elastic drawcord hem and hood. velcro hood adjuster. ten inch half zip closure. all nice features, but it’s the ballistic ripstop tachyon nylon that’s doing all the heavy lifting for this feather light piece.
it’s a windbreaker - and literally functions as one. that thin membrane you wear for a little bit of cover and visual pop. there’re dudes out there scaling mountains in this anorak, so i defer the field-tested co-sign to them.
but i can attest to it’s function in urban, often air-conditioned environments. it definitely over delivers considering it’s an additional piece that doesn’t take up any space.
simple is best. but simple done right is hard to find. and when you find that simple thing done right, it seems to get discontinued. why? i don’t know. maybe my taste runs a little bland. and mont bell as a brand can come off as bland to many. a seemingly run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-road outdoor gear emporiums you’ve probably seen scattered throughout the shopping districts across japan. but as the japanese tend to do, mont bell’s honed in on all the details. their down-filled liners have earned permanent placement in my closet and suitcase.
but i want to talk about a lighter layer today: the tachyon anorak. it’s no secret that i’m a fan of synthetic garments. having been on the road most of my career, i’ve come to embrace synthetics as they tend to fare better to wear and air dry quick after a wash. also, with the levels of thinness that can be achieved with synthetic fabrics, it allows for various combination of layering that might feel too stuffy with organics.
and the art of layering is how i landed on this piece, sandwiched in between a sandstone EG ripstop trench coat and a white EG 19th century BD shirt at the nepenthes store in the garment district on 38th & w 8th. the purple vinyl bag i carried over to 2 bros pizza across the street was probably heavier than the featherlight anorak i just purchased. and it’s been with me ever since, on every trip i’ve taken.
it’s a light ballistic tachyon nylon layer with a subtle ripstop pattern, that’s wind and water resistant. if you tried, it probably folds into the size of a credit card. while i appreciate the performance and engineering built into this piece, i keep reaching for this piece because sometimes you want a little something to layer on top of a tshirt. that fanta orange color gives you the oft-needed accent underneath your outerwear. and the size fits my upper body like a snug glove, so it keeps me in check from indulging too much.
the clientele tend to run middle-aged at mont bell, maybe why i feel so at home at their stores. mont bell exists to service and supply the outdoor enthusiasts out there looking for well-priced gear for their excursions into the wild.
their apparel section though has crossed-over into the mainstream, and a few key pieces like the anorak and down liner jackets have been open secret in fashion circles. i appreciate the fact that mont bell keeps their pieces affordable despite the shine they get. while they have a presence in the US, all the better pieces are exclusive to/more readily accessible in their stores in japan.
definitely a brand to consider to fill in the functional gaps in your wardrobe.