What is the Gasherbrum Jacket?
The Gasherbrum Jacket has been designed as an ultra-light and highly protective expedition down jacket. It benefits from a number of technologies to help it offer high level of warmth and weather resistance in challenging conditions whilst managing to keep the weight and pack size low, particularly impressive for a jacket of this warmth. A specialist piece from Mountain Equipment, the Gasherbrum is intended to be used on the longest of polar journeys where every gram counts and during alpine style climbing on the world's highest peaks, hence the jacket’s name (the Gasherbrum Massif contains 3 of the world’s 8000m peaks, on the border of Pakistan and China).
What is the Gasherbrum Jacket made from?
The Gasherbrum Jacket is a box wall construction down jacket filled with 380g (size large) of the highest quality 800+ fill power goose down, with a down/feather mix of 90/10. All this down insulation ensures a very high warmth to weight ratio for the jacket, providing the crucial warmth expected of the jacket in its intended use cases. The down is Down Codex approved, meaning it is all ethically sourced and traceable.
The outer fabric of the Gasherbrum Jacket is where things start to get really interesting. It features a 10D Gore-Tex Infinium shell, an ultralight polyamide fabric that is durably weather resistant against light rain and snow. Made for when comfort and performance take priority over all-out waterproofing, Gore-Tex Infinium still manages to offer fantastic weather resistance.
The inner fabric lining is made from Mountain Equipment’s own Plasma 10D fabric, one of the lightest downproof fabrics available at 26g/m2. This lining, in combination with the outer fabric and the high fill power down help to create an incredibly compact pack size for the jacket.
What are the features?
The aforementioned down insulation and Gore-Tex Infinium are the highlight features of the Gasherbrum, but it is a truly feature-rich jacket that betrays it’s light weight, particularly for an expedition jacket (785g). Starting from the top, an insulated helmet compatible hood with a stiffened visor ensure total upper body protection, either under or over a helmet depending on preference and conditions. The hood makes use of Mountain Equipment’s EXL system. First introduced by Mountain Equipment in 1989 EXL® technology was designed to provide Extra warmth and Extra loft, it was a simple but ground-breaking innovation to make sleeping bags and clothing as thermally efficient as possible. Elasticated stitching in the lining of a product adds no weight but minimises dead airspace around the body and pulls fabric away from the down allowing it to loft to full effect. EXL® remains as relevant to improving insulation in high performance sleeping bags and jackets today as it was nearly 30 years ago. The EXL system is also incorporated into the back of the jacket, further adding to the warmth, without adding weight and bulk.
A 2 way YKK moulded zip behind an offset insulated storm-flap keeps the weather at bay. Two zipped hand warmer pockets and an internal mesh water bottle pocket and zipped security pocket take care of any storage needs. Adjustable cuffs and a dual tether hem drawcord round out the features and help to keep all that precious warmth in the jacket when you need it the most.
How does the Gasherbrum Jacket fit?
The Gasherbrum Jacket is an expedition level jacket, therefore it has a more generous cut than some other insulated jackets, purely so it can be thrown on over any and all other layers when it is needed.
Where does this fit in the layering system?
The Gasherbrum is your outer layer, to be thrown over everything else to offer protection from the elements and crucial warmth. Something you’ll definitely be glad of on a polar expedition or a trip up an 8000m peak.
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Gore-Tex Infinium ultralight 10d shell is durably weather resistant against light rain and snow
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Plasma 10D fabric lining: incredibly light and exceptionally breathable
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380g (size large) of goose down with a minimum content of 90/10 800 fill power
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Box wall baffle construction for maximum warmth
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EXL system incorporated into back of jacket
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Full dome helmet compatible insulated hood with EXL lining
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2-way YKK moulded centre front zip behind offset insulated storm flap
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2 zipped hand warmer pockets
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Internal zipped security pocket and mesh water bottle pocket
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Adjustable cuffs and dual tether hem drawcords