One Planet Rain Jackets & Overpants

[Son of a Beach]

I've just had a look through the latest One Planet catalogue and noticed that they've started advertising rainwear again at last. I remember thinking that my brothers Cane Toad jacket from decades ago was the bees knees and was disappointed when they were discontinued before I got to buy one.

They now have a range of two jackets and one overpants. All eVent now and made in Australia.

I'm not in the market for any just yet but will be curious to hear about some real world uses as time goes by.

(Disclosure: I do have an interest in this catalogue. Nothing to do with rainwear though.)

[Moondog55]

I still have my CaneToad, it's the one J&H added the Artigi tail too
Nice long bum covering bushwalking jacket

[Son of a Beach]

They reckon that the new "Cats and Dogs" is long enough to keep short shorts dry (and from the picture, it looks like the "Torrent" is too).

[Gusto]

There new catalog isn't online yet.

In the past, I've seen a their rain gear designed for commercial clients. That has all been wonderfully made. Understandably heavy

Is this new range similar to their Industrial Gear or are there lighter options?


My other wondering is whether or not they are making them in Australia or not as some of their gear isn't made in Australia. If it is made in Australia then my next question is if they have outsourced to Glanda or Wilderness Wear. http://www.glanda.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=9&Itemid=57 Glanda make amazing stuff, but few people know about them

[Son of a Beach]

The One Planet packs are made in their own factory (although much of their outher manufacturing is outsourced to asian facilities). The catalogue distinctly says that the rainwear is made in Melbourne therefore I would assume it is also made in their own factory.

The "Cat and Dog" long eVent rain jacket is 570g. One Planet tend to aim more towards durability than towards ultra light. Not sure what their industrial/education jackets weigh.

[sthughes]

The gear is definitely Aussie made, when I was talking to Andrew from One Planet a few weeks back they were awaiting delivery of the final eVent material to start production at the end of May, so I doubt it has hit stores yet. I'm waiting eagerly as a quality, long length eVent jacket has been impossible to get thus far, and my latest in a long line of expensive overpants are about screwed after little wear, so can't wait to try these too. Just hope the jacket is long enough!

There are also significant updates to the Styx and especially the Vertex packs. The new Vertex is now 45L making it tempting as an ultra-tough, lightweight overnight+ pack option.

[sthughes]

We’ve designed our rainwear for bushwalking in Antipodean conditions. They’re made right here in Melbourne, too. These are high-performance eVent® garments; comfortable, durable and specific in features.
One Planet rainwear is back! Last seen in the 20th edition of our catalogue, our shells were classics with reputations built on performing in places like Southwest Tassie and the Southern Alps; we didn’t need to alter them much.
What has changed is the trends, and with it our competitors’ rainwear. Which means the performance of our gear will stand out even more: in design, in durability and in comfort.
Ultralight garments are great for hillwalking in Europe, but add a rucksack and a bit of Tassie scrub and they won’t last long. The longer cut of our jackets will keep your legs (and your shorts) dry when you’re out in the bush while allowing good freedom of movement. For enhanced comfort in wet conditions we’re now using eVent as it’s (probably!) the most breathable, waterproof shell fabric available.
Features
Every feature is designed for hard-core bushwalking: multiday trips in serious terrain carrying a rucksack. Our jackets sport roomy, fully adjustable hoods that move with your head: you can retreat into them in bad weather without limiting your vision. They don’t have shoulder seams, eliminating any problems in this area. The cuffs are secure and easy to use and the waist drawcord will keep the warmth in when needed.
Storm flaps protect the YKK zips, which are not only larger (number 8 rather than the standard number 5), but also easier to use and more durable.

[Scottyk]

Is this catalogue available online? or do you have to pick it up in store?

[Ent]

I am eagerly awaiting the coat. Friend has a old One Planet jacket that I have long admired. As for UL gear, well I am well and truly past that stage having found that most just does not work for long in Tassie bush. Even the medium weight stuff has issues. Set of RAB pants after ten days use is failing along the sealed seam. They are a good design and the eVent worked a treat but only ten days use makes them a very expensive item. Be great to have a "proper" length coat again.

My two pairs of One Planet gaiters have worked a treat and made a mockery of the Wilderness Equipment and Sea to Summit pairs that I shelled out big bucks for. I still wonder why WE and S2S can not understand that their stitching is third class? No issue with the canvas on either but the S2S buckle is a disaster of poor designed for the intended use.

I sincerely hope that as the cowboys flogging backpacking gear for bushwalking leave the market there will be a return to sensible items designed to handle real bushwalking. Maybe we might even see the return of a tough nylon bushwalking shirt from some other manufacturer.

