Pierre reviews for PM: Cape Union Mart’s gear guru gives us the gadget inside scoop.

I was super excited when told I’d be reviewing one of the K-Way Expedition Series Jackets, as it meant I could visit the K-Way laboratory again. I’ve been a proud owner of a K-Way Expedition Series Kilimanjaro Shell Jacket since 2012, but it’s now sadly reached the end of its lifespan. Over the years, it served me well in a variety of harsh conditions. At Cape Union Mart, we test our Expedition Series gear in the conditions for which they are designed, and my shell was put through its paces on a 12-day expedition to Everest Base Camp, as well as many more local treks. I visited the K-Way factory to do additional research on why these jackets perform so exceptionally well.

An outer-shell jacket needs to be lightweight, durable and waterproof. The weakest aspect is the seam, where it’s stitched together. Waterproofing a jacket is an exciting science, which I was able to view first-hand at the factory. Here, a special machine heat-seals tape over the seams of the waterproof material. The strength of the seam-sealed tape is then measured