Pared-down and packable, the Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket is an H2No® Performance Standard 2.5-layer nylon waterproof/breathable hard shell for seriously wet weather.

Aside from stunning landscapes, Southern Patagonia is known for one thing: wet weather. For trekking and hiking in drenching conditions, our Torrentshell Jacket provides H2No® Performance Standard protection that's durable, lightweight and versatile. The 2.5-layer nylon jacket has a waterproof/breathable barrier, a DWR (durable water repellent) finish and stuffs into one of two zippered handwarmer pockets (with a carabiner clip-in loop). The hood rolls down, stows away, and has a laminated visor, the center zipper has minimal welt exterior and interior storm flaps and the ventilating pit zips have storm flaps and DWR-treated zippers. With a microfleece-lined neck, hook-and-loop cuff closures and a drawcord hem.

I was looking for a jacket that was robust and waterproof enough to keep dry when its raining hard, yet something that was light enough to comfortably run, as well as being compact enough to stuff it in my pack without it taking up too much room, or adding too much weight.

The Patagonia TorrentShell came very highly recommended by a good friend of mine, who works in an outdoors store during the week, and explores the extremes of Tasmania’s wilderness on the weekends.  If there's any recommendations to take, its hers!  She said “Richelle, this jacket keeps you dry in the toughest conditions, looks great, and best of all, it never rides up at the back when you are hiking or running with a backpack!”.  I was sold.  I then passed on specific purchase instructions to Shane, who was buying it for me as a “secret” birthday present!

Waterproof 

Excellent – so far I haven’t had any water permeate through the jacket, so  I can’t fault it to date.  I haven’t worn it in torrential rain just yet, but if my experience thus far is anything to go by, I'll be trusting it 100%.

Breathability

Breathes pretty well, on warmer days when walking/running uphills and heating up Ive opened the underarm vents, which seems to help with getting too warm.  At no point thus far have I sweated more than just a little bit when working hard.  .  On warmer days, I tend to get damp in my forearm/wrist area, but I put that down to sweat.

Features

I love the microfleece neck cuff, very smooth and silky fabric against my neck.  The underarm vents are very practical, the velcro cuff fasteners are functional and the stuff pack pocket very convenient.  But my favourite parts by far are the hood that just sits on your head perfectly, without decreasing your peripheral vision, and the longer back on the jacket to ensure greatest coverage.

Comfort and Mobility

In terms of comfort and mobility, when im hiking and running, I don’t even notice I have this jacket on.  And the true test was the XC Skiing, and again, didn’t even notice I had it on!  The awesome thing about this jacket is that it doesn’t ride up even with a backpack on!

I bought 1 size bigger than my usual size to allow for the possibility of wearing my puffy jacket underneath.

Weight and bulk

At 320g it’s a lightweight jacket.  I'm sure there are plenty lighter, but this was the lightest I found with multiple waterproof layers. 

Value
At $159.00 (AUD), I think for such a high quality lightweight jacket, this is great value for money.  As an added bonus, its a Patagonia product, which I've always associated with great quality!

This jacket was purchased for me from Paddy Pallin in Launceston, Tasmania, in April 2014.
Colour: Tobago Blue 
Size: Size XL
Weight: 320g

By Richelle Olsen - slow runner, hiker and general outdoorsy-type

Finally a gear review aimed at the girls!  But that doesn't mean you boys can zone out....here's some great advice for the female runner in your life!!

Thought that its high time that I shared my thoughts on running bras.....specifically my all time favorite, the Shock Absorber Ultimate Run Bra!

Designed specifically for runners, the award-winning Ultimate RUN bra reduces bounce by up to 78%* and provides ultimate friction-free comfort.

• Infinity-8 support system counteracts the breasts' figure-of-eight movement during running
• Soft, seamless inner reduces rubbing or chafing
• Non-slip, wide padded adjustable straps
• Reflective tape across cups for high visibility
• Full back opening for easy on and off
• Made from moisture-wicking, breathable fabric, sports performance fabrics

*University of Portsmouth 2009 (Scurr et al) - testing carried out against 'no bra' conditions.

