Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-12-14)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 14 December 2019

HEREatAmateurPhotographerwegetsenta

varietyof clothingproductstoreview,fromjackets

andglovesspeciallydesignedwithphotographers’

needsin mindtomoreobscuregarmentslikethe

Exotoggbodywarmer.Intendedtobewornasa

midlayer(soovera baselayer,andunderneathan

outershellorjacket)theExotoggis a sleevelessair-

insulatedbodywarmerthat’sdesignedtoprovide

addedwarmthwhileprotectingyourcore

temperaturein chillyoutdoorenvironments.Unlike

youraveragebodywarmerthatyoumightslipon

andzipupin seconds,theExotoggis slippedover

yourheadandsecuredat thesidesbyVelcro.

Ratherlikethetop-uptubeyou’reinstructedto

blowintoonanairlinelifejacketin theeventof an

emergency,you’representedwitha blacktubeto

onesidethat’susedtoblowairintothevest.This

createsa layerof insulation,separatingyourbody

fromthecoldtokeepvitalorganswarmand

protected.Fortimeswhenit’sextremelycold

ora top-upis required,moreaircanbe

blownin toincreasethelevelof

insulation.If you’refeelinga bittoo

toastyyoucanpressa valvetorelease

someairandfinda happymedium.

Butis it effectiveanddoesit work?

I optedtotryit onanextremelycold

andblusterydayin theLakeDistrict.

I discoveredit besttoputonmyouter

jacketfirstbeforeattemptingtoinflateand

afterblowingtwodeepbreathsof airdown

thepipethevestwassufficientlyexpanded.Blow

toomuchairintothevestandyou’llfindit’snotas

comfortabletowearandcanrestrictyour

movementa little.Afterspendingfourhoursoutin

thebittercold,myupperbodywaskeptat a

comfortabletemperaturethroughout.Mymain

criticismis thebasicVelcrofasteningat the

side,whichisn’tpermanentlyattachedand

couldgeteasilylost.Fasteningof thevestcouldbe

muchimprovedwithanadjustable strap and

bucklearrangement.

Verdict
ImustadmitI hadreservationsabouttheExotogg
whenI firstpulledit outof itsdrawstringcarrybag.
It’speculiarandgetscuriousglancesfrom
onlookerswhenyou’reputtingit onandtakingit
off,butit doeswhatit setsouttodowellandkeeps
yourupperbodywarmandinsulated.Likeany
inflatabledeviceyou’llwanttostoreit carefullyto
avoidit gettingpunctured,butit’sworth
consideringif yourpriorityis keepingwarm
whilstshootingduringthe cold winter months in
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICESthe great outdoors.

Exotogg body warmer

MichaelTophamtestsa

lightweightbodywarmer

withadifference

● £99● http://www.exotogg.com

Money-back

guarantee

Exotoggoffersa 60-day

money-backguarantee

witheverypurchase.

Oralinflation

tube

Theoralinflationtube

featuresa marine-grade

valvetoensure

excellentreliability.

Drawstringbag

TheExotoggcomes

in a drawstringbagfor

convenientstorage

whennotin use.

ACCESSORIES Testbench

Dual

purpose

Whennotbeingusedas

a bodywarmer,it canbe

usedasa pillow,asa

seat,ora last-resort

lifevest.

Ataglance

●Unisexdesign

●RegularandRegular/Short

sizesavailable

●260g

● 730x550x20mm

Toinflate,removethedustcapbeforeblowingtwoor three

breathsintotheblow-uptubethathasa non-return

valve.Thevestdoesn’tneedto befullyinflatedto

gainfromitswarmingbenefits.Pressthegreen

buttonin thetubeto allowairin thevestto

escape.Alternatively,youcanreversethe

dustcap.Todeflatethevestquickly

andeffectivelywerecommendedgiving

yourself a hug while doing so.

TIPS FOR INFLATING AND DEFLATING

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