The production of Carinthia trademark is rather popular not only among military personnel, but also among hunters and fishermen. Carinthia is a part of an Austrian company Goldeck Textil. The goods popularity has been mostly gained due to the convenient and attractive design, efficient combination of modern type materials and a high overall quality.
This particular overview describes a Carinthia gear – MIG 2.0 Jacket, which is one of today’s most popular thermal insulated military-field MIG set (Medium Insulation Garment). This gear was developed with regard to active operations at the territories with a moderate continental climate within the chilly months of the year.
My personal experience of Carinthia trademark’s products makes quite an amount of time, starting with sleeping bags and ending with MIG 2.0 set – sole-colored and modern MultiCam camouflage patterns. Since I had used a one-color version before, and also considering that usually it is the jacket, which is more frequently worn separately from the complete suit in combination with ordinary trousers, I decided to order just the jacket with the updated color pattern – size M (height – 183 cm, chest – 104 cm, arm length – 84 cm).
The complete set and the jacket alone were employed in various weather conditions, including raining and wet snowing within the temperature range from 5 °C above zero up to 25 °C below zero. Notwithstanding the manufacturer’s information indicating the comfortable temperature up to 15 °C below zero, I am convinced that choosing the right warming layers and their combination may considerably extend the temperature range over 25 °C below zero at the average level of activity. The jacket is excellent for wind protection and provides considerable water resisting properties, which must be maintained by a timely restoration of the external finishing.
The garment Carinthia MIG 2.0 Jacket is of a multilayered structure. The upper layer is produced of a quite rigid and dense polyester fabric with the original camouflage color pattern. Firstly the material is treated with a special water-repellent agent, which is long-term effective (up to the first machine washing). The next layer underneath features a thin membrane produced of ePTFE polytetrafluoroethylene. The two layers together compose the so-called Gore Windstopper material. The jacket lining is manufactured of a finer polyester fabric, which is agreeable to the touch. The lining is supplemented with trimming on the internal side of the collar and internal lining of the main pockets, both manufactured of a soft microfleece material.
The jacket features a heat-insulating layer made of the genuine synthetic insulant GLOFT ISO+. The insulant is water-resistant, light-weighted and compact and is of an outstanding thermal insulation capability. The insulant density differs all over the jacket by zones, according to the manufacturer’s presentation. The density in the torso area makes not less than 125 grams per a square meter, while the sleeves insulation density is 80 grams per a square meter.
The pattern of Carinthia MIG 2.0 Jacket is composed of a high storm collar with an adjustable hood that is spacious sufficiently to be worn over the protective helmet, a slightly lowered back with adjusters along the lower edge, a central water-repellent YKK zipper with two-way zips and an inernal flap. The sleeves of the jacket are tailored preshaped in the elbow area, trimmed with elastic cuffs and are also supplemented with underarm zipped ventilation openings. Regretfully the manufacturer has not provided the sleeves’ construction with reinforced elbow pads.
The jacket design provides seven pockets in total. These are two large front pockets for hand warming, one pocket with a cross-oriented external Velcro-panel on each shoulder, two inner medium-sized pockets of mesh fabric and one smaller external pocket in the forearm area.
The all-round manufacturing quality of the insulated jacket Carinthia MIG 2.0 refers to a high level, everything is sewn with the utmost precision, there are no overlappings or buckles, neither threaded protrusions, or any other visible deficiencies. It’s impossible to find faults with this jacket except for the lack of complementary protective pads in the elbow zones and a quite costly price.
