Vollebak’s high-tech jacket is a solar-powered masterpiece
It glows in the dark, will keep you warm at -40°C - and looks pretty great too
Vollebak’s future clothing concepts are unlike anything you’ve ever seen or worn before. Nick and Steve Tidball, the athlete and designer twin brother founders, defy convention with a science-and-technology-led approach, utilising materials such as copper, carbon fibre and Dyneema – a material 15x stronger than steel – in their extreme outdoor clothing. The resulting gear is not just exceptionally hardwearing and capable; a rigorous development process and thoughtful detailing mean it’s also ideal for everyday wear.
What is it?
Each month, British brand Vollebak launches a new concept that is truly innovative – to date they’ve included a 100 Year Jacket, a Plant and Algae T-shirt and a pair of 100 Year Pants built to withstand fire, nature, water and the rest of the century. Production runs are small meaning popular items can sell out fast, so it’s not uncommon to add your name to a waiting list. This month’s release is the Solar Charged Puffer.
What’s special about the Solar Charged Puffer?
Three years of design iterations and rigorous testing have resulted in a phenomenally capable jacket that is not only rated to keep you warm down to -40°C, it’s also equipped with a phosphorescent compound membrane which means it glows in the dark.
By day, it’s a pure white jacket – the outer layer is made from a nylon ripstop found in parachutes, so has an incredible strength to weight ratio. However, at night it truly comes alive. Similar to luminous watch hands, the jacket will glow brightly immediately after exposure to light, and the longer you charge it in sunlight, the more energy it absorbs and the longer it will glow. From a full charge, it will fade out after around 12 hours.
Technical Details
The puffer is waterproof to 20,000mm (this is the same as most rain-specific jackets and completely sufficient for typical weather) and windproof too, so perfect for changeable British winters. Insulation is via a generous 340g dose of 600+ fill power of synthetic fibres, made from 15 recycled half-litre plastic bottles. By way of reference, top quality goose down has a higher fill power of around 800+ and therefore is fluffier and warmer. However, synthetic down is more breathable and handles moisture and sweat much better, so it’s a more practical choice for real life use.
It has four outside pockets – two generous hand warmer fleece-lined pockets as well as two chest pockets, so lots of space for storage. The cuffs are reinforced with ultra durable Cordura patches to withstand wear, the waterproof front zipper is two way and also has a storm flap with really solid feeling and robust metal studs. The collar and hood offer lots of warmth and there is a soft brushed fabric lining around the neck for comfort.
Is it worth it?
This puffer is like no other. By day it’s a striking snow white puffer, by night you’ll be glowing in the dark. It will stand up to rain, wind, extreme cold, and – thanks to the synthetic insulation – handle use in physical scenarios too. At 1,650g it is not lightweight – 500g is the benchmark for a light puffer – however, superior build quality and material specification mean it’s very durable and there’s no need to be precious with it.
If you like investing in gear that is truly capable, innovative, stylish and will last for years, this could well be your next purchase.
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