GEAR REVIEW: Montbell Tachyon Parka (Windshirt)

By Will Rietveld

Just to be clear, although this jacket is called a “Parka”, it is in fact a hooded, featured windshirt. At 2.5 ounces, it’s likely the lightest one to be found. Montbell’s Ex Light Wind Jacket, made of the same fabric but Spartan for features, weighs 1.7 ounces. So, are the Parka's features worth the extra 0.8 ounce?

The Montbell Tachyon Parka features a full-height front zipper, an attached adjustable hood, two zippered hand pockets, and an internal key pocket. It’s made of a more breathable version of their 7-denier Ballistic Airlight nylon fabric.

Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Montbell (www.montbell.us.com/)
Model	Tachyon Parka
Fabric	7-denier Ballistic Airlight ripstop nylon with Polkatex DWR
Features	Attached adjustable hood, 2 zippered hand pockets, full-height front zipper, interior key pocket, elastic cuffs
Weight	Size Large tested, 2.7 oz; manufacturer specified weight (size Medium) 2.5 oz
MSRP	$99

Description

Montbell is known for providing a range of versions within each of its product categories, so it is not surprising to find 13 different windshirts on their website, including a wind vest! The Tachyon series is the lightest, featuring 7-denier fabric that is remarkably water-resistant and durable.

According to the Montbell website, the “Tachyon Parka has been redesigned to significantly increase breathability without sacrificing its wind blocking performance. With the new fabric, we have manipulated the weave and how we process the material to expertly balance its ability to release built up humidity inside the jacket, yet still block wind.” Improvements are always welcome, but how much difference does it make?

The Tachyon Parka has the “essential” features most hikers would want – a full-height zipper, attached adjustable hood, and zippered hand pockets. It’s actually pretty amazing that Montbell is able to produce a windshirt with these features that weighs just 2.5 ounces (size men’s Medium).

Field Testing and Performance

I tested the Tachyon Parka on 23 outings while day hiking, backpacking, snow walking, snowshoeing, and mountain biking. I normally wear a size Large, and the sizing is spot on. I'm wearing it layered over an ultralight down jacket, camped at 11,800 feet on a chilly late September morning.

 I have previously tested the 1.6 ounce Montbell Tachyon Jacket (now the Ex Light Wind Jacket), which is Spartan, save for a full-height front zipper. I really like it for its simplicity and light weight, and it’s a no-brainer to take a windshirt in addition to a rain jacket for windwear because it performs better for that purpose.

Now I have to evaluate carrying the Tachyon Parka instead, and adding 0.8 ounce to my gear kit. It’s weight creep; so is it worth it?

The hood adds a little extra warmth on a cold morning, and its nice to have when the wind is howling in my ears. I often wear a billed cap over the hood while hiking to keep the hood from inflating in the wind.

I also sleep in a hoodless sleeping bag these days, and having a hood on a windshirt or down jacket is a good way to keep my head warm as needed.

And the zippered pockets are handy for carrying, and securing, smaller items on the trail and in camp.

Montbell claims that this new Tachyon windshirt has increased breathability because of changes in the manufacturing of their 7-denier fabric. So, is there a noticeable difference? I would say yes, there is, but it’s not dramatic. In cold conditions I can hike for extended periods without steaming up. In cool shady conditions I can hike longer before getting too hot. However, in the Southwestern US where I live, the sun is the wildcard. Even on cooler days, if the sun is shining, it doesn’t take long to overheat while hiking while wearing a windshirt. As usual, hiking while wearing a windshirt is most comfortable when it’s cloudy, cool, and breezy/windy.

When you think about it, a breathable windshirt may be an oxymoron, or at least a fine line to achieve. Like a waterproof-breathable rain jacket -- which needs to be waterproof first, then breathable – a windshirt needs to be windproof, then breathable. In each case the latter factor is a measured amount that does not compromise the former factor. And so the bottom line is a W-B rain jacket is not very breathable, and a breathable windshirt is not very breathable either. But the relatively small amount of breathability helps, and is better than a solid barrier.

Assessment

It gets down to whether you have a use for the features or not. The extra weight is miniscule to a lightweight backpacker, but it matters to an ultralight backpacker trying to keep her base weight down to 5 pounds or so.

Since I started using a hoodless sleeping bag, a hooded windshirt and a hooded down jacket have more utility to keep my head warm, so I’m more likely to carry a hooded windshirt.

It’s nice to have options.