Manufactured from a lightweight and breathable fabric, the Monlite Jacket from Pentagon is a lightweight, durable and familiar garment suitable for both the skirmish field and the high street. The jacket has a high collar, chin guard, three-point adjustable hood and a glove-friendly full front YKK zipper. The Monlite features a TPU laminated membrane giving the jacket a waterproof rating of 8000mm/24h and breathability 5000g/m²/24h, making the jacket suitable for rainy, windy, and stormy weather conditions.

 

Lamination

TUP lamination is a compositing TPU film placed over or laminated to different kinds of fabric, such as (Nylon, Polyester) with TPU film, which in its self creates a new fabric type. There are two methods to compound TPU laminated fabrics. The first is TPU film laminating: TPU film is laminated to the fabric. The other one is casting, where TUP is flowed directly to fabric. However, the application of TUP doesn’t stop there as this versatile material can also be laminated to other materials such as 3D electroplating and Polyester film to provide a waterproof resistance. This method gives wide-ranging applications to garments and sporting goods, furniture, automotive parts, and medical supplies, to name but a few.

 

Waterproof rating explained

Choosing the right waterproof jacket is essential both on and off the skirmish field. The breathability of the jacket is as important as the garments ability to repel water, keeping you both dry and comfortable.

How waterproof a jacket is will depend on its rating. The higher a jacket’s rating, the longer the fabric will remain waterproof.

 

Rating                                            Resistance                                                  Weather

0 – 1,500mm                                Water resistant / Snowproof               Very light  rain

1,500mm – 5,000mm                 Waterproof                                             Light to average rain

5,000mm                                      Very Waterproof                                    Moderate to heavy rain

10,000mm                                    Highly Waterproof                                Heavy rain

 

1500mm to 2000mm

Jackets with a 1,500mm to 2,000mm rating are suitable for everyday use, whether it be around town or walking the dog. Jackets with this rating are also for the skirmish field but for light showers only.

 

5000mm to 10,000mm

A rating of 5000mm to 10,000mm is suitable for just about all weather conditions and it’s equally at home on the skirmish field, in the high street or serious trekking in bad weather conditions.

A garments ability to repel water is tested to ensure the product meets the British Standard (which must be more than 1,500mm). Waterproof ratings are measured in millimetres using a Hydrostatic Head test. In a Hydrostatic Head test, the fabric is pulled tight under a 1-inch diameter sealed tube of water. This is then observed over 24 hours to ascertain how many millimetres of water the fabric can withstand before it soaks through. The level at which water starts to come through the fabric is the hydrostatic head, which is measured in mm.  It’s interesting to note that a jacket can be treated with a waterproof coating and have a waterproof membrane but not be fully waterproof. For a jacket to be 100% waterproof, it will also need to have taped seams at the points where the sleeves and hood meet the jacket’s torso. The Pentagon Monlite actually features tri-layer rubber taped water-sealed seams along with an 8000mm/24h waterproof rating and breathability of 5000g/m²/24h, making the jacket very waterproof indeed.

Taped seams are heat-sealed and stop water from coming through the stitching. It is particularly important to choose a jacket with taped seams if you will be in heavy, prolonged rain. It’s worth also pointing out the higher rating a jacket has the more breathable the jacket is.

 

Breathability

Essentially breathability is a measure of how quickly moisture vapour generated from your body is able to pass through a fabric, in this instance, your waterproof jacket

A jacket’s ability to allow perspiration to escape is as important as not letting water in. If a waterproof jacket is not breathable, sweat will be unable to escape, making the wearer feel damp.

This causes people to believe that the jacket’s waterproofing has failed when it’s the sweat from your own body they are feeling. Other features that are present on the Monlite to help with breathability include pit zips and mesh-lined pockets.

You must select a waterproof jacket with breathability that is suited for what you will use it for as moisture that cannot escape stays inside your jacket, making you feel cold, hot or sweaty. So it makes complete sense that the more active you are – for instance, on a skirmish field, the more moisture vapour you are likely to generate, so you will need a more breathable jacket.

Just like the garments ability to repel water is measured, the breathability can be measured in several different ways. The most common is by using a Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR). This measures the amount of water vapour that can pass through a square meter fabric over a 24 hour period.

Pentagon The Monolite

Available in three different colours and manufactured from a lightweight and breathable fabric, the Monlite Jacket from Pentagon is a lightweight, durable and familiar garment suitable for both the skirmish field and the high street. With a high collar, chin guard, three-point adjustable hood and a glove-friendly full front YKK zipper. The Monolite features a TPU laminated membrane giving the jacket a waterproof rating of 8000mm/24h and breathability 5000g/m²/24h. This makes the jacket suitable for rainy, windy, and stormy weather conditions, which you’ll find yourself playing in at some point, especially here in the UK.

Most waterproof jackets will be cut differently for men and women; however, the Monolite is clearly designed for a man’s frame and does not feature shorter arms and a more tailored fit that you would expect to see in a woman’s jacket but for the skirmish field that’s a good thing.

When trying on waterproof jackets, always take into account the layers you will need to fit underneath. You need to move your arms and shoulders, especially if you are likely to be wearing a backpack, especially on a skirmish field where freedom of movement will be important.

Make sure the jacket’s cuffs are long enough to cover the top of your hand to help stop rain from entering and soaking your arms.

The length of the jacket is also important. Always make sure the jacket is long enough to cover your lower back even when you lift your arms up.

The jacket feature two large zipped hand pockets with mesh lining and two internal sleeve pockets for documents, keys, or other personal belongings. Underarm ventilation zippers offer optimal comfort and temperature management.   The fit is excellent, as you would expect from a premier brand. If anything, the sleeves are slightly long, but that’s a good thing.

The jacket is ideal for both the skirmish field and the high street providing superior protection against moisture and bad weather while remaining highly functional and comfortable.

 

Colour Options

Green

Tan

Grey

Features

Windproof, water-repellent and lightweight jacket

High collar with chin guard

Three-point adjustable hood

Full front YKK zipper with a glove-friendly pull

Two large, zipped hand pockets with mesh lining

Two sizeable internal sleeve pockets

Hook-and-loop adjustable wrists

Bottom hem adjustable with cord locks

Underarm ventilation openings with two-way zippers

Hanging loop

Three-layer rubber taped water-sealed seams

Inner Storm Flap protection

DWR coating grade 4

Material: 94% Polyester 6% Spandex outer-shell fabric

TPU laminated WP 8000mm/24h MPV 5000g/m²/24h (American Standard)

Price £124.90

www.military1st.co.uk