Jack Wolfskin Tapeless Jacket, 2.0 — All of the Safety, Not one of the Seams

It’s cliché to say that one thing “turns heads” with regards to gear opinions, apart from when the Jack Wolfskin Tapeless Jacket 2.0 actually did simply that. In a large snowstorm excessive atop Utah’s Wasatch vary, a person turned and requested if he may really feel my jacket. Already impressed by the jacket’s safety, I grinned and held out my arm for him to examine.   

With a unending winter right here within the West, I headed out to Utah in early April with the Jack Wolfskin Tapeless 2.0 in tow. Whereas technically a rain jacket (a three-layer shell), I knew if the jacket may stand as much as snowboarding 3-plus ft of powder in a large snowstorm with piles of snow splashing over the jacket, it may deal with a summer time rainstorm no drawback.  

The Tapeless Jacket 2.0 is seamless and modern with minimal pockets and a strong hood. The silver-gray shade appears to be like nice on the path. However extra importantly, this jacket supplies nice safety from moisture to maintain hikers dry on the wettest of days within the wilderness. (And it’s designed as such — to supply high-level safety, at a better price ticket.)

Jack Wolfskin premiered this jacket at Outside Retailer this winter, highlighting that it has constructed upon its authentic design with new expertise the place the material is welded collectively, versus sewn or taped. The result’s every Tapeless Jacket eliminates the necessity for 60 ft of seam-sealing tape. You get a jacket with one steady layer of cloth. Additionally for the two.0, Jack Wolfskin amended the design of the pockets, which now sit increased up on the jacket to be suitable with backpacks and hip belts.

In brief: The Jack Wolfskin 2.0 Tapeless jacket is an revolutionary new piece of rain safety that’s light-weight, modern, and powerful towards the weather. It’s minimal with simply two hand pockets, and has a singular minimize eliminating any shoulder or hip seams. This makes carrying a backpack simpler. I examined the jacket on a blustery day on the golf course, on an enormous powder day in Utah, and with the hose take a look at in Colorado. It stood as much as wind, snow, water, and ice with impunity.

All this whereas becoming comfortably and looking out ok to attract some inquisitive eyes. The one flaw was the fabric pilled a bit below my backpack shoulder straps.

Jack Wolfskin Tapeless Jacket Overview

Say Goodbye to Seams

The massive vendor for this revamped Jack Wolfskin jacket is the elimination of 60 ft of seam sealing tape per jacket. This is because of a proprietary welding approach Jack Wolfskin makes use of that enables the needle to penetrate simply two of the three layers at every seam. This particular approach implies that one layer is steady all through the jacket.

The benefit of not having seams in a jacket are sturdiness and adaptability. Seams are historically the weak spot for any garment and are usually the place the product breaks down first. Eliminating seams makes for a stronger jacket that strikes freely with the physique. The elimination of fabric from the jacket additionally has a optimistic environmental impression.

Jack Wolfskins is braving new territory with regards to seamless merchandise. Their proprietary zero-tape expertise makes use of Texapore Professional Stretch and Core Fuse Stretch Ripstop 3L supplies to create the waterproof jacket. It additionally has a water-proof adjustable hood to maintain your head dry and two hip pockets to your fingers, gloves, or a granola bar. 

The zippers are additionally waterproof, and the hem and cuffs of the jacket are adjustable so you possibly can cinch it up as wanted primarily based on circumstances. As well as, Jack Wolfskin had hikers in thoughts with a singular minimize for the jacket that has no shoulder or hip seams. That is designed to get rid of any rub or friction whereas carrying a pack.

I carried a number of totally different packs whereas testing out the jacket and by no means skilled any irritation with it. Nonetheless, there are indicators of pilling on the shoulders the place the backpack straps rubbed the jacket, which may worsen over time.

Texapore Core Know-how

Other than the seamless expertise utilized in establishing this jacket, the Texapore Core safety expertise is an enormous advantage of the Tapeless 2.0. It’s totally different out of your typical crinkly rain jacket materials. The shell is smooth and textured and strikes freely along with your physique.

We have now all worn rain jackets that preserve us dry however don’t breathe. The result’s you continue to get moist — from sweat as a substitute of rain. 

The Texapore Core materials is waterproof, windproof, and nonetheless breathable. The waterproofness of the jacket is rated at 10,000 mm and the breathability is 6,000 a/m2 in 24 hours. That is how a lot water the jacket can soak up a day — a technical approach of claiming that the jacket could be very waterproof and breathable. 

I first examined the jacket out on a blustery Colorado day strolling on a golf course. Whereas there was no rain, there was a number of chilly wind, and the jacket protected me from it. On the identical time, I by no means bought scorching or overheated strolling a number of miles sporting it. Whether or not I used to be getting doused by a hose, or submerged in smooth moist snow, the Tapeless 2.0 by no means succumbed to the moist circumstances. It all the time stored me dry and comfy. 

In terms of day hikes or backpacking the Tapeless 2.0 will work seamlessly (pun meant). It’s a little cumbersome to pack in a small backpack, however I used to be in a position to simply carry it in my baggage and backpack whereas touring and strolling round.

Tapeless Jacket: Conclusion

The Tapeless 2.0 is a light-weight, sleek-looking rain jacket. It would do the job of defending you from the rain whereas nonetheless respiratory. The seamless design additionally makes transferring within the jacket or sporting a pack with it extraordinarily snug. 

I examined the jacket out within the wind, snow, and water and it carried out with ease. The expertise of this three-layer jacket isn’t in your face as a lot as constructed into the jacket. It actually engages and excels within the parts. 

The one drawbacks are that the jacket confirmed indicators of pilling the place the backpack straps sat on my shoulders, which can break down additional over time. And with solely two hip pockets, a chest pocket could be good. However, that will probably elevate the associated fee much more, which is the opposite draw back — the Tapeless Jacket is pricey.

Its price ticket of $499 means it’s an enormous funding, which the standard displays. I did wash the jacket, and it’s nonetheless waterproof and has a clear, minimalist look. 

For hikers and backpackers who count on to come across a number of rain on their hikes (anybody who’s hiked the AT or encountered Utah’s monsoon season) — the Jack Wolfskin Tapeless 2.0 is for you. For many different informal weekend warriors, it’s probably an costly overkill.