The PNW Lander jacket finds itself a home within the brand’s Fall Trail collection. PNW has done a stellar job in kitting the jacket with everything you need and nothing that you don’t while offering a few useful bonus features. However, its loose fit around the collar and cuffs can invite moisture to find its way in.
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The Lander jacket gets a pretty simple and unassuming design, and its simplicity is its strength. However, PNW has added a couple of super thoughtful features that make this an excellent trail jacket. Those come in the form of the zipped pockets at the rear, an internal belt system, and a nicely designed hood.
Starting with the rear pockets, they’re hidden behind a pair of zips located at either side of the back. Inside, you’ll find three compartments, ideal for snacks, multitools, and even a small bottle. When loaded, these pockets feel very much like the kind you get on a pair of bibs, but they hold contents a little lower on the body.
Adding to the pocket’s usefulness, these zips double-up as vents, encouraging sweaty exhaust to escape. Ventilation is made doubly effective by opening up the two pockets at the front of the jacket.
If you feel that the kit you’ve stowed in the rear pockets is getting a bit too lairy back there, that’s where the clever internal belt comes into play. It works very much like the kind of belt you’ll use if your jeans are a little too loose, slithering through several loops inside of the jacket. Very much like a normal belt, it keeps the jacket snug to your body, calming the rowdy rear pocket stash kit right down.
That belt is removable too, so if you find it’s of no use to you, the jacket is perfectly usable and comfortable without it.
The hood is slung around a raised collar and very happily fits over a helmet. Then there are a couple of toggles that let you cinch the hood up around your face, perfect for proper horrible days.
The Lander is built using a four-way stretch fabric that’s said to be abrasion-resistant, and it comes with a water-resistant DWR coating. Despite PNW being quick to say that it’s not fully waterproof, that DWR coating is mighty impressive. It’s shrugged off proper soggy rides, remaining comfortable and dry. Although, DWR will eventually wear off and require a top-up later in the jacket’s life.
On test, we’ve got the Lander jacket in a medium that’s made to fit 41-43 inch chests and 5’10”-6” height, and I’m very happy with its fit. Though, if I were to complain, the cuffs and collar are a little baggy. This isn’t so much of a problem at the cuffs, but the wider collar can welcome some rain.
Complaints aside, the fabric PNW has chosen for the lander feels great, and this is the true upside to creating a jacket without a focus on waterproofing. The fabric is light and, actually, rather soft. It’s even comfy when wearing a t-shirt underneath, as it doesn’t get sticky and claustrophobic, even when properly sweaty.
It also lives up to its breathability claims, only really getting toasty in the situations you would expect. Once you’re descending, or if there’s a cool breeze on the go, temperatures remain comfortable. That fabric is excellently wind-resistant too, so it’ll keep you pleasantly warm through harsher weather.
For the sheer performance on offer, the Lander shows some great value for money at £111. More affordable jackets are on the market, like the Madison Roam Waterproof jacket, at £80. We tested an older model recently updated where we found it to get pretty warm.
Another competitor is Leatt’s MTB All Mountain 2.0 jacket at £120. Again, it’s had an update since we’ve tested it, but Rach found the old model had several issues.
I’ve been very impressed with the PNW Lander jacket, especially considering it’s the brand’s first crack at a jacket. It comes with a great build, and it’s really well designed. Performance-wise, I would go as far to say that it’s as good as jackets, almost twice its price, and it’s quickly taken over duties as my go-to jacket thanks to its light fabric, simple looks, and impressive DWR coating.
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