I made the fatal mistake the other day of adding up the total cost of competing in this year’s Winter Spine Northern Challenger.
Not just the entry fee; but hotels, taxis, meals and, of course, the kit – mandatory and otherwise.
When all tallied up and divided by the total distance between Hardraw and Kirk Yetholm, it worked out at around £22 per mile.
I wasn’t starting from scratch; I’ve been running through British mountains and hills for years, so had more than the basics. But, honestly, I lost my marbles as the Pennines drew closer, torturing myself pre-race with calculations of weight vs forward/ updated progress. Spine Brain, my missus called it.
That last couple of weeks cost a fortune.
Photo credit: Spine Race/Wild Aperture
For example, when I saw John Kelly’s post on Facebook about an aircraft-grade aluminium poo shovel that weighed just 13 grammes, I simply had to have one. Never has it been truer that where there’s muck there’s money.
I also flapped about not having enough pairs of very expensive Dexshell calf-length, waterproof compression socks, blew cash on an inflatable Alpkit mat that slashed less than 100 grammes from my sleep kit and swapped out my battered old camp mug for a titanium interloper that was so thin it burned my hands if I didn’t first pull on the expensive, thick gloves that otherwise remained unused.
I’m honestly not complaining. The last-minute shopping helped reassure me pre-race that I had done everything possible to give it my absolute best shot. If I failed to reach Scotland, it wouldn’t be for the want of spending £30 on that shit-shovel.
In hindsight, though, most of the panic buys were unnecessary. I’m not John Kelly et al smashing it out at the front of the pack. So, as I settled into the walk of death by day three, the weight on my back was largely academic.
Photo credit: Garry Doolan
However, one late purchase proved to be worth its weight in gold: The OMM Aether jacket.
An advert appeared on Facebook just as the long-range weather forecast began predicting heavy snow and a week of freezing temperatures. I hate the cold and was slowly coming around to thinking I would need to size up to a jacket that would allow me to pile on more mid-layers than originally planned.
Sticking with my theme of slashing weight where possible, the OMM Aether Jacket comes in at just 230g, with a hydrostatic head rating of 20,000mm, a breathability rating of 20,000g / m2 and fully-taped seems. And its marketing blurb was clearly written to nudge at Montane’s partnership with the Spine brand by describing the jacket as being designed with ‘a winter traverse of the Pennine Way’.
I’m sure plenty of mountain gear fits that bill, but the integration of Dyneema Ripstop in the jacket had me intrigued. OMM say Dyneema is 15 times stronger than steel. The Spine is notoriously unforgiving on outer layers – so the presence of a material more commonly found in ballistic vests edged me towards the ‘buy-now’ button.
The eventual purchase was helped by my trust of OMM kit. I’m not blind to some of the limitations at the cheaper end of their range, but I’m particularly fond of their Core technical clothing, especially the beanie – which didn’t leave my head day or night during the Spine.
Photo credit: Spine Race/Jack Mather
When the OMM Aether jacket arrived, I was astounded by the weight – or very obvious lack of it. If I had to add the jacket to my pack rather than wear it, I wasn’t going to notice any heft or bulk.
I didn’t pay too much attention at that stage to its other technical features, but they quickly became obvious after throwing it on at Tan Hill.
With the snow often waist deep and the cold getting colder as I edged into darkness, I needed more layers and protection over the top.
The Aether’s ‘performance cut’ still allowed layers and unrestricted movement, particularly in the arms and the shoulders. The extended drop-tail doesn’t ride up under the pack. OMM say it’s a mountaineering-spec jacket designed for runners; I wouldn’t argue against that.
Photo credit: Garry Doolan
At the cuffs, which can be difficult to get right, I found that it excelled, with a versatile thumb loop and Velcro combination. They were often clamped over my inner gloves and under my outer mitts.
I had to deal with rain / sleet on the morning we diverted around Cauldron Snout and never felt exposed to being wet. At various uphill stages en-route to Kirk Yetholm, the arms were pumping hard without obvious moisture issues. I have no reason to doubt the Aether’s waterproof credentials, but this Spine was not the toughest test.
The fully-adjustable wired hood, however, was outstanding as another weapon to beat the bone-chilling cold. Cinched shut across the chin, and adjusted via the rear cord, it felt as though it added precious warmth without limiting vision. I wore my Fenix head-torch over my beanie and under the Aether without issue.
I don’t think I ever used the two large pockets that sit high up the body to allow a harness; I have enough stash points on the vest, but I suspect some will find them useful.
I suppose the best endorsement of running kit I that it doesn’t bother you when it’s on. The Aether scored at every level for that. It was reassuringly effective and unobtrusive.
OMM say they wanted to make the toughest running jacket out there. I slipped over plenty, in mud and on ice, scraped along walls, scrubbed up against gorse bushes and snagged other kit on styles and gate crossings. I slept rough in the jacket on a forest floor above Bryness and tested it to the max in hideous gales for the last 20 miles of the Cheviots. The wind was literally trying to rip the clothes off my back. I’ve examined the Aether post-race and it appears unscathed.
Photo credit: Spine Race/Tom Hoyle
There is an elephant in the room, though: the cost. It currently sells for £380 direct from OMM. Some online outlets have it marginally cheaper. There are male and female versions. I can’t fault the design and performance stacked against the weight of the jacket, but there’s no denying it’s a hefty outlay. Only time will tell whether the jacket has longevity to chip away at the initial expense.
Fortunately, I’ve managed to nab a place in next year’s Full Winter Spine. The Aether will be very near the top of my packing list.
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We are a professional review site and our reviewers receive free products for testing from the companies whose products we review, however in this instance Garry paid for his jacket personally and offered to test it for RunUltra. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are by the reviewer’s name shown.
