What is the Orbital Jacket?The Orbital is a fully waterproof, breathable, stretchy and comfortable jacket that sits somewhere between a softshell and a hardshell. It can be worn virtually all day in varied conditions without the often hot and clammy feel of some bulkier hardshells, yet can be packed down super small when not in use thanks to its lightweight selection of fabrics. Activity-wise, M.E say "It gives all-day comfort and complete freedom of movement whether you're covering long distances or racing up Alpine classics".
It's perfect for use in the same situations as you'd normally use a softshell, but where the weather may be a little more unreliable, or for those who just want a soft, lightweight and very quiet waterproof jacket.
What is it made of?The key to the stretchy yet protective nature of this jacket is the 3-layer Drilite Stretch fabric. This 3-layer construction places a soft, comfortable knitted polyester fabric next to your skin, a flexible waterproof membrane in the middle and a stretchy 20D polyester on the outer to deal with the majority of the abuse. The Orbital’s fabric has a HH of 20,000mm and a MVTR of 35,000gm/24h. The industry standard for determining whether a fabric is waterproof is a HH of 1500, and a MVTR of 20,000 is rated as “exemplary”.
The combination of these layers provides a jacket that has the comfort and mobility of a softshell jacket with the fully waterproof protection of a traditional hardshell.
What are its features?It features a helmet-compatible hood with plenty of adjustment to allow it to fit snug to your head when not wearing a helmet, two large zipped front pockets, underarm pit zips to dump heat quickly and effectively, an internal zipped security pocket, adjustable cuffs and Mountain Equipment's signature dual-tether hem drawcord which prevents tools getting caught on a loop of elastic.
How does it fit?It features Mountain Equipment's 'Alpine fit', meaning there's plenty of room in the shoulders and back for movement, yet it isn't all unnecessarily big and baggy. Articulated and pre-shaped sleeves increase freedom of movement even further, making this one of the most comfortable, unrestrictive waterproof jackets in our range.
Where does it fit in the layering system?
The Orbital is designed to be worn in the same instances as a softshell, or a hardshell. The beauty of this brilliant jacket is that you can stick it on and forget about it all day, it’s just so darn comfortable and breathable.
Therefore, it works best as an outer layer, however, it can also be over-layered when static (i.e, slip an insulated jacket over the top when having lunch to stay nice and toasty).
- Drilite Stretch membrane
- 20D outer fabric
- Alpine fit with articulated and pre-shaped sleeves
- AquaGuard main zip
- Two zipped pockets
- One internal pocket
- Underarm pit zips
- Adjustable cuffs
- Dual-tether hem drawcords