Nike Considered Trail Jacket Full Review
Posted: 07 February 2008 by Adam Vaughan
If you're a newcomer to the fact that Nike has an entire set of 'eco' clothes -- its so-called Considered range -- the very idea can come as a shock. Nike, king of the sweatshops in the 90s? Yep, that Nike.
Despite acting like an uncaring lad in the 90s, the sportswear firm has subsequently brushed up its image and now swans about like a metrosexual, publishing an annual list of its 700+ factories on the web and documenting in detail how it's looking after workers. Despite that, there's still no concrete promise that the workers behind this particular jacket were paid a decent wage, enjoyed okay conditions, had the right to join a union or all that other stuff we take for granted.
What they can guarantee, though, is that the materials are eco-friendly. This Trail jacket is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles that have been magically reduced back to their key ingredient -- oil -- and remade as polyester. It's the same sort of stuff that Marks and Spencer used in its 2007 recycled school uniform. As a greenie material, it's good -- but you'll have to make sure it's recycled at the end of its life or you'll lose your eco bonus points.
So, the lining and the exterior keep a few bottles out of the landfill. So far, so good -- but what's the jacket actually like to wear? Pretty nice, as it turns out. No one guessed that our SmartPlanet tester was wearing recycled clothes, and several friends complimented us on our smart new jacket. We certainly like the details -- from the white strip down the middle to the coconut buttons and beads at the end of the sleeves. If you wouldn't usually proudly wear Nike gear, you'll be pleased to hear the logo's fairly discrete on the chest.
The jacket's also a good cut, is well sewn together and the material feels high quality in the hand. More importantly, it'll generally protect you against the elements -- we got caught in several showers and it mercifully kept us dry, though it's more splashproof than waterproof as you discover when it rains really hard.
Our main gripe is about using it for genuinely sporty uses, as the 'Trail' name indicates you might. Given a moderate spot of exercise -- like cycling to work at a fairly laggard 15-20mph -- it fast becomes incredibly hot inside. Expect to sweat, even with Nike's supposedly breathable 'Clima-FIT' tech. There are also only two pockets, which for regular cyclists might not be enough. We'd like to see an extra one hidden round the back for maps, gloves and the like.
Still, if you get beyond the fact that it's not really pukka sportswear -- and let's face it, much Nike clothing is more for everyday use -- it's a decent outdoorsy jacket that happens to be made from recycled material. Just don't presume the workers whistled as they made it, even if Nike's 'Considered' website suggests they did. We tried to get more information out of them but didn't get any specifics.
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
