Mountain Equipment Lhotse – Gore-Tex Pro Shell Review

As you may have already read, I have had a miserable time finding waterproofs that work for me. Time and time again I come across the next best thing in waterproofing technology, invest unspeakable amounts of money into it, and then get left woefully under-impressed and, ironically, soaked through to the bone.

With that said, I’m no easy customer. For a start, inclement weather wills me on when I’m planning a route or day out. There’s something about a good rainstorm that adds to the isolation I think. So obviously, my equipment gets a beating real testing when out and about. Secondly, I run really quite hot, and VERY sweaty. We’re talking the sort of sweat that changes entire t-shirts a different colour on a toasty day. Now I know that I should probably go and see someone about that, but in the meantime, I’m just going to add it to the list of things that haunt the product designers of the great outdoors. And to top it all off, I’m of a pretty weird proportion; Not tall, not short, not fat, not skinny – somewhat of a tree stump that is seemingly difficult to cut clothing to a decent fit.

So as a result of these ‘issues’, amongst others, I have retired my aforementioned eVent shell to ‘running to the shops’ duty in a search for something a little more robust and far better performing.

Now, time and time again we hear and read about people waxing-lyrical about the latest Gore-Tex shell and how good they are, and in an act of defiance I have avoided purchasing one for myself for along as I could, but I couldn’t ignore what seemed to be exclusively good remarks about Mountain Equipments’ high-end model shell – The Lhotse.

Available in a relatively okay range of colours (I would have loved to have a seen a yellow ocre available, but there has to be some drawbacks I guess) The Lhotse is Mountain Equipments’ latest application of the fabled Gore-Tex Pro fabric. By their own claims, this has allowed them to consistently manufacture an award winning jacket with a ‘blend of function, weight and durability’. It’s basic construction is somewhat ‘classic’, with a myriad of pockets and drawstrings to allow the user to at least attempt to get a good fit.

That’s enough of regurgitating the website listing though – what’s the first impressions of the jacket close up?

My first thought was just how robust it feels. Even stood in Joe Browns in Capel Curig I was astounded how substantial it felt in comparison to equivalent price-point Rabs and Montane’s. Despite the robust feel, the overall build feels quite thin in places that matter, and much thicker in others, which is exactly what I like in a proper hard-shell jacket. There is a drawback, depending on how you look at it, and that is the noise. This jacket is loud. Now, I personally like it, it’s like a gentle reminder of how well protected and built the article is when you’re cutting about Snowdonia is storm conditions. However, the consistent swish, swish, swish that is evident in this piece may drive you mad; especially so if you enjoy recording videos on your travels. Something to keep in mind.

A few nice features that I found notable – The ability to swap out the ghastly yellow zipper pulls with more fitting grey ones, a handy press stud fixing at the bottom of the main zipper to stop the zipper blowing open and properly integrated latching mechs for all the drawcords (cutting down on nasty dangly bits). The weight (500g) and pack size is not notably bigger/smaller than your average shell.

I’m a big fan of the fit – being built like a tree trunk means I have big thighs and an even bigger derrière, but pretty short arms and legs; so one can struggle to find a coat that will protect the best bits without looking like a straight up bin-bag. This coat has plenty of space in the arms to accommodate fast paced movement or your very best down layer, but without being insultingly baggy. The length is enough to pull down and around your backside, but short enough to get out of the way when the going gets vertical. I wear a medium in these pictures, so you can gauge to fit yourselves!

A note to make at this point is the feel against your skin. The ‘face’ fabric (the fabric that sits against you/your skin) of this jacket isn’t the most comfortable I have ever used. ME have gone some way to improving the comfort, primarily using a seamless design to reduce any pressure points, but it still leaves a little to be desired. I wouldn’t say it’s uncomfortable per say, but it doesn’t have the silky touch the 2 layer eVent jackets typically have. With that said, you should be using this jacket as part of your layering system, so the only time I’ve noticed the feel of the face has been when I was trying it on in the shop; at any other time I have been wearing a long-sleeved skin to assist in wicking the sweat we spoke about earlier.

So, how does it perform in the wet? Well. It’s as simple as that. Un-surprisingly, living in the UK, I’ve used this jacket in anger fair amount of times now, and given it a fair test against some of the worst our weather has to offer to really test the boundaries and it’s been spot on. There hasn’t been any leakage as far as I have seen, and the DWR treatment seems to be holding up well against the elements and abuse. The properly usable and functional pit zips work wonders in keeping the sweat issue to a minimum and the large hood can be easily fitted to a bare head for a proper ‘hunkered down’ feeling while still allowing your head to swivel, but there’s definitely room for a helmet in there.

With that said, I’m under no illusion that as the DWR starts to fail, so will the apparent waterproofing, so that should be a note taken by the reader. Unfortunately, it seems that the worlds manufacturers are quickly moving away from environment damaging coatings and techniques as part of their CSR activities, but are yet to find anything that will match the durability and performance of the reckless old days. All I can recommend is that you follow the care guidelines to the letter to extend the performance envelope of both your equipment and clothing as much as possible.

All in all, this jacket is pretty nailed on for the delicate balance of performance and price. It’s not cheap, by any means (RRP £400), but in comparison to some garments out there, it falls in the ‘expected’ range when we talk about high-performing shell jackets. I guess I’m kicking myself for having not given in sooner – I could have avoided the misery that eVent has brought me by just sticking with what we know as an industry to be the class-leader in waterproofing and breathability. There are some reservations to be had, albeit somewhat personal and changing between us, but I would definitely recommend this shell to those seeking some proper protection during those drawn out weekends in the wet UK climes.

N.B. It’s worth noting that ME also sell the Tupilak, which is pretty similar to the Lhotse in all the ways that matter, but is a little cheaper. The main point that pushed me toward the Lhotse were the proper hip belt compatible hand pockets, which are not available on the Tupilak. Definitely worth a look, even if it’s just for the far nicer colours available. Remember to price match whatever and wherever you decide to buy your big-ticket items – I can safely say that I didn’t pay anywhere near retail for my jacket as a result of price matching.

Stand-out features

• 3-layer GORE-TEX PRO 40D fabric
• 3-layer GORE-TEX PRO 80D fabric reinforcements
• Mountain HC Hood is fully adjustable with Cohaesive™ cordlocks
• Seamless face panel for maximum comfort
• Alpine fit with articulated and pre-shaped sleeves
• Stratum Storage; 2 large pockets and 1 Napoleon pocket, laser cut and laminated with YKK® moulded AquaGuard® zips
• 2-way YKK® moulded AquaGuard® centre front zip
• 2-way YKK® WR underarm pit zips with laminated and bonded entry
• Adjustable laminated cuffs and dual tether hem drawcords
• Laminated and laser cut inner pocket with YKK® zip
• Weight : 500g/ 17.6oz
• 100% Polyamide, ePTFE membrane

Recommendation Rating: 85%

Available at Go Outdoors