http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130507p2a00m0na014000c.html

another +/-60 people needed rescue/assistance. note that the ages are across the board, and a mix of skiers, climbers and walkers. note also that this spring holiday had near perfect weather.

been there: away from recreational climbing iceclimbingjapan has other applications that put us at the less-fun end of working in the mountains. click the image for details.

most of these accidents were from avalanches, but part of the equation is the extent of japans approaches – more often than not japanese peaks are a long way out, compounded by lots of roads still closed which seriously puts a hole in the ‘golden hour’ of rescue.

know when to call it a day: there comes a time, every year, when the risk formula can no longer be overcome by skill and committment. in the end the always mountain wins.

whatever the reasons for winters getting warmer faster, these days it may be better to start on the rock routes earlier.

the Tsurugi Jacket; broad-spectrum function for specialized applications

accolades are already coming in for the Tsurugi jacket in its Neoshell light version, being shortlisted for design awards and chosen as part of several series that showcase things like systematics, new fabric technologies, extreme condition design concepts and layering tests. all those who choose the Tsurugi jacket say pretty much the same thing; it appears unusual, possibly gimmicky, but performs in ways that highlight the limitations in other designs.

details in the previous blog post

 the Tsurugi Jacket: light, functional, intuitive & system compatible 

the beta is:

• alpine-specific design

• 325g/11.5oz

• Polartec Neoshell light/YKK WP zips

• ‘over-the-head’ style with diagonal, 3/4 length entry zip

• light blue-orange zips/red-green zips/black-orange & green zips

• S – L (XL in blue only)

• ￥45,000 + shipping in other currency equivalent

• orders will be shipped in October

these jackets are Limited Editions because they will be made to order and are the pro athlete version pre-’blinged out’ before they are adapted to the commercial market.

the Tsurugi Concept: designed ‘function-first’ to breathe, vent, integrate and allow for maximum motion with minimal hassle

designed first and foremost for prolonged activity in very cold conditions, the features of the jacket are streamlined and intuitive. details are where they need to be, easy to use and profoundly functional. despite remaining oblivious to the weight until final samples arrived, the jacket still comes in lightest-in-class simply by having stripped away all unnecessary elements. to the climber/skier the following will be relevant:

• helmet compatible, ergonomic, low volume hood

• athletic fit yet enough volume to go over alpine-style baselayers

• glove-friendly, intuitive details

• huge venting capability via several avenues

• large stash pocket capacity

• system compatible

• streamlined construction that optimizes fabric performance

• high visability flash logos

to the gear freak it will be relevant as the lightest Neoshell jacket currently available, with the full functions of a jacket half its weight again.

extremely light yet full function: the Tsurugi Jacket leaves out none of the features of a full spec shell. intended for alpine pursuits with minimal time wasted on messing about with gear, every feature has been refined and reduced to its most essential form.

 enquiries and orders

temps are above freeing around midday, with nights still cold, but not red-zone cold as they were a few weeks back. days are also longer, which means more activity and less time laying in a tent, plus of course more radiant warmth. its more humid, so more care is needed regarding moisture.

the clothing system weve been R&D’ing can be stripped back a few notches now to its spring or 4000m mode.  

• High Efficiency leg base

• HE t shirt

• HE light long sleeve shirt

• Wind Pro/wool blend sleeves

• Alpha mid

• Primaloft One hoody

• Neoshell leg ‘cool shell’

• Pertex Shield+ ‘cool shell

its still worn with Baturas or other i-gaiter boots, simply because theres still a lot of snow about and the longer days mean longer approaches so the walkability of the Batura is welcome.

what this system does is allow for the dramatic fluctuation in climate and body temps over a spring day, where early morning is about -4c but early afternoon can be up to +5c, with peak activity spanning the time of the greatest temperature shift.

the HE bases move heat and moisture away from the body as fast as any textile can, with the Tsurugi System designs exchanging it rapidly with cool air to prevent it condensing via lots of air-to-skin vents that open right thru from the Neoshell and Pertex outer leyers.

the same HE textiles then trap a lot of heat when sealed off, with almost no compromise on the insulation due to there being no down in the system – replaced with Tsurugis signature Alpha-Prima combination.

at the insulating level the layer of Alpha is regulated by venting the Pertex Shield+ ‘Cool Shell’ over it, or when its cold hanging about at night, a layer of 60g Primaloft.

wind resistant, wool-blend sleeves: the best thing since the piss bottle, turning a t-shirt into a softshell without taking your pack or layers off. these are simple versions to test the idea, more sophisticated versions coming soon.