Available in sizes:  A 30-36, B/C/D/DD/E/F 30-38

"This award winning high impact bra has you feeling uninhibited during your workouts. The clever racer back design allows for more adjustability than most racer back bras. Most people find this bra much easier to get on and off than traditional racer back bras. We find this model fits tight in the band, which has us fitting women with a size bigger band, and a size smaller in the cup." 

My boob size (38 D) is not designed to run in any ordinary sports bra.  I’ve had some good, and some bad ones in my time, but as I begin to run more and more frequently, I’ve felt the need to get a bra that will offer me 100% support.

The first thing I noticed about this bra is that its pretty lightweight.  Many sports bras for us bigger boobed ladies a made up of thick structured material, and often feel like they wont breathe very well during a hot sweaty run.  The other bonus of it being lightweight is that it dries after a wash in no time, great for frequent washes.

So heres my thoughts.....


The fit: 

This bra is very firm, almost tight around the band, but not enough to feel like it digs in.  The support around the boobs is very firm, without feeling squished.  It comes up high enough at the front to cover most of the cleavage, but without the restrictive feeling like you have a bra that comes up to your neck!

The shoulder straps are wide and padded and never move, they are very comforable.  When I first put the bra on, I do feel like the weight of my boobs is pulling on my shoulders, but once I settle into the bra this feeling goes away.

The comfort:  

When I am running I don’t feel any movement of my boobs at all!  It's so much more comfortable than when I’ve run in other bras.  I don’t notice my boobs, they aren't an issue, even when I’m running downhill (I've been known to hold them down when running downhill when no ones around!  And I don't think I'm alone!!!)

I will say however that this isn’t a bra I can wear all day.  After 6 hours or so, the tight band around my sternum becomes a bit too tight, and I look forward to taking it off.

The true test for me was completing my first ever trail half marathon, consisting of 4hrs of sweat and rain.  I jumped in the shower that night, waiting for the sting of chafe around the band area, between my boobs, under my arms…..NOTHING!  Now that’s an awesome bra!!

Getting it on:  

I've always struggled with getting bras on, getting my hands behind my back with enough co-ordination to do up a clasp has often been beyond me!!  This bra is great in the fact that I can do up the band from the front, twist the whole bra around to the back, pull up the straps, then reach behind and do up the racer back clasp (that clasp is really easy to do up!)  Sounds complicated, but it works perfectly for me!   For those with even more dexterity will find it even more simple!

Getting the right size/fit:

I was keen to get it right the first time when I headed out to buy a sports bra for running.  I had heard great things about She Science, so one Sunday afternoon I headed into their store in Kew, just outside the city of Melbourne.  

She Science is the first retailer worldwide to use motion analysis software to analyse dynamic breast motion. This optional analysis is conducted in private change rooms using motion analysis software and treadmill technology.     

Tish, the owner, was super friendly, and helpful in determining what I wanted in a bra.  What's it for?  Do I prefer wire or wire-free?  Do I prefer racer back or regular back?  In a couple of questions she had narrowed it down to 3-4 bras.  Then it was time to head out the back to the very private changeroom/treadmill area.  Unlike the bra fitting ladies in Myer and DJ's who stand there and watch you get the girls out and poke and prod some of your most intimate areas, Tish is very discrete, and really values your privacy when helping you fit the bras.

With the first bra on, I jumped on the treadmill, with a screen in front of me showing footage of the video camera that was recording my movements.   Building to a slow, then moderate jog, I could watch as my chest moved (or didn't move!) with each stride.  In total I tried on 3 bra's, all of which felt great in terms of restricting movement, however when reviewing the video, 1 of the 3 had me bouncing all over the shop!  Its amazing that I couldn't feel that!  There's the value in the video there, it shows you what you can't feel for yourself.  So with just 2 choices, I went with the Shock Absorber, as it was much more lightweight.

So I hope this has helped you in your running bra decision.....but what I will say is that I have learnt from She Science is that more important than the bra is the fit.  And I will tell anyone who will listen about the service from Tish and the team at She Science!!

I now own 2 of these bras, so they must be doing something right!

She Science http://www.shescience.com.au/estore/style/sab5044.aspx