Application to Test ? Sierra Designs Hurricane LT Parka & Pants

I have an email in to Sierra Designs to inquire about their sizing, 
to determine if we can even test these items.  once i hear back fom 
them i'll share the sizing info here.  for now i'm going off the size 
chart from REI's site.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here is my application to test the Sierra Designs Hurricane LT Parka 
& Pants. I have read the BGT survival guide v. 1202 and agree to 
comply with the requirements stated in Chapter 5. My Tester Agreement 
is currently on file. My son cannot yet read, nor does he have an 
agreement on file, so I'll have to take responsibility for him. ;)   
I can't emphasize enough how excited I am to see such high-quality 
children's gear come up for testing.  Thank you for considering our 
application.

ADULT TESTER

Name: Colleen Porter
Age: 30
Gender: F
Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Weight: 153 lb (64 kg)
Torso Length: 17.5" (44.5 cm)
Email address: tarbubble at yahoo dot com
City, State: Irvine, CA
Date: 09/15/05

Backpacking Background:  I've been backpacking for 10 years, usually 
with my husband.  We used to be heavyweights, but having children 
forced us to go ultralight, and now on my own my 3-season base weight 
hovers around 13 pounds.  On family trips the weight usually 
doubles.  I just had my second child in June of this year and he is 
now almost 3 months old, plenty old enough to start backpacking.  I 
am the owner of the BackpackingWithChildren Yahoo group and am 
dedicated to backpacking with my kids and helping others to do the 
same safely.  My typical haunts are the mountains of southern 
California, the Sierra Nevada, Grand Canyon, Mojave and Colorado 
deserts.  Yup, gotta carry a lot of water sometimes.  

CHILD TESTER

Name: Paul Clemens
Age: 3 years, 5 months
Gender: M
Height: 39 in/99 cm
Weight: 35 lbs/16 kg
Size: XS (both pants and jacket)
Jacket Color Preference: Tiger Lily or Bamboo (bright colors = 
visible kid)
Pants Color Preference: Black or Charcoal, doesn't matter
Email address: none
City, State: Irvine, CA
Date: 09/15/05

Backpacking Background: Paul went on his first backpacking trip when 
he was three months old, and bagged his first peak not long after 
that.  Since then he has accompanied his parents on at least seven 
backpacking trips (including a failed attempt at the whole John Muir 
Trail and an almost rim-to-rim-to-rim of the Grand Canyon) and 
countless car-camps and day hikes.  On our last backpacking trip, he 
actually did more walking than riding, so we've decided he has ridden 
his last in the child carrier.  Paul is now better outfitted than 
some adults, with a hydration pack, his own self-inflating sleeping 
pad (a BMW TorsoLite), Smartwool socks, wicking long undies and 
more.  He loves to "camp in the mountains and climb the mountains," 
and is forever pestering us to go camping (we love it, though).

Field Information:  Paul goes where his parents go.  Over the next 
four months that is very likely to include both the low and high 
deserts of the southwestern region of the United States, possibly the 
eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada, plus the Santa Ana and San 
Gabriel mountains.  Terrain will include sand, mud, forest duff, and 
a wide variety of rock.   Paul loves to scramble up rocks.  Maybe 
even snow.  Trails will range from wide, well-maintained 
thoroughfares to water-damaged and neglected, level to steep, forest-
clad to exposed.  

Our first post-baby backpacking trip is scheduled for this weekend, 
and it looks like we'll be on the PCT in the San Gabriel Mountains. 
October is unscheduled but we anticipate at least one overnighter, 
and in November or December we will pack into the Mecca Hills (lower 
Mojave Desert) and explore slot canyons.  Once the first snow falls 
(could be this month in some of the higher areas), we will head up to 
the mountains and try it out.  This is my year to get comfortable 
with snow, and I hope for a snow trip to Sequoia National Park ? we 
have a 4-season tent now.  For New Year's Eve, my local hiking club 
always has a desert campout filled with dayhikes.  I have also joined 
a group of homeschooling moms who car-camp together on weekdays at 
least once a month. 

Elevations are expected to range from sea level to 9000 
feet/2700meters, and temperatures from 90 degrees (50 C) to around 
freezing.  Weather could be dry, dry, dry, but once the rainy season 
starts we could be inundated with water.  Our rainstorms tend to be 
thick downpours, and last winter we had over 37 in/94 cm of 
precipitation.

Similar Products Used by Child Tester:  Baby Gap waterproof jacket 
(leaked).

Test Plan:  Oh boy!  Rain gear! We've done our best in the past to 
keep out of the rain, because of the pathetic lack of quality rain 
gear for kids size 3T and lower.  I made a silnylon poncho and pants 
for Paul, but they weren't perfect, either ? Paul would make the 
poncho flap in the rain and he'd get soaked.  But now he is finally 
big enough to fit into XS jackets from most manufacturers.