a big thing is use of arm covers instead of a heavier baselayer. made of new wool blend, wind resistant fabrics from Polartec they reduce carried weight so much they are a system anomaly. matched to a mid-weight HE t-shirt and/or a light weight HE long sleeve shirt they allow for a spectrum of temperatures so broad theres little moisture build up in the system.

without an efficient baselayer as a foundation all other layers are compromised, especially during the broad spectrum of spring conditions

the beauty of all Tsurugi Systems is that they work across entire 24hr periods, as thermo-efficient at night as in the day. the same fabrics that insulate and expel moisture during the day continue to do so at night, integrating seamlessly with any sleep system – something ever more vital as conditions warm up and the convenience of everything being frozen over 24hrs gradually disappears.

the first peach blossoms have started, the ice is frazzling, girls are wearing mini-skirts and you can smell the pollen in the air. winter is done. theres still enough ice for a few weeks at least and the snow will keep falling, but many areas are now either buried or dangerous, aside from notable exceptions which are now in their prime.

the alpine rock is till exceptional, fuji finally has bearable temperatures (tho higher winds) and in the lower ranges the alpine snow pack leading to the upper mixed stuff is beginning to open up – spring is by no means the end of cold-condition climbing.

above: looking back at Amidadake and a great winter. new ideas ahead

below: late season ice in Jogazawa. 30m & 60m ice routes with several weeks still left in them

down in the southern islands temps are already good for the Big Canyoning micro-expeditions on Kuchinoerabujima.

we finished off the winter with a few days at Futakuchi in Tohoku, Japans best ice and mixed climbing location – made all the better by almost nobody going there. +180 ice and mixed routes along two low valleys, laid out as if intended for the purpose, the mountain gods even being kind enough to put hot springs at the head of the gorges.

the road to Futakuchi: one of the worlds best kept ice & mixed climbing secrets

recon all sewn up, we will be starting next winter with a series of trips in there to film and train, along with new micro-expeditions with a focus towards winter walls.

big ideas for big guys: Will from The Project trying out a portaledge on ice screws. and you thought regular ‘ledging was freaky…

so, spring is now all about conditioning; making up for what was lost over 4 months of specificity and making new gains for whats ahead.

in the schedule is several spring, summer and fall trips to test new equipment, develop new concepts, train new people and work on The Project Film that showcases the TMP gear system within the context of Japan and North Asia. amongst all this will be efforts to show the unknown, including Japanese multiday walls, hard alpine and places the world doesnt know. whatever clichés you have been accepting – prepare to sweep them away.

theres light as in minimal, then theres light as in missing, and one is often mistaken for the other.

its one thing to weigh as little as possible, but there comes a point where the sacrifices in function have to be questioned – what are you losing other than grams? what else is compromised?

a while ago Westcomb raised the bar with what they touted as the lightest Neoshell jacket available with their Shift Lt, an excellent example of how things can be done and whats possible. not only is the jacket nice in design, but construction is excellent, the textiles intelligent and the concept-to-production process sets a new standard. by almost all accounts it has received rave reviews for everything from function to quality -  not unusual for Westcomb who sit well at the top of the tree.

where the Shift Lt is big on technology and concept its stripped down on features – a single small pocket, no hand pockets, no vents. when a jacket advertises ‘features’ like velcro cuffs and microfleece chin guards, you know its pretty simple. it relies very much on its textiles and use as a cold weather shell to carry it off. for a minimalist winter jacket it set a new standard.

and now thats been surpassed.

Tsurugi Alpine Z

fresh from production in very limited numbers is The Projects new ‘Tsurugi’ Neoshell line, and amongst it is the Alpine Z  jacket*. the concept spec for it was simple: as functional as possible for high demand activity in very cold temperatures. what it features include:

• massive venting options. fully opened up this jacket dumps heat from 5 avenues

• big storage capacity. room to carry gloves, maps, snacks and junk within the warmth of the body

• full spec hood. covers helmet and high up onto the face, features an ergonomic cinch system that is glove-friendly and no cord flicking around the eyes

• hand warming pockets. allowing both hands to be protected and warmed

• all zips are weatherproofed. thanks to YKK providing us with their latest, most flexible models that also help the jacket pack smaller

all that is designed into a streamlined, athletic platform based on an ultralight Pertex shield+ pattern thats been tested over the last few months, then adapted for one of the new Neoshell variants. the overall package is made to work hard in, with articulated arms and pits to guarantee no noticeable hem-lift and hoods and cuffs cinch to minimize wind resistance for use in high winds and helicopters. the entire design has only about 8% of double-layering (seam tape, hems and other features that impede breathability). that it comes in lighter than the Shift Lt wasnt intentional (it was in production before the Shift Lt was announced), its just what happens when you stick to concept principles uncompromisingly.

