The North Face Jammu Jacket
First Impressions
Spare and proudly so. That’s the new Jammu softshell jacket from The North Face. No extraneous features, no bulk, just pure softshell performance and waterproofing thanks to Polartec’s new Neoshell fabric and quality construction techniques.
Features
The Jammu is part of The North Face’s Summit Series of products which are designed to be the absolute and most rugged products the company manufactures. And I have to say, the Jammu represents that product line pretty darn well. Everything about the jacket says it was built for athletic pursuits in the cold and wet. The Polartec Neoshell fabric is unbelievably waterproof and every seam is taped to keep you dry. After hours in our waterproof test, the Jammu leaked not one bit. I don’t know if it’s the fabric, the construction or both, but I’ve tried other Polartec fabrics in products from other manufacturers and they haven’t been nearly that capable.
Specs
Construction: Stitched, welded seams
Fabric: Polartec Neoshell softshell
Weight: 25 oz
Besides waterproofing and great stretch performance, you won’t find much else on the Jammu. The interior has a light fleece lining. And there are three exterior pockets (none on the interior). The napoleon pocket rides a little lower than usual making for an odd styling cue, while the large handwarmers double as ventilation points when open, allowing the Jammu to jettison the pit zips.
Inside the pockets, the company located the waist adjustments, but unlike the Patagonia Powder Bowl (see related review), you’ll have to scout for the tension releases.
Finally, there’s a helmet-compatible hood with adjustments at the sides and rear, with similarly hidden tension releases.
Fit
No complaints here. The Jammu fits true to size although the sleeves are a touch long. The fit is easily customizable with the aforementioned waist adjustments and hook and loop tabs at the cuff.
Final Verdict
The North Face Jammu is the first Polartec Neoshell product we’ve tested. That fabric combined with the jacket’s quality construction definitely demonstrate what’s possible with today’s new softshell fabrics. In other words, the Jammu delivers waterproof/breathable performance on par with any hardshell we tried this year or any other. Great stuff.