If selected, we will carry the Hurricane LT Jacket and Pants along on 
every backpacking trip, car-camp and day hike we do in the next four 
months.  The jacket will be used as both a rain jacket and a 
windbreaker ? why carry two layers when one can do both those jobs?  
The pants will also be used every time we visit the snow, since it 
always seems to be the knees and butt that get the most wet in the 
snow.  Paul is also a puddle-jumper extraordinaire, so the pants will 
sometimes go on even after rain, in order to keep him from soaking 
his pants completely.

The Hurricane LT Parka looks like the genuine article - a real, full-
featured waterproof breathable rain jacket for children.  Zippered 
vents and pockets, shock-corded hem, taped seam, adjustable hood? 
every rain jacket standard is there.  

Sierra Designs doesn't mention what type of waterproof breathable 
film they're using for this jacket, although I notice that for the 
Adult versions of the LT they are using Entrant DT.  Are they using 
the same high-quality treatment for the kids' version, or are they 
using a cheaper laminate?  Breathability will have to be evaluated by 
continual checking of the inside of the jacket while in use, 
something I already do when we're caught in the rain with Paul.  
That's how I found out that his current jacket leaks - by sticking my 
hand inside during a downpour in order to make sure he was still 
dry.  Paul will work up a sweat when he's very active, so I'm 
confident we'll be able to establish if the jacket is truly 
breathable or not.  We'll experiment with the vents ? all four open, 
two open, none open.  If we leave the pocket vents open, will they 
leak?  I also understand that breathability is contingent on keeping 
the exterior of the jacket from wetting out, so I'll report on the 
water-repellency of the fabric as well.

Are the cuffs adjustable or elastic?  Adjustable is preferred, since 
elastic tends to be a one-size-fits-some affair.  If they are 
adjustable, will the hook-and-loop snag on Paul's gloves or fleece 
sweater?  Is the storm flap secured by hook-and-loop or snaps?  Is 
the hood comfortable enough that Paul isn't going to continually pull 
it off?  I'll be evaluating the adjustability of the hood and how 
well it fits, both over a fleece cap and a bare head.  Will it adjust 
along the sides and in the back?

The fit of the jacket is important as well ? too tight and Paul won't 
be able to wear it over a fleece sweater or other insulative layer.  
Too loose and it will be saggy and allow too much air movement when 
the wind is blowing.  Where does the hem fall ? above or below the 
butt?  If Paul raises his arms above his head, will the jacket hike 
up or stay in place?

On to the pants.  The picture on Sierra Designs' website is utterly 
useless, so my initial questions will have to come from their 
description and my own experiences with rain pants.  Of course we'll 
be monitoring waterproofness and breathability as best we can, by the 
same methods outlined above (sticking my hand in every so often to 
make sure Paul is dry).  Beyond that ? how do the pants fit?  Can we 
layer them over fleece pants?  Can Paul scramble up rocks and over 
logs and down embankments in them?  Are they cut for movement?  Even 
in camp, kids don't sit around ? they're in everything and jumping 
off of anything.  Are they durable?  Kids can shred clothing, and 
pants need to be even more durable than jackets.

When using the pants in conjunction with the jacket, do they 
complement each other in function?  Will the jacket's hem fall well 
below the waist of the pants, helping to keep rain from blowing in 
between the two garments?  

How long are the pants ? above, below, or on the ankle?  This is a 
difficult area in children's clothes ? nobody seems to address 
inseams.  Paul's inseam is 14 in/35.5 cm, will I have to roll up the 
hems to keep him from stepping on the pants?  Do the ankles adjust at 
all, do they have elastic, or do they just hang straight?  Are the 
ankle zippers waterproof or covered by storm flaps?  Sierra Designs' 
website states that the ankle zippers are 14 in/35.5 cm long, which 
seems like an outrageous length for a size XS child's pant (remember, 
that's Paul's inseam length).  Are they all really that long or do 
they vary the zipper length by pant size?  

All of these questions (and probably others I haven't even thought of 
yet) will be examined and answered over the course of our testing for 
the next four months.  Thanks so much for considering our 
application.  

Most Recently Completed Test Series

Shock Doctor Ultra Custom Insoles
http://tinyurl.com/8jqxl

Titanium Goat Vertex 5 tent
http://tinyurl.com/cpulz


Current Test Series

Merrell WaterPro Ultra-Sport (haven't arrived yet)

Moving Comfort Micro Panty (just selected)

Vargo Triad Titanium Stove (ends Oct. 1)
http://tinyurl.com/axolj

Bite Xtension 2 Running Sandals (ends Nov. 1)
http://tinyurl.com/9phrs

Six Moon Designs Comet Pack (ends Nov. 22)
http://tinyurl.com/9xxan


Currently Serving as Monitor For:

National Geographic Topo! Streets & 3-D Views Expansion Pack
http://tinyurl.com/ag862





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