The easy regular fit also makes the Lightline perfect for use as an everyday winter coat.

Where does the Lightline Down Jacket fit in the layering system?

The Lightline Down Jacket works best as an extremely weather resistant outer jacket when you’re out in the mountains in typical UK damp and freezing conditions. Because it is easily packable it can be carried in your pack for use as an insulating over-layer on belays or food stops.

Layering is not a precise science and there is no one perfect system that will suit every person, situation or the weather conditions. Some of us feel the cold, others, like me, get hot very quickly, but for more advice on using layers please check our YouTube video

Summary

So that’s it, the Mountain Equipment Lightline Jacket, an incredibly versatile, and comfortable performer for all mountain adventures; it fits superbly and is beautifully made thanks to Mountain Equipment’s 50-year experience in making gear for the most inhospitable places on the planet.

  • 296g (size L) of 90/10 Pure Down with a fill power of 700
  • Stitched-through construction throughout
  • DRILITE Loft outer; totally windproof and highly water resistant
  • Adjustable zip-off hood with 3 panels for exceptional fit and protection
  • 2-way YKK moulded centre front zip with rear insulated baffle
  • 2 zipped hand warmer pockets behind insulated flaps
  • Inner zipped security pocket
  • Adjustable cuffs and hem drawcords

How to wash your down products

Having spent years talking to people about down products, whether that’s a jacket, sleeping bag or even a pair of slippers, very few have had the confidence to go ahead and wash the product on their own, especially when they have just spent an arm and a leg on it. This small guide is here to explain that it’s not as daunting and utterly terrifying as it first appears.

Step one: Before you even get near that washing machine, wipe off any excess mud or dirt that may be lingering on the surface of the jacket, as this will clog up the washing machine, eventually rendering it useless.

We recommend the use of Nikwax Down Wash Direct for down products as it’s one hundred percent environmentally friendly and will wash and re-proof the garment without the use of bleach or any other nasty chemicals. What household washing agents can (and often do) is remove the water repellent coating on the fabric of the jacket, whilst also damaging the delicate array of feathers inside.

Step two: We’ll assume in this instance that you’ve been washing other products prior to your down jacket and have used a bleach based detergent. Therefore it’s a good idea to run the washing machine for half an hour or so without anything inside to rinse it clean before adding the Nikwax or putting the jacket in. Also, don’t forget to remove the detergent drawer to give it a wash inside, outside and behind, as detergent can clog up and still enter the washing machine if not cleaned out thoroughly. This ensures that any remnants of detergent are removed and that the Nikwax products will work effectively.

Step three: Set the washing machine to a cold wash (check the garments care label, most tend to be around 30°C) and as delicate as possible. Most washing machines have a “wool” cycle which is ideal.

Step four: If using Nikwax Down Wash Direct, place 100ml in either the tray or directly into the washing machine inside a small pot/ball. If you choose to use another washing product, place the appropriate amount in the machine in the same way.

Step five: Set the washing machine to run on a slow cycle, allowing plenty of time for the jacket to soak up the cleaning/re-proofing product. Most washing machines will have a pre-set time for different washing cycles.

When the cycle has finished be prepared for a shock, your precious bit of kit will come out looking like a soggy ball of material. But don’t worry, you haven’t ruined it, it’s just that all that fluffy down insulation has become water logged and has clumped together. The trick is to now get all that down nice and dry to reinstate its superb insulating properties. Simply hanging it up in a warm place will not work that well. It will take days to properly dry and you will have to constantly break up the clumps to get it thoroughly dry. The best way is to use a tumble dryer; either a domestic one for smaller items or a commercial drier for sleeping bags.

Step six: Pop the garment into the dryer and make sure to select a low heat; a high heat runs the risk of melting seams and fabrics within the garment. It sounds weird, but shove a few tennis balls into the drier with the garment; the tennis balls will bounce around and help to break up the clumps of down. Every 20 minutes, pull the jacket out of the dryer and lie the jacket down on a table. Run your hands over the jacket until you find a 'clump' or ball of down; tease apart this down clump and spread it evenly into the baffle. Once you're confident you've pulled apart every clump to the best of your ability, stick it back in for another 20 minutes. Keep repeating this until there are no more clumps left. 

Step seven: When the cycle has finished and you are sure that you have got the garment as dry as possible, hang it up in a warm dry place, an airing cupboard is ideal, for 24 hours. This drives out the last of any dampness and allows the down to loft fully. Take it out and give it a good shake and, hey presto, it’ll be as good as new.

 

Technical Information

Weight: 640g

Fabric: 40D / 40D - 63g / 2.2oz

Content: 100% Polyamide outer / Polyester inner

Sizing Information

Click here for the manufactures size charts.

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