UKC Gear 9/08 Catalyst

Is it a ‘do everything’ jacket, or a ‘do nothing’ jacket?

My clothes usually fall in to two camps: the ‘keep me warm’ camp (woolly jumpers, fleeces, down jackets, etc.) and the ‘keep me dry’ camp (waterproof outers). The DriClime Catalyst at first glance does neither of these things, or so I thought… I thought wrong!

What is it:
The shell is made of a tightly woven ripstop nylon that has been coated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellency). This means it’s super wind-proof and extremely breathable. The DWR coating means it is fairly waterproof too. I wore it in light rain and it kept me bone dry. A torrential downpour (British summer anyone?) would see you getting pretty wet though. So it’s a wind-proof/water resistant shell...with an added bonus, the inner layer:

Lining the DriClime Windshirt is Marmot’s DriClime fabric, which is basically a base layer fabric. It is two separate layers, made of 100% polyester. The inner (next to the skin) layer has a soft feel that is designed to absorb any sweat from your skin. The outer layer (next to the nylon shell) moves sweat from the inner layer and spreads it out so that it evaporates on the jacket surface, keeping your skin as dry as possible.

Marmot says: “The key to DriClime is 3-Dimensional Wicking. As moisture moves from the inner fabric touching your skin to the outer fabric, it spreads out across the outer fabric to speed the drying process. DriClime never stops working: it continually passes moisture through to the outer surface for fast evaporation. It is not a finish that washes or wears out; it works forever.”

All this means that the DriClime is a very versatile jacket. It can be worn next to the skin as an all-in-one base and shell. It can sit over a normal thermal top adding more insulation and a wind-proof layer. It can be a great mid-layer, ideal for hill walking and climbing. It’s a ‘do everything’ jacket!

I have been wearing mine recently road cycling – the jacket is comfortable enough to wear next to the skin, the wind-proof nature is ideal for cycling, the zip means I can ventilate if it gets on the warm side and the shower-proof nature means I don’t get caught out. It slips in my pack for those mountain cragging days too, and as it weighs next to nothing – (340g!) – I barely notice it’s there.

I look cool in anything (year, nice photo – Ed), but in the DriClime I feel cool on hot walk-ins and I don’t freeze in icy winds. Brilliant.

Differences between the DriClime Catalyst and the DriClime Original:

Essentially the two jackets are very similar, but the newer Catalyst has a few funky features:
• Stretchy elbows and panels make movement a little easier
• Upcycled fabric (Marmot’s version of recycling)
• Upcycled zips

The Catalyst has elasticated cuffs on the sleeves, a draw-cord on the neck (that tucks away) and a handy outer chest pocket.

- by Stephen Horne