Buying quality adventure gear be it tents, sleeping bags, cooking stoves, or clothing, isn’t a decision to be taken lightly particularly for those of us who truly go into the beyond and do so for long periods of time. And if you are making a good decision those pieces of gear wont be cheap, so making the right one is important.
The gear needs to work as designed and it needs to help you weather (literally) whatever comes your way and do so for season after season of use. If it doesn’t, then it’s likely to break down at the most inopportune time.
I have motorcycle traveled across the United States and Canada and one thing I learned is Gor-Tex only says it’s breathable but it really isn’t. All my motorcycle gear made from another popular Moto company utilizes the Gor-Tex fabric. I have another brand that decided to be different and go with the E-Vent fabric. The two are night and day different in comfort and breathability. Gortex is heavier and doesn’t breathe causing you to sweat where E-Vent is the direct opposite. When a material doesn’t breathe you end up wet, not from rain, but your own sweat. And the last thing you want in a cold, rainy situation is to be wet from your own sweat.
That knowledge of years of use of both fabrics is the reason I didn’t even question the decision to add the Cloudland Shell to my adventure gear because of the material choice the designers at Teren chose to use. By using E-Vent I already knew they weren’t just going the safe route and choosing a brand that everyone knows but they wanted a fabric that actually worked!
Every detail of the jacket is considered from the integrated hood to the wet seamed zippers making this the perfect outer layer that is light and breathable and truly waterproof allowing you to layer with mid layers or additional non-waterproof coats to support all climates with fewer “dedicated” garments. I use the Teren Daily Driver Puffy jacket underneath the shell when needing to bundle up colder weather. By utilizing layers in garment selection it makes each garment worth more in your bag because you are better prepared for more climates allowing you to wear exactly what you need vs what you have. At the same time you minimize bulk in your packing which no matter whether you are traveling by plane or by backpack bulk matters because you can only take so much with you. I love my Cloudland Shell for the ability to know that if I am stuck in the rain trying to get a shot (photography/videography) that I will still be dry when I get back to the jeep and the quality of the workmanship gives me the peace of mind that I’ll be using it for years to come.
I highly recommend the Cloudland Shell. Its a game changer for my wardrobe and it is always in my jeep or bag when I travel.