I am curious on the overpants as these items tend to be item most prone to failure. Love the Mont design but having seen two pairs start to fall to pieces after moderate use (one due to terrible stitching) so I will not buy them. My Paddy Pallin pair have performed well but the cut is shocking and only my Mountain Design pair are cut worse.

So the wait begins.

[pazzar]

My two pairs of One Planet gaiters have worked a treat and made a mockery of the Wilderness Equipment and Sea to Summit pairs that I shelled out big bucks for. I still wonder why WE and S2S can not understand that their stitching is third class? No issue with the canvas on either but the S2S buckle is a disaster of poor designed for the intended use.

S2S no longer use the same buckle system, and the scuff pads are no longer stitched. A vast improvement, and evidence that they have been listening to the feedback out of Tassie. I wonder how long the scuff pad design will last though.

[sthughes]

The One Planet gaiters are also having a minor upgrade in the form of a special pop that now only opens when pulled in one direction. I've been using it for 9 days walking and frankly it's brilliant! There is no way the gaiter opens accidentally, but they are still easy to get on and off (unlike using a really stiff pop). It's the little things sometimes

[Ent]

My two pairs of One Planet gaiters have worked a treat and made a mockery of the Wilderness Equipment and Sea to Summit pairs that I shelled out big bucks for. I still wonder why WE and S2S can not understand that their stitching is third class? No issue with the canvas on either but the S2S buckle is a disaster of poor designed for the intended use.

S2S no longer use the same buckle system, and the scuff pads are no longer stitched. A vast improvement, and evidence that they have been listening to the feedback out of Tassie. I wonder how long the scuff pad design will last though.

Good to read but what about the terrible stitching? After using One Planet gaiters it will be unlikely that I will ever go back to WE and S2S gaiters. The difference in life expectency is like chalk and cheese. I wonder when Mountain Design and Paddy Pallin will get around to stocking One Planet gear instead of under-performing and over price gaiters from WE and S2S?

[biggbird]

Is this catalogue available online? or do you have to pick it up in store?

Was wondering the same question. Had a look at the OP site, and couldn't see any of it. Will eventually be grabbing some rain pants, so would love to have a look! Presumably they will eventually update the site.

[Ent]

Hi

I believe that the garments are in the fine tuning phase of development so hopefully soon for release.

Received a bit of background technical information and appears that the outer layer used is likely the reason with conflicting reports on the rub resistance and DWR performance between different manufacturers performance. Apparently the environmentally friendly DWR processes have been a tough nut for material manufacturers to crack and the make up of the outer material is the key if it "sticks" or not.

From what I can gather eVent is more about the membrane and has a much greater variations of the outer layer it is laminated to than Gore-tex. This would explain why some eVent gear the DWR works and why other struggles.

Looking forward to see how the One Planet garments perform. I after expensive experience with lighter weight outer shell have swung back to traditional weight gear. I am especially interested if the jacket is long enough to do away with wet weather pants if wearing shorts. Given my build this will be a tall order as even the long jackets such as PP Vista and MD Stratus are too short on me.

The next challenge will be finding shops that stock One Planet gear. For example their gaiters are great but no one in Launceston appears to stock them while every man an his dog seems to sell S2S rather fragile gaiters.

Cheers

[Son of a Beach]

Yes, if One Planet cannot get better retail presence on the ground, they really should open up an online shop. It is very hard to get hold of their gear sometimes.

[wayno]

yes looking at the macpac event jacket i bought and the montane one, the face fabrics are totally different construction and finish... and dwr performance.

[Ent]

yes looking at the macpac event jacket i bought and the montane one, the face fabrics are totally different construction and finish... and dwr performance.

Yeap first hand experience confirms that as well. eVent's reputation has suffered due to the outer layer and DWR applied. Hence you can get very happy and unhappy eVent users depending on the poor knowledge and choice of the garment designer.

[wayno]

in recent years gore tex have been better at nailing quality consistency in the face fabrics they bond their membrane to...

[Ent]

There is no doubt that Gore-tex was very smart in limiting the types of material its membrane was bonded to so the average punter could understand that Performance meant tough and Pac-lite meant travel, etc. eVent was not nearly as clear and while not sure I think the fabric manufacturer were given largely a free hand in the facing material and DWR treatment. This wiggle room in eVent meant some very average DWR and outer fabric garments came through and were flogged to the unsuspecting customer enamored with the eVent tag.

