As many of you know I headed off to the
“Visa pour L’image”
festival of photo-journalism in Perpignan this year.
It’s something I’ve been promising myself for quite some time – a chance to catch up with some old colleagues and share a yarn or two (some of them with a basis in fact).
Another thing I’ve been meaning to treat myself to has been a photography jacket and this was a good opportunity to combine the two.
(What follows should be in my section on Equipment Reviews but I can’t remember how to do that.)
After a bit of research and due to the fact that I had seen a Halcon Traveler Jacket at a photo show I bought this model online.
It’s made by Paramo, which is a British company with a good record for designing practical, hard wearing outdoor clothing.
It is expensive at £130, especially when you compare it with other products available but this is a quality product and backed by a reputable company.
(It had better be – ‘cos I have a bone to pick with them when I get home, but more of that later).
Ordered it directly from Paramo themselves and delivery was within two days.
I ordered the grey rather than the army green as I feel there is always a bit of a danger looking too “militaristic” in a conflict area – besides it matches my hair.
Had a couple of days to try it out in the calm of Surrey before heading off to France and found it was a good fit except the sleeves are too long by a couple of inches.
You may say that is because of a fault in my design rather than Paramo’s and you may be right but I did think the sleeves were unnaturally long.
I have worn the sleeves rolled up ever since I got it.
Body fit – Size L was spot on.
Materials used throughout appear to be first class and you can tell it is made to last.
Of course the main thing about a jacket like this is storage space.
Well, there is certainly a lot of that, and it has been well thought out.
There are four large external pouch pockets (with two popper fasteners per pocket) – any of which would hold a lens, but my favourites are the inside ones and the zipped units.
At chest level are four zipped pockets, vast capacious things for maps, documents, passport, valuables, lenses, if you want.
A “selfie” with Halcon Traveler jacket. Perpignan
Also on the inside are two below waist pockets, one each side, with elastic tops – this was where
I in fact carried my other lenses and they were just fine.
As you may imagine if you start putting lenses in your pockets the jacket is going to “balloon” out a bit but Paramo have considered this and built a rear bum flap that can be released with poppers to allow the jacket a bit more freedom of movement.
There is also an elasticated draw string which I discovered a week later that cinches the waist in for a trimmer appearance. This drawstring is hiding in two further pockets which I simple hadn’t noticed up until then – on any other jacket you’d probably call them hand warmer pockets and they are below waist and behind the two bottom pouch pockets.
Frankly you can get so much gear in this array of pockets you may not have to take a suitcase !
And with the way some airlines charge for excess weight you can safely stick all your heavy stuff in there and keep your cases light.
The jacket boasts that due to its unique design it distributes the weight evenly across the shoulders – well I found that more of a marketing idea than a real benefit but I can’t fault them for trying.
So after three weeks what do I think.
Yes, this is a good jacket.
It could be even better by making the sleeves zip-in and removeable and perhaps have some ventilation built into the sides, also via zips. Remember I have been in the South of France where temperatures haven’t dropped much below 24 and were frequently much higher, so I have a particular viewpoint on temperature management.
It is not waterproof and makes no claim to be.
If it were, it would be much hotter to wear.
On the occasion when it did rain here (tipped down) I put a poncho over the top.
I’m not convinced by the poppers to close off the pockets.
I found myself on a couple of occasions fiddling one handed trying to align them to secure the pocket. … Personally I’m a velcro fan.
I’m not sure about the collar.
Paramo Halcon Traveler Jacket collar
It has a nice soft lining so nothing chafes the skin but it is neither a stand up nor a sit down sort of thing. Seems to have no function that I can see.
If perhaps it had a rain hood built into it that may be handy, but as the jacket itself is not weatherproof that may just be silly.
Biggest problem I’ve had, (apart from the one I’m coming to …), is there are so many pockets I keep losing things.
I just can’t remember which of the 12 cubby holes I’ve put something into.
Once again you can put that down to operator error and I can’t really blame Paramo for designing such an accommodating equipment hotel, but on occasion I have actually sworn at the jacket and tried to pass the blame onto it for hiding my stuff.
This is not a winter jacket and you need to remember that if you’re off to the Balkans.
You will need clothing underneath or over the top if you want to be warm.
And if you want to be dry … well that’s another problem.
This is not an all weather jacket, doesn’t pretend to be, so don’t get confused into thinking it maybe.
We are all looking for that perfect jacket that we can wear to a war zone or a wedding and hold all our gear but let’s face it, it doesn’t exist.
For all round practicality though this takes quite a bit of beating – if you have £130 handy.
Except ….For me the only real problem, and I’m sure it’s a one off and won’t happen to you, is the main zip.
The double toggled zip that closes the jacket.
It doesn’t work.
It’s a zip fault.
It wont engage.
Sometimes it won’t disengage.
I’ve spent frantic minutes aligning the ends and further minutes tugging at the thing – I’ve just about given up.
Yesterday I wanted the jacket closed as I really didn’t want anything flapping around.
(Bull running in the streets of Arles – another story)
So that night after managing to get the zip to engage it wouldn’t come undone so I had to unload my pockets of gear in a restaurant and take the jacket off over my head – very chic.
The problem was never apparent earlier as the weather was so warm I left the jacket open to allow air through just about all the time.
First thing I do on getting back to the UK is give Paramo a friendly call.