so what are the problems?

as yet, few. nothing we cant debug. in fact the only issue as we see it is the choice in colours – not everyone will want the nice visible colours we have used in this batch.

more details to be released. expressions of interest welcome

*note the name isnt fixed yet and may change when it hits the greater consumer market

keep an eye out for this little tag

tested on humans

so, several months of testing across a wide range of conditions by TMP testers was presented along with many others at OR in SLC. tho much has been released to the general market, still much of Alphas applications remains in a developmental stage simply because it is so diverse – trialing and evaluating Alpha in conjunction with Polartecs entire range is a big process.

some of what has been distilled and presented is simply reaffirmation of what Polartec already knew in other sectors, now confirmed by recreational climbers. other elements across the board put Alpha and its sister textiles firmly in a league of their own.

with its origins as a Special Operations request, its not surprising the same sector would get the defining word on Alpha and the Polartec range.

in a series of blind tests that included all the major brands, Alpha and Neoshell were chosen on performance. whilst not exactly replicating the demands of alpine climbers, theres no doubt SOF demands are similar or exceeding anything 99% of climbers will ever require.

testing and retesting: 72hrs straight of both rigorous and static applications right at the freeze/thaw zone. incredible cold is one thing, inside a humid tent is another. both combined is what matters.

for big mountain skiing the bosses of Teton Bros, who are also sponsored DPS skiers, ran thru extensive heli-skiing testing (ie extensive fun) around Silverton in Colorado, trialing and evaluating Alpha in conjunction with Neoshell, Powershield and others in applications covering hard ascents, heli conditions and long descents. not unexpectedly – when used systematically – Alpha stood out for both its breathability whilst sweating hard then its insulation once the wind resistance picked up. most of these tests were done in temps around -25c before windchill

whats been laid down now as well tested is Alpha’s place in it all – what TMP is calling its capacity as a ‘multiplier’. for any application other than hot climate cooling, Alpha, when introduced to a system multiplies the desired effectt.

want to trap heat? Alpha either does it alone or enhances the effects of other insulations.

want to dump heat? Alpha, when vented, flushes heat out fast enough to minimize moisture cooling within a system.

want to control moisture? Alpha dries fast enough from body that other layers return to moisture-holding baseline rapidly.

Alpha naked: stripped of its facings to show Alphas remarkable structure, the combination of 3D knit and fibre clusters allows Alpha to work eficieently in so many ways

whatever your system is meant to achieve Alpha makes it do so more efficiently – which is what its designed for. for the first time an insulation is available specifically for going in with other layers, making what is otherwise the hardest element to systemize the point of orbit. its been a long time coming; long enough many had forgotten what it was indeed they were waiting for.

here are the basic numbers Polartec has out in their fact sheet:

• Alpha has a H2O/24hrs permeability rate of 3349g compared to that of 1722g of its main competitor.

• Alpha for its volume compresses 36% smaller than the competitor

• Alpha at body temperature dries 20% faster

• because Alpha doesn’t require a tightly woven facing it transpires vapor 3 times more efficiently when faced on one side as a windproof layer, or 4 times more efficiently when faced on both sides with a non-air resistant layer

TMP is amongst the first to trial Alpha combined with facings beyond the shell nylon  the initial test samples came in. our recent designs combine 2 other specialist fabrics; an Alpha-specific inner mesh facing that minimizes the Alphas performance, and a new variant of powershieldthat doesn’t use a membrane (more on that next time). needless to say it’s a huge leap out from the earlier Alpha protos that although good, didn’t really represent the true potential of the textile.

Alpha/3d mesh/powershield complex: now we are getting somewhere! amazing fabrics that change the way insulation functions

TMP also makes a point of not pushing Alpha to replace Primaloft – something many early concepts are doing. as in our Alpha-powershield designs, we treat it very differently, surrounding it with fabrics that optimize the differences rather than reduce them for a market that will be confused at first.

sleeping system test: active use is no problem to test, 9hrs in a tent is less fun. the combined factors of 3 people, stoves and a single skin tent over several nights will push any insulations parameters

to add to this we have been trialing Alpha and Primaloft and down together, in both clothing and sleeping systems that also include DryQ, Pertex and Neoshell. in all tests Alpha has come out as having a distinct and radical place. not only will Alpha alter the ideas for clothing, it will evolve how we think about sleeping as well.

testing and retesting: 72hrs straight of both rigorous and static applications right at the freeze/thaw zone. incredible cold is one thing, inside a humid tent is another. both combined is what matters.

COMING SOON

ALPINIST

it took a lot of looking and trawling thru old guidebooks but we found it: the Futakuchi area map

DETAILS HERE