I am aware the One Planet have done a lot of research and consideration so hope that this results in the right combination. At the end of the day time will tell.

Cheers

[wayno]

have one planet ever produced flimsy gear?

[wayno]

mind you when gore tex first came out they had a lot of disasters, it was a few years before they sorted out the reliability.
easy to take it for granted looking at gore tex in recent years about how hard it can be to achieve reliability, you could think,, how hard can it be.. well event ended up showing how hard it can be... a factory putting out dud event that delaminated. i believe there were only three factories making event... there was talk of event updating their membrane. not sure if that has happened yet.
now with gore tex proshell now basically producing a tarted up version of event with extra layers. i'd expect they would have done their homework to ensure reliability in the membrane they have three layers of membrane in their new pro material.

[Ent]

One Planet stuff is generally very good quality and if selected appropriately for the task performs well for many years. Their lighter weight packs like the Shadow is a great track pack but if your thing is disappearing for a week in a remote area then it is not the right choice. Packs like the McMillan or Stiletto are the go there.

They use to make a lot of gear for bushwalkers but as the market got price sensitivity they appeared to concentrate on the corporate market. This was a loss as more than a few missed the better quality gear made tough. Sure if lighter walking is your thing One Planet is not for you.

As mentioned I found lighter gear generally heavy on the pocket for off track walking. I hope One Planet succeeds with the re-entering the consumer garment market. Too much stuff is now great for US and European conditions and preferences. In Tassie a lot of the NZ made stuff was well regarded but for the reasons you know when their dollar strengthen a lot of great brands disappeared. I have a good Adventure Design NZ jacket but they used the rather indifferent Chameleon fabric as did Wilderness Wear. Adventure Design still in business?

Cheers

[stry]

I've seen and handled pre-production samples of the OP rain gear. The construction was good, the hood good and the general cut and fit good (for me)

Those who continue to pine forlornly for a jacket that goes to their knees will have to keep "whistling dixie". I'd like one too folks, but it just aint gunna happen !!!

I currently have a Macpac Hollyford, bought (to replace my old delaminated Cat&Dog) in the face of all the stories about problems. DWR on mine is great, but the waist adjustment is a fool of a thing buried in the pockets, and the hood tends to flop over my eyes to an annoying degree regardless of how I adjust it.

Waist adjustment on the OP is simple and easy, and the hood appears to be vastly better than the Hollyford. This could be because the OP is apparently built on the same patterns as the old OP "Cat and Dog". The Cat and Dog was, for me, great, but again, not down to one's knees.

I think that if we can get a good, well designed, bushworthy jacket that covers not too long shorts, that will be about as good as it is going to get for us.

I will taking a punt and buying the longer model of the new jackets when they are available. OP know how to make jackets. As for the fabric, I will just have to trust OP judgement when they selected the fabric.

[Ent]

How does Dixie go again?

[Moondog55]

I just hope they will be making XXL as I seem to have grown "Just a leeetle bit" in the last couple of years, now a 49inch chest when I take a deep breath still 8inches minimum chest expansion tho

[stry]

How does Dixie go again?

I don't think that knowing the tune would help us. Those who whistled "Dixie" ended up losing

[biggbird]

Sounds like slightly disappointing news there Stry, was hoping for something nice and long! Oh well, will just stick with my sized up Mont Tempest I guess (Which I really like, by the way!). Will still be interested in checking out the pants though!

[Ent]

I just hope they will be making XXL as I seem to have grown "Just a leeetle bit" in the last couple of years, now a 49inch chest when I take a deep breath still 8inches minimum chest expansion tho

Good news the jackets at least go to XXXL.

May I humbly suggest people send an email to One Planet pleading for more length. They can be mislead by sales assistance that think we want bum freezer jackets. Long legs unite!

Cheers

[clarence]

If 570g for a three layer heavy duty jacket is not light, then what is? Many competitors models are 700g and over.

I do not see how their design needs tweaking. The "Cat and Dog" was perfect. In 20 years many have tried to improve on that design (Macpac, Mont, MD, Wilderness Wear etc) and failed. For me it all comes down to the hood. The old OP C+D had the hood design nailed perfectly. Of all the companies distributing three layer rainwear in Australia currently, none even come close to the old C+D. Mont did have it right with the old Austral, but some clown changed the hood design (amongst other things) and screwed it up completely.

If it is the same as the old C+D I'll buy two.

Clarence

[clarence]

Adventure Design still in business?

I think Adventure Designs was part of the J+H / One Planet / Andrew King- Aiking / Adventure One empire, which more or less all merged into One Planet in the early 2000s.

Clarence