Strafe Temerity Jacket and Pants

Fit: Pants

Like the jacket, the fit of the Temerity pants is also rather loose. The patterning through the knees is sewn with a little bit of articulation, but the cut through the thighs and lower leg is pretty much straight, with no real taper at or below the knee. However, despite the roomy fit, the thin, light NeoShell material means the pants don’t feel bulky or heavy at all. (I’ll say more about the thickness and feel of the fabric below.)

I will say that while the Temerity jacket seems to runs true to size, the pants seem a little big for a size Large. The Temerity pants’ inseam is longer than that of the Flylow Stash pants in a  size Large, and have what seems like a couple inches more material around the waist.

I usually wear a size Large in ski pants (mainly because Mediums typically aren’t long enough for me) so I often have to cinch down the waist a little bit. With the velcro adjustments at the waist band cinched all the way down, the size Large Temerity pants will stay up, though if they were any bigger, I’d probably be relying on a belt to keep them up.

As for their length, the Temerity pants aren’t too long – the cuffs don’t drag or get caught up in my ski brakes – but a good amount of extra material bunches around the top of my boots. I have a feeling I could go with a size Medium and not have the pants be too short or too tight around the waist.

However, the pants also come with a set of removable suspenders, and when I’m using those, the pants’ length and larger fit through the waist isn’t an issue at all.

So all in all, if you’re not a fan of suspenders and plan to use the Temerity pants as …  just pants, expect the fit to be a little bigger than what you might be used to in a given size. And if you’re usually between sizes, then sizing down would probably make sense.

Fabric Feel

Part of what makes NeoShell particularly comfortable is the feel of the material. The NeoShell membrane is lighter and a bit more flexible than Gore-Tex Pro to begin with, but the weight of one NeoShell jacket can be a little different from another, depending on the thickness of the face fabric a brand uses with the membrane.

The shell material on the Lab Coat 2.0 is noticeably less stiff and crinkly feeling than most jackets made with Gore-Tex Pro, and the shell material of the Temerity jacket (even though it’s also made with NeoShell) has an even lighter, slightly softer, more supple feel than that of the Lab Coat 2.0. This might have to do with the weave of the face fabric on the Lab Coat more than its thickness, but in any case, the outer fabric on the Temerity is even a little softer, quieter, and also very comfortable for a hard shell.

And for the record, the Temerity’s fabric isn’t as super-light and thin as the shell material of the Mountain Equipment Arclight or the Westcomb Apoc, both of which use a very low denier face fabric in conjunction with the NeoShell membrane, and are highly packable jackets as a result.

Waterproofing

When it comes to storm protection and breathability, I’m happy to say that my experience with the Temerity and it’s NeoShell waterproof / breathable membrane hasn’t differed from Jonathan Ellsworth’s or Sam Shaheen’s, as relayed in their reviews of the Flylow Lab Coat 2.0 and Westcomb Switch LT.

So rather than drone on and repeat what’s already been said, I’m going to quote Sam’s Switch LT review here:

“This fabric is super breathable while still maintaining a 10K waterproof rating. And in case that 10k rating sounds low to you, know that the fabric is waterproof. It’s rated at 10K, and a 10K waterproof rating is all that is needed for 99.99% of the activities that even the most seasoned, hardcore outdoorsmen and women will encounter—including me and you.

You will not be able to tell any difference in the waterproof-ness of [NeoShell] versus its Gore-Tex or eVent competitors. I guarantee it.”

I agree. I’ve worn the Temerity jacket and pants in a couple unusually wet, humid storms (by Colorado standards, at least) and I’ve stayed perfectly dry.

If we’re talking about skiing all day in the rain in the PNW, a jacket like the Arc’teryx Caden, made with Gore-Tex Pro, would probably outlast the Temerity, but I as far as I can tell, that level of waterproofing and storm protection is often overkill for skiing in Colorado, or somewhere with a similarly dry climate. Even on the nastiest of storm days, a NeoShell jacket like the Temerity offers plenty of storm protection, may be more comfortable to wear, and is more breathable.

Breathability

As Sam says in his Switch LT review (and I’m paraphrasing here), at a certain point, you’re going to feel hot, muggy, and sweaty during high-output activities (like on especially strenuous hikes, especially in warm, spring conditions) no matter what shell you’re wearing.

But having said that, I’ll agree with Sam that, “Neoshell fabric breathes better than any non-air permeable hard shell alternative.”

Even in very warm spring conditions (with temps in the 40s), hiking in direct sunlight with a fairly thick thermal baselayer on underneath, I kept the Temerity on with the pit zips open & front zipper partially unzipped, and was totally comfortable. Had I been hiking in the same conditions wearing a jacket with Gore-Pro or regular Gore-Tex, I’m sure would have started to feel sweaty and clammy earlier on the bootpack. And while hiking in colder conditions, I’ve kept the Temerity jacket’s pit zips closed when I expect I would have opened them wearing another jacket with a non-air permeable membrane.

As for the Temerity pants, between their inner and outer thigh vents and the thin, light, NeoShell material, I can’t say I’ve used another pair of pants that is this inherently breathable and actively expels hot air as well with all vents open.

To second what Sam has already said: “Waterproof’ and ‘Breathable’ are two goals in direct opposition to each other, and NeoShell does a remarkable job of achieving both.” For fully-featured, waterproof hard shells, the breathability of both the Temerity jacket and pants is indeed pretty impressive. No matter the conditions (bluebird or stormy), if the day is going to be full of fast ridge laps or steep, long bootpacks inbounds, I’m completely happy wearing the Temerity kit. And if a super light-weight, highly packable jacket isn’t your #1 priority, then I see no reason why the jacket and pants couldn’t serve as a good backcountry touring setup on occasion, too.