TESTED // BLACK DIAMOND LIQUID POINT
RRP $439.95www.seatosummitdistribution.com.auTe s te d byJUSTIN WALKER
T
HE OUTER SHELL jacket is – or should be- one of the fi rst items of gear anyone
packs in their bag for any outdoor
adventure that includes the chance of inclement
weather. There are myriad brands and material
technologies to choose from these days so
buyers are spoilt for choice. However, the usual
rules apply in regards to gravitating toward
respected, proven brands when it comes to an
item that can, literally, be a lifesaver if you’re
caught out big-time in a rainstorm or cold
weather.
Black Diamond has been manufacturing
top-end climbing gear and apparel for decades
now so when I got the chance to use the
company’s Liquid Point shell, saying “yes please”
was a no-brainer. The Liquid Point has been my
constant companion over 10 months now and
has proved faultless in its performance. From a
big 12-day Canada adventure (with some of that
spent high up in the mountains) to being thrown
on when a Sydney summer storm has hit, the
Liquid Point has fulfi lled its design brief of
protection from the elements without a
hiccup.
The jacket is oriented toward climbers,
with its minimalist weight (415g), low bulk
when packed and athletic fi t belying its feature-
packed design. The Gore-tex Paclite 2.5L material
has a 75-denier face with a DWR (Durable Water
Repellency) fi nish that kept this wearer protected
from strong wind and rain. I am a person who
heats up quite quickly when wearing enclosing
garments such as outer shells but the Liquid
Point’s many ventilation options – front zip and
two-way pit zips – made keeping my body temp
regulated quite easy, minimising moisture
buildup from sweat between me and the fabric,
thus keeping me dry and comfortable. Being able
to easily adjust the drawcord hem and tighten
the cuff tabs made this task even easier.
There are two hand pockets and one internal
chest pocket – something you don’t always see
on outer shells (usually you get only one or the
other) and I took full advantage of this space for
storing things like camera memory cards, or myhands when it got too cold. Like the other toggles
and zips on this jacket, the hood toggles are small
but easily operated; for me this is one of the
jacket’s big appeals – all its peripherals are
low-key and unobtrusive, so are unlikely to
become snagged or caught up on anything as
you move through the landscape. The hood is
climbing helmet-compatible if you’re into all
things vertical but even sans helmet, it offers
plenty of protection.
Black Diamond has come up with a real
all-rounder of an outer shell: for its steep-ish price,
you get a fully featured outer shell, made from
well-proved waterproof/breathable fabric that
also has what I consider the ideal sizing of not
being too long for climbers, but not too short for
hikers. If you could only have one jacket to do it
all, the Liquid Point should be near the top of your
shopping list.GREAT FIT
FEATURE SET
DURABILITYHOT
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