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Laurie Campbell review of Stealth Gear Extreme Photographers Suit

Monday, 28 September 2009 14:25

Laurie Campbell review of Stealth Gear Extreme Photographers Suit 2 Before the team at Outdoor Photography magazine got in touch, I’d never been asked to review any item of outdoor clothing, let alone a whole set of garments specifically designed for photographers working outdoors. Previously, my tried and trusted collection of outdoor clothing had been accumulated after years of visiting gamefairs, outdoor sports and gun shops. As items wore out, I usually replaced them with much the same simply because there was little on the market to cater for the needs of nature photographers.

At one point, I tried in vain to find a replacement for my umpteenth Barbour waxproof waistcoat that I’d been using for decades as a makeshift photovest. I liked it because it had two half-decent front pockets, it was wind and waterproof and I could quickly remove it to use as a seat or kneeling pad on damp ground. And then I became aware of a company named Stealth Gear, who had recently released the ‘Extreme Photographers Vest’ It is part of the Extreme Photography Suit and was just one from a set of four garments that I was pleased to have the opportunity to test.

There are four components to the suit consisting of, a jacket complete with two detachable hoods, a detachable fleece, trousers and the photovest. Up to three items can be worn at once with the only limitation being whether you choose the jacket or photovest. Although they can all be purchased separately, there is a considerable saving to be had in buying the complete suit in one go.

Laurie Campbell review extreme jacket Apart from the detachable fleece which is only compatible with the jacket, all three remaining garments are a fairly uniform in pine green colour and are manufactured from polyester microsuede which is DuPont Teflon treated which promises to repel dirt, water and stains. This wasn’t a material I was familiar with but it felt reassuringly like my moleskin trousers so I had confidence that it would be quiet and relatively rustle-free. As for waterproofing, the microsuede has a waterproof membrane directly laminated to the inside surface and all the seams are said to be taped. Known under the trade name of AIRFLOW MAX, it promises ‘8033mm waterproofing and 5826g/m2/24hrs breathability’ Knowing little of the meaning of these figures and terminology, I was keen to discover how the garments would actually perform in the field. Unfortunately, and apart from the odd light shower for the entire fortnight leading up to writing this review, we didn’t really have any serious rain in South East Scotland so there was nothing for it but to don the jacket and trousers and stand in our bathroom shower (set to cold!) for a good ten minutes. This isn’t as daft as it sounds as I can think of at least two specialist outdoor clothing stores that have a working shower cubicle strategically installed in their showrooms for this very purpose. Despite my antics, the clothing performed well with no ingress of water to the insides. At room temperature, the clothing was perfectly dry inside four hours.

Conditions for the breathability test in the field proved much more favourable. Laden with over twenty kilos of photographic equipment my wife Margaret accompanied me empty-handed while we traipsed over the salt-marshes and sand dunes of Lindisfarne searching, for suitable locations in which we might shoot some pictures of me wearing and testing the gear. Despite it being fairly mild weather, I chose to wear the trousers, jacket and fleece throughout. Cocooned in the suit, it did get a little toasty at times but later inspection of the inside surfaces of the fleece and jacket revealed very little in the way of accumulated moisture - comparable to if I’d been wearing a heavy fleece and my Gortex jacket.

In addition to the overall green microsuede finish, all the usual contact points on the shoulders, elbows, knees and seat, have been given extra protection with a darker layer of heavy nylon. No doubt, these will increase the life of the garments considerably given that nature photographers are not immune from sitting or crawling on all fours over a range of abrasive surfaces.

Extreme Photographers Jacket (Details) / £179.95

While not excessive, the overall weight of this jacket means that it may not be the type of garment you might wish to carry in warm weather during the summer months. Exceptions to this would be in exposed upland, mountain, coastal habitats or when sitting for long periods. From late summer till late spring, it is ideal. The optional fleece lining makes it doubly suitable for winter work.

The number of pockets concealed around this jacket is amazing. Most prominent of all are the two main front lower ones which are expandable with the aid of a zipper. They can easily accommodate the likes of a 70-200mm f2.8 zoom or a rolled-up sheet of camouflaged scrim netting with a similar volume to that of a bag of sugar. Thoughtfully, the waterproof flaps for these pockets are extendable too with everything closing via a series of press-studs. Because these pockets are not padded, a nice touch is that each is supplied with a removable 40cm x 40cm sheet of padding for wrapping around delicate items. Behind each of these expandable pockets, is another concealed zippered one.

Six other main pockets are positioned on the front of the jacket consisting of two main chest pockets, each with a concealed one behind it, and two fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets accessed from the sides. While none of these are capable of accommodating anything but the smallest of lenses, they are fine for carrying smaller accessories such as filters, teleconverters, batteries, memory cards and cable releases etc.

Interestingly, and above the elbow on each sleeve, is a tiny pocket designed to hold three SD memory cards. Sadly these are much too small to hold a CF card.

More interesting, is the large pocket situated on the back of the jacket. Accessed by three zips, it measures 50cms across by 40cms deep and although it may be used as a pouch to transport whatever you wish, it has a dual purpose in that once un-zipped, the flap folds out to provide what Stealth Gear have named an ‘SAS’ - a sit-anywhere-seat. For me, this feature is a first for any jacket that I’m aware of.

Laurie Campbell review 1 The internal pockets of the jacket are just as numerous and include, a deep breast pocket to the left, and a mobile phone and concealed zippered pocket behind it on the inside right followed by one large mesh pocket beneath them on either side. The latter may be used to stow either of the detachable hoods. Of least interest (to me at least) was the curious arrangement of penholders and credit card pouches on the inside left.

