What is the Formation 3L Jacket?

It's a feature-packed warm, highly breathable hardshell jacket that delivers ultimate waterproof protection and comfort. Ideal for fast-paced adventures and steep mountain ascents in challenging conditions.

The Formation 3L Jacket uses innovative and advanced weather protection, thermoregulation and safety technologies for the ultimate high-performance solution in varied conditions for varied activities, helping you make the most of every adventure!

What is it made from?

The Formation 3L Jacket is created from a four-way stretch nylon outer with a permanent GTT Empel treatment, a High & Dry 3 Layer waterproof and breathable membrane with Trizar® heat re-radiating technology. Sounds like a bit of a mouthful? Let's break it down.

Outer: The Formation Jacket's outer is constructed from a durable 70D Nylon fabric, which, unlike traditional waterproof shell jackets, isn't stiff and offers a fantastic four-way stretch, so the jacket moves with you, stretching along with your body for unhindered movement. This face fabric is also soft to the touch and quiet to wear. Say goodbye to (what I like to call) the waterproof shuffle.

The fabric is finished with Artilect's superb EMPE permanent DWR (durable water repellent) treatment for added water resistance, encouraging rain and snow to bead off the jacket instead of soaking in.

Empel DWRs use uniform polymers that individually wrap each of the fabric's fibres with a protective molecular bonded water-repellent shield. This creates a super-hydrophobic exterior to the material that provides 10 times more protection than regular DWRs and won't wear out or ever need to be reapplied as the water resistance is hyper-fused to the actual fibres of the fabric.

This impressive Empel DWR is hurricane chamber tested for reassurance that it can withstand the rigour of real-world use. This treatment also enhances the breathability and softness of the material, all while being water, solvent and PFA/PFC free! Oh, and to top it all off, it's also Oeko-Tex certified, making it a proven more environmentally friendly option.

Membrane: For waterproof protection, The Formation Jacket uses Artilect's proprietary High & Dry 3-layer membrane, which offers reliable, high-performance in varied conditions. This membrane uses the EMPEL permanent super-hydrophobic exterior as a first line of defence. Combined, it has an excellent hydrostatic head rating of 30,000mm and a superior 30,000gm/m2/24-hour breathability rating to ensure you are fully protected both from external precipitation, wind and cold and internal moisture buildup. All this is achieved whilst being free from any harmful forever chemicals such as PFA's, PFC's and ePTFE's, it's also Bluesign and Oeko-Tex approved for added reassurance.

This innovative High & Dry membrane also uses Trizar heat re-radiating technology for extra warmth, comfort and thermal management in cold conditions. Trizar is a certified space technology developed to protect spacecraft's during their re-entry into Earth's atmosphere by reflecting and re-radiating heat away from the surface.

Artilect uses this clever technology to increase the jacket's warmth in cold temperatures without increasing its weight. It works by capturing and reflecting infrared body heat, spreading it out and re-radiating it back across the body, thus raising the temperature inside the jacket. Neat, right? Who said a hardshell jacket can't be warm and waterproof?

This thermoregulation significantly improves the overall comfort and performance of the jacket by helping to optimise all of your layers combined by working on the micro level, improving the jacket's breathability and moisture-vapour transfer rate.

What are its features?

Starting from the top, a fully adjustable hood provides excellent coverage and protection from the elements. The hood is compatible with a climbing helmet for added mountain versatility.

Two YKK Aquaguard underarm zips provide great ventilation to the jacket. Should you start to work up a sweat, simply undo all, or part of the zip to effectively dump excess heat so you can focus on reaching the summit without overheating or having to unzip the jacket in wet weather.

For storage, there is a plethora of YKK® zippered pockets for keeping all your adventure gear and trail snacks close to hand and safe on the go. They consist of two hand pockets, one chest pocket, one lower pocket and one mesh inner dump pocket. They offer ample space for storing everything from energy gels to guidebooks, a mobile phone and your gloves, beanie, buff and even your ski pass when not in use.

The adjustable cuffs use bonded Hypalon texturised rubber tabs for ease of use with ski gloves or mitts in cold conditions. This material is also highly weather resistant and durable enough to withstand the rigour of regular mountain use.

The centre front zip features an innovative YKK® Touchlink™ zipper that links with your smartphone and the Lifekey™ software platform, enhancing the product's functionality. This YKK Touchlink™ is a new technology that allows users to track, manage and view their activities from their smartphone while providing access to additional Lifekey™ safety features. Powered by NFC technology (the same technology that powers Apple and Android pay), Touchlink™ serves as an access point to the internet when touched by a smartphone. The passive NFC technology is encased in a durable moulded TPU zipper pull designed to handle the abuses of everyday living. Built to endure a lifetime of laundering, severe weather, and rugged use, the technology is always on, has no moving parts and requires no power source. Neat, right?

Finally, the Formation 3L Jacket is finished with a RECCO reflector for added mountain and avalanche safety, just in case, because you can never be too prepared.

Features

• PFA free High & Dry - HH 30,000/30,000 3 Layer waterproof/breathable membrane is Bluesign and Oeko-Tex approved
• EMPEL is a permanent DWR treatment that never washes out
• Trizar Space Certified heat re-radiating technology
• Fully taped seams
• Center front YKK Touchlink Zipper with LifeKey and Smartphone compatibility
• YKK Revive Repairable zipper
• YKK Aquaguard Conceal zip venting
• RECCO reflector
• Two YKK zippered hand pockets
• One zippered chest and lower pocket
• One stretch mesh inner dump pocket
• Climbing helmet-compatible hood
• Bonded Hypalon cuff adjuster
• Signature ARTILECT trims and details