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Thread: FutureLight - The North Face
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10-03-2019, 03:24 PM #51Registered User
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12-20-2019, 03:04 PM #52
Bump. I've been using the L5 LT for the past month after receiving it as a gift. It's actually pretty amazing. Been using it to run and tour. Breaths better than my hoodini and actually keeps you dry. First touring shell I've been able to wear on the up without sweating out. It's also very comfortable. Only thing I don't like is that the fabric is kind of noisy.
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12-21-2019, 11:58 AM #53
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12-21-2019, 02:48 PM #54
The Houdini has actually pretty poor breathability. Great wind shell, though.
I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...iscariot
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12-21-2019, 06:35 PM #55Banned
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I'm following this thread closely because as much as it makes my skin crawl to wear TNF clothing, they make full-coverage bibs in a short inseam length, so odds are good I'll be picking up a pair.
Having a 28.5-29 inch inseam sucks if you're trying to buy shell pants. Most regular length ski pants in an appropriate waist size for me (medium) are long enough that I'm dragging inches of fabric on the ground, even in my ski boots.
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12-21-2019, 06:54 PM #56
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12-21-2019, 08:49 PM #57Registered User
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STLHD, would you use the L5 LT for (West coast) resort skiing in bad storms? Like many in the thread I've been thinking about getting the Future Light as my next hardshell (replacing an old Beta AR, I think) and am looking at the L5 and the L5 LT. In this (https://wepowder.com/en/forum/topic/269270) review the author says he would not buy the LT because "it was too thin and at high speed things started to flap quite a bit". I have a solid softshell as my daily driver, but definitely curious about a FutureLight as a replacement hardshell.
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12-21-2019, 10:19 PM #58
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12-22-2019, 12:24 AM #59
Like I said in my first post, this jacket is the best I’ve tried for combined breathability and water resistance. Only shell I’ve ever had that I can run/tour comfortably in. So better than the others I mentioned, with the recognized caveat that they were slightly different jackets.
Re whether it would be a good resort shell, I think the L5 would be better. The LT is super light, and while it still blocks wind and keeps water out, it is not in and of itself warm. And because it is so light, it does flap a bit in the wind. I haven’t tried on any of the other models but have looked up the weights. My assumption is the burlier models would be more comfortable
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12-23-2019, 09:02 AM #60Registered User
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Have about 10 days in my FutureLight bibs. Easily the most breathable shell layer I've ever owned, but that isn't much of a surprise. They are extremely comfortable and have performed perfectly so far with 8 days of walking 2k+ vert and a couple storm days riding chairs around SW CO. I bought them thinking I'd be spending 80% of my days this season in the backcountry, but a recent change of work plans will have me spending most of January/Feb skiing everyday, inbounds, in the Wastach. I'm very curious to see how the hold up to harder abuse in less favorable conditions. Considering the price tag, I have high expectations. I will check back in on this thread once I've got more days in.
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12-23-2019, 09:57 AM #61
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12-23-2019, 02:05 PM #62Registered User
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12-23-2019, 05:49 PM #63Registered User
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I know it’s been mentioned that OR Ascent shell is similar. Are they actually a very similar technology? The price differential is pretty huge as in skyward jacket and pants vs these north face offerings. Like 2x.
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12-23-2019, 08:02 PM #64Registered User
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12-30-2019, 03:25 PM #65Registered User
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I picked up a pair of the FutureLight A-CAD bibs this season, mainly for inbounds use at Whistler. They replaced a pair of Arcteryx Stinger bibs that I bought 5 years and 20 lbs ago (the cut of the Stinger is not permissive in the midsection). For reference I'm about 5'8, 170lbs and have the A-CAD bibs in a medium. Stingers were a small.
Impressions after about 10 days inbounds: the A-CAD cut and articulation are, for me, dialled. More of a relaxed freeride fit than the Stinger bib, you forget you're wearing them. The fabric is very noticeably softer and quieter than the relatively stiff/crinkly Gore-Tex Pro fabric on the Stingers. I haven't had any issues with the A-CAD face fabric wetting out, even after a couple of storm days. I don't know if it's the DWR or the very tight weave of the face fabric on the A-CADs, but they shed surface moisture very well. The Stingers had a tendency to wet out on the thighs while riding the lift during storms, and once the DWR fails the fabric feels pretty cold next to skin/base layer.
