Mountain Equipment Astron Hoody

My hunt for a soft-shell is finally over after purchasing a Mountain Equipment Astron Hoody from Snow & Rock this weekend. The Powershield Lite fabric is highly wind resistant yet breathable and I liked the idea of an integral hood. I also tried on a Rab VR Trail Lite – which I found better than the regular VR Trail which seemed a little warm – but the medium was too snug and the large like a tent on me. I’m always inbetween sizes with ME gear – the medium was snug, particularly around the back and shoulders, so I went with the large which with its active-cut was a better fit. This also gives me the option of wearing a micro-fleece underneath for extra insulation in the winter. The clincher of course was the yellow zips(!) – quite why Cotswold Outdoor only stock the blue version I know not (conservative Buyers who select the stock?)!

My new PHD Minim 300 sleeping bag also arrived in the post this week. I plumped for the half-zip option (which is more like a quarter-zip in reality) and the Drishell fabric. Its noticably lighter than my Marmot Sawtooth so definite weight savings, but its noticably thinner too – I’ll need a road-test to check how toasty it is.

…and while my credit-card is still warm I can feel a TN Laser Comp getting closer…!

3 Replies to “Mountain Equipment Astron Hoody”

  1. Rise up against the credit crunch 🙂

    Will be interested to see if theres any updates on the 2009 version of the laser comp if thats what you get. I bought mine tail end of last year and very happy with it.

  2. Dave, I do feel some duty to ensure the slump doesn’t affect the smaller outdoor retailers!!…even though rampant consumerism probably helped get us into this mess! I’m consoled by the fact that my purchases are not funded by debt!!

    I do believe there are some minor tweaks on the LC for 2009. Have a look at ‘blogpackinglight’ for some excellent tips and mods on improving the Laser.

    PS. I’ve added your blog to my list on the right.

  3. Hey Nigel,

    I’d be really interested to hear how you get on with the Astron. It certainly looks the part!

    I had a moment recently where I convinced myself I needed a laser comp for my infrequent solo trips to save some weight! I didn’t give in to the urges but a review of the 09 version would probably tip me over…..

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