Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: ChuckMcB on November 02, 2010

Title: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: ChuckMcB on November 02, 2010
Picked up a new fleece on Saturday, looking for something long in the arms but not too baggy (the curse of being tall and thin-ish) have been through

Settled on this Mountain Hardware Fleece Micro Grid Jacket (side point apparently it: "uses Polartec Power Stretch with Hardface technology panels for greater mobility and durability" face-palm  :D)

(http://cdn.activecommerce.net/content/tiso/products/1083400_md.jpg) (http://www.tiso.com/shop/mountain-hardwear/micro-grid-jacket-mens/)

Was perfect fit...but something felt wrong, anyhow the purchase was made....only when I go home I realised that the zip was on the 'wrong' side....When you put it on the right side of the jacket has the zip...no biggy, just feels odd (and gave the wife an opportunity of mockery of my girlie jacket  ::)).

Have I been sold a pup or it is mean to zip into a bigger jacket or something?
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: Dowser on November 02, 2010
Picked up a new fleece on Saturday, looking for something long in the arms but not too baggy (the curse of being tall and thin-ish) have been through

Settled on this Mountain Hardware Fleece Micro Grid Jacket (side point apparently it: "uses Polartec Power Stretch with Hardface technology panels for greater mobility and durability" face-palm  :D)

(http://cdn.activecommerce.net/content/tiso/products/1083400_md.jpg) (http://www.tiso.com/shop/mountain-hardwear/micro-grid-jacket-mens/)

Was perfect fit...but something felt wrong, anyhow the purchase was made....only when I go home I realised that the zip was on the 'wrong' side....When you put it on the right side of the jacket has the zip...no biggy, just feels odd (and gave the wife an opportunity of mockery of my girlie jacket  ::)).

Have I been sold a pup or it is mean to zip into a bigger jacket or something?

I can't advise on the positioning of your zip but it reminds me of a story of two friends of mine.  One of them (Mark) was in America and bought two pink golf shirts to bring home.  One for him and one for the other mate (Andy) as a birthday present.  They played 18 holes in them at Shandon and I met them after for a drink. How I laughed and laughed when I realised they were wearing LPGA Tour shirts.  The look on their faces when I told them what I was laughing at.  They didn't know what LPGA stood for and had been getting funny looks all day around the club ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: LennyJ1 on November 03, 2010
I have a TNF Waterproof and came across the sam problem.

It is a american thing. You have not bought a girl fleece
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: MG1 on November 03, 2010
I have a mountain hardware epic jacket and the zips on he wrong side as well, i think Lennys right its an American thing.
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: fatty-arbuckle on November 03, 2010
Yep, its a yank thing.
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: suspectmonkey on November 03, 2010
or it is mean to zip into a bigger jacket or something?

There might be some truth in that statement as well.  I have a North Face fleece with the zip on the "wrong side", but it zips into my North Face hard shell which I think is why the zip is positioned differently.

Whilst on the subject of zips... do you prefer left or right zipped sleeping bags?  I have a right hand zipped sleeping bag, but sometimes I wish I bought a left hand zipped bag.  Because Kat and I bought the same sleeping bag we had to get one left hand and one right hand so we could tell them apart :D 
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: LennyJ1 on November 03, 2010

Whilst on the subject of zips... do you prefer left or right zipped sleeping bags?  I have a right hand zipped sleeping bag, but sometimes I wish I bought a left hand zipped bag.  Because Kat and I bought the same sleeping bag we had to get one left hand and one right hand so we could tell them apart :D 

I would prefer a zip on the right for covenince to get in and out of my tent
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: suspectmonkey on November 03, 2010
I would prefer a zip on the right for covenince to get in and out of my tent

Never thought about that... my tent opens at the head end so it doesn't really matter but I guess with a side opening tent you would want the sleeping bag zip to open on the side the door opens.
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: LennyJ1 on November 03, 2010

Never thought about that... my tent opens at the head end so it doesn't really matter but I guess with a side opening tent you would want the sleeping bag zip to open on the side the door opens.

Yep
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: chris on November 03, 2010
Your right americans have their zips on the wrong side (pretty much do everything else wrong aswell!) For sleeping bags you get the zip opposite to your main hand so right handed gets left and vice-a-versa. It makes it easier to zip up, right (or left) across the body, have you ever tried to zip right hand to right hand side zip!
Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: ChuckMcB on November 03, 2010
Thanks for the replies.

Quote
Because Kat and I bought the same sleeping bag we had to get one left hand and one right hand so we could tell them apart
Some say that if you have a right hand zip bag....you **always** buy your other half a left hand zip one...'cos then you can zip them both together into one big bag for a bit of mutual heat exchange ;)

Title: Re: Mountain Hardware Fleece - why would they do that?
Post by: suspectmonkey on November 04, 2010
have you ever tried to zip right hand to right hand side zip!

Yes!  And given the choice again I will definitely buy a left hand zipped bag in future :D  Mind you, its great for getting some warmth up in the bag as you struggle to do the zip up!

Some say that if you have a right hand zip bag....you **always** buy your other half a left hand zip one...'cos then you can zip them both together into one big bag for a bit of mutual heat exchange ;)

That is also part of the reason why we bought opposing zips, but as you may have heard at the Binnian summit camp under questioning from Dowser, we have never had our bags zipped together ;D