Two detachable hoods are supplied with the jacket, a wired peaked hood and a light shade hood, together with a repellent mesh face net. Both are waterproof, but the lighter shade hood extends further so should be useful for sheltering the tops of cameras from rain. As well as keeping tiny, flying, biting wildlife (bugs) at bay, the mesh face net is also perfect face camouflage. I also liked the way that either hood can be rolled-up and stored inside the back of the neck collar.

General mobility when using the sample jacket was very good and I didn’t feel restricted in any way. There are zippered slits above each thigh that could be undone when sitting, crouching or for easy access to trouser pockets and generous ventilation slits beneath each arm if you become too warm. Elasticated storm cuffs are included in the sleeves and the high-zip collar with corduroy lining provides a stylish, and absorbent neck warmer. The only thing lacking is a central drawstring which can sometimes be useful for retaining upper body heat and adjusting the overall shape and reducing the bagginess of a jacket, though to be fair, a pair of short straps fitted with press-studs do go some way to solving this need.

Just when I thought I’d found everything there was to know about the jacket without reading the instructions, I discovered two Velcro-sealed slits above the arm holes on the inside. Rummaging inside, I found two removable sections of padding strategically placed to provide cushioning against heavy camera bag straps. Another first for any jacket that I’m aware of.

Extreme Photography Trousers (Details) / £59.95

These are the only trousers I’ve ever come across that seem to rely almost entirely on Velcro to keep them up! With one front and two side straps, together with an elasticated section at the rear, they seem secure enough but it was still good to see a set of loops for a conventional belt just to be on the safe side.

The trousers feature six pockets, all positioned in the usual places with of two at back and one below the thigh on each leg. All have press-stud closures except the two additional front pockets which are deep enough to prevent most small items from falling out.

For ventilation, there are two zippered slits on each side of the waist and to adjust the width of the lower leg there are two Velcro ankle straps. Apart from the aforementioned extra layers on the seat and knees, the inside of the ankles also have reinforced patches to protect against scuffing and abrasion whilst walking.

These trousers are fairly light and due to their generous fit I could be tempted to use them as an over-trouser in winter conditions.

Extreme Photographers Photo Vest (Details) / £79.95

The front outside ten-pocket layout of the photo vest is virtually identical to that of the Extreme Photographers Jacket. The inside layout is more limited with only two large mesh pockets and one mobile phone pocket on the top left hand side. The back of the vest features a 40cm wide by 30cm deep pocket accessed only from the top by undoing three Velcro strips. Unlike the jacket, this does not fold down to form a seat although the pocket itself would be the perfect place to stow a high-density foam seating / kneeling pad.

Both of the detachable hoods available with the jacket seem compatible with the photo vest and there is a handy storage pouch to accommodate either these built in to the back of the neck collar.

Extreme Photographers Fleece (Details) / £59.95

The main advantage of this fleece is that it has a wind and waterproof membrane bonded to the inside. Although this must affect breathability, it also means that it is more usable than a conventional fleece as either a stand alone garment, or when used in conjunction with the Extreme Photographers Vest. Of the four garments in the extreme photography suit set, this is the only one with a drawstring.

Combining it with the jacket is just a case of inserting the arms of the fleece into the arms of the jacket, then attaching the three short fastenings on the jacket round the corresponding loops of the fleece before zippering the fleece into the inside of the jacket. Once fitted, it’s nice to see that fleece is several centimetres above the hem of the inside of the jacket thus, preventing it becoming dirty from the heels of muddy footwear when kneeling.

The pockets on the fleece are in much the same position as any other with one on each side at the lower front and a third over the top left breast. The only exceptions are the two small pouch pockets on the outside of the upper arms – presumably for storing small items that might be needed in a hurry, such as spare batteries or memory cards.

The outside of the collar together with the whole section across the shoulders of the fleece are reinforced with nylon to prevent undue wear and tear from the pressures of camera and backpack harness straps.

Likes (Whole Suit set):

The colours and use of the quiet, polyester microsuede material throughout.

The number and positioning of pockets and the similarity in the layout of those between the photovest and the jacket.

The fact that there is a complete suit available avoids the need to mix and match between different manufacturers together with the incentive of saving over £50.00 when purchasing the complete set priced at £329.95

Apparent durability of the garments due to the quality of materials used.

Allowances made for ventilation and mobility whilst still offering good protection against the elements.

Dislikes (Whole Suit set):

Biggest problem I had was with sizes. All seemed above average with 46 ½ inches being a bit excessive for the chest size of a ‘small’ jacket or photo vest.

I found photo vest a bit too long. A little shorter, and the weight of any heavy items in the lower pockets would be easier to manage. It would also prevent them from bouncing off thighs when walking.

Trouser size supplied was spot-on in terms of waist and leg sizes, but they still seemed a little too baggy for my liking. Consequently, they were noisy when walking.

Verdict (Overall):

Many of us have waited long enough for a dedicated collection of garments like this to appear and apart from a few niggles about sizes, I can find little reason not to exchange much of my existing outdoor clothing for one of these sets. If I had to choose one item that is of particular interest for my current needs, then it must be the Extreme Photographers Vest. Ideally, it would have been good to have carried out a more exhaustive test over several months and in the more extreme conditions that this clothing has obviously been designed to cope with. Judging by the workmanship and quality of materials used in its manufacture, I don’t think this might be absolutely necessary. Other garments are already being developed by this company so I’m looking forward to seeing what will come next. One final wish might be to have the option of a camouflaged version of this suit too.