Review of RevolutionRace Ultra 3L Shell Jacket & Ultra Trekk-Touring Trousers
review of the RevolutionRace Ultra 3L Shell Jacket and trousers
Review of the RevolutionRace Ultra 3L Shell Jacket & Ultra Trekk-Touring Trousers used for ski-touring and slack country skiing from our HQ here in Serre Chevalier
Still a relatively new brand outside Scandinavia; RevolutionRace is quickly establishing itself as clothing to be considered both on and off the mountain.How does the RevolutionRace Ultra Series stack up?
As the promotional blurb says, "The Ultra Series is Engineered with a 5-layer system, the RVRC ULTRA series is purpose-built for the world’s most demanding conditions. Every piece is designed with precision, using world-class materials and techniques to perform in the harshest alpine environments."
However, for the past four weeks since I've had the jacket here in the Hautes Alpes we've yet to have any severe weather to really put the jacket under duress. In fact, frustratingly, I should have tested it when we were still back in the UK in the wind and rain on the UK South Coast as various named hurricanes tracked through. Still, unlike last season's test of the Aries Pro Jacket when I was able to test that in some grim weather, we've had wall-to-wall sunshine pretty much (image below) and then overcast days with only a light snowfall, though still good to get a sweat going when climbing, to at least test the jacket's ventilation!
That said, with the limited snow cover, as the only good snow worth climbing for to ski was well above the treeline, so we don't want bad weather and flat-light as we need to see where less obvious rocks might be lurking.
Given the high-pressure conditions and with clear nights, the temperatures were well below -5°, keeping the week-old snow fresh, not classic powder, and a little wind affected, but still good for skiing, and devoid of other people :)
The jacket ticks all the boxes and kerb appeal was such that mates made a good few compliments, and up close it's obvious that this is a premium product with many nice touches. The longer hem might not be to everyone's taste, but it's straightforward to shorten it with the drawstrings.
The Ultra 3L Shell Jacket boasts a 3-layer Hypershell® Pro membrane, fully sealed seams for ultimate stormproof protection, and a four-way stretch fabric that ensures maximum waterproofing with flexibility.
The hood works well if wearing a helmet (see the video below), and the jacket and trousers both have RECCO® reflectors, though I'd hope that people using this would also be wearing avy transceivers and not just relying on the RECCO® system.
There are six practical pockets and plenty of two-way durable YKK® zips for ventilation.
I was wearing a base layer, and just a down gilet under the jacket, and temperature control was great, both for the up and down.
A few days later, when the temperatures were a little higher, the jacket's packability was excellent as I stowed it in my pack.
When not slack-country skiing in resort, I'm often accompanied by Ullr, who is a Collie / Sled dog mix.
I also used to be accompanied by two Jack Russells, one of whom makes a brief cameo in the video below, and over the years, they have both climbed / ski-toured with us most of the major Cols here on Serre Chevalier.
And in the video below, he also get's in on the act of reviewing the jacket :)
More here about the jacket, and it's always worth checking the website as they're always running promotions ( 30-40% off ) across all their lines.
RevolutionRace Ultra Trekk-Touring Trousers
I've worn these trousers a fair bit now, and whilst not designed for the severe weather conditions that the jacket is designed for, in which case you'd opt for the Ultra 3L Shell bib pants, these trousers again tick a lot of boxes for me, especially when ski-touring, as I much prefer trousers with stretch capabilities.
They use a durable four-way stretch fabric with a water-repellent DWR finish, an array of pockets and ventilation zips, and are equipped with a RECCO® reflector. Still, above all, they're damn practical and comfortable pants!
They don't have an internal boot gaiter, and as you can see in the photo below, that's not an issue, since I've been skiing in shin-deep powder at times.
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