Haven't toured in the A-CADs yet so can't really comment on breathability, but I've been comfortable in them from -12C to 0C with just a base layer top & bottom, R1 fleece and Snowdrifter jacket. The durability seems good so far, construction seems bomber and they still look brand new.
A few negatives as well. The A-CADs are heavy (900+ grams in a medium). I don't really care about the weight of my bibs much, but some people might. They're also overbuilt (e.g. don't need 6 full-zip pockets on the front, waist belt also seems unnecessary). The way that the suspender tensioning system is designed, the excess length on the suspender strap is fed into the top left chest pocket through a slit in the top of the pocket. This is an awkward way to deal with the excess strap and renders the pocket non-waterproof. The internal gaiters have boot hooks that serve no useful purpose but often snag on ski socks when putting the bibs on (can cause small holes in the socks). Also, the interior of the thigh pockets seem to get pretty humid by the end of the day. I don't know if it's because of how well the fabric wicks moisture away from the skin, but anything you put in the pockets is going to get at least slightly damp after prolonged exertion - in my case, it was a packet of Halls that partially melted.
Overall I'm very stoked, with the caveats above. Will update if I have more to add later in the season.
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12-31-2019, 02:49 PM #66Registered User
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Spoke too soon. Water started leaking through the membrane on the seat and thighs halfway into a storm day at Whistler. As much as I like other aspects of these bibs, that's a dealbreaker, so will try to return them.
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12-31-2019, 08:36 PM #67Registered User
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Any idea how they failed? Does anything look wrong with the fabric? I was thinking that something like futurelight would be perfect for bibs or pants for touring/alpinism. Currently rocking stingers and I don't mind the fit. I would rather have a super breathable waterproof layer for the pants than the jacket because pants are much harder to take on/off or adjust breathability/wind resistance with zippers etc., and my pants actually come into contact with snow more than my top does. A breathable, completely waterproof but wind-permeable jacket isn't very useful for me, but bibs would be.
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01-01-2020, 04:10 PM #68Registered User
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Nothing is visibly wrong with the fabric and it didn't look like the water leaked through the seams. I think the face fabric just got saturated with water, which then started leaking through the membrane. I agree with your thinking on the the value of waterproof and highly breathable bibs, but unfortunately (based on my limited experience) FutureLight may not be the answer, at least not in a PNW climate.
EDIT: confirmed the above by saturating the face fabric with water and then pressing a dry paper towel against the interior fabric. The paper towel got wet.Last edited by Jongle; 01-01-2020 at 06:29 PM.
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01-02-2020, 07:39 AM #69
Can't recall accurately...but in a description of the fabric in a Blister podcast, I think it was stated there were different weights of fabric with differences in the waterproof/breathable ratio...i.e. heavier weight = more waterproof/less breathable...any clue what version your pants fabric is? In any case, dissappointing news. Also a pnw'er and was hoping that Futurelight would be a viable option to good old Goretex.
Master of mediocrity.
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01-02-2020, 08:05 AM #70Registered User
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01-02-2020, 09:57 AM #71Registered User
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very satisfied with my bib (Cad model) with FutureLight.
If i have to put fingers on a cons, i can say the wind is not rejected as my Haglofs GoreTex pant.
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01-02-2020, 10:14 AM #72
this thread reads like a TNF ad
we got a TLDR yet on the stuff?
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01-02-2020, 10:18 AM #73
To me, it seems like everyone is trying to re-invent the wheel. Simply stated, there are no better shells than the Alpha SV and the Sidewinder AR
“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
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01-02-2020, 10:33 AM #74Registered User
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01-02-2020, 06:46 PM #75Registered User
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your just riding chairs right? if i was riding wet pnw chairs id have something waterproof on my butt. who needs expensive “waterproof” and extra extra breathable to sit their ass on a chair?
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