Your Running Journey: AI-Powered Plans by GPT-4o [9ecf]

Exercising during the autumn and winter seasons can be challenging to maintain, but true sports enthusiasts are not deterred by the seasons. With the right clothing, running and trail running are entirely unrestricted. For running and trail running experts, exercise knows no season; they persist even in wind and rain. As a runner, encountering bad weather when going out for a run is normal, especially in trail races where mountain weather is unpredictable and rain and high humidity are common. Therefore, a windproof and waterproof jacket is essential. GTX, a well-known material in the outdoor community, is recognized for its functionality. To better cope with the weather, I purchased the Kailas Aoyun GORE-TEX lightweight trail running jacket.

Kailas, a renowned domestic outdoor brand, widely applies new materials, technologies, and processes, continuously launching functional, stylish, and reliable outdoor products. With the slogan 'Only for Climbing' and a focus on lightweight revolution, the brand is dedicated to the development of outdoor sports. The Kailas Aoyun GORE-TEX lightweight trail running jacket uses GORE-TEX fabric, which is quite expensive and contributes to the high price of the jacket. However, the cost is justified. GTX is a composite fabric that combines a waterproof breathable membrane (ePTFE) with other textile fabrics, creating a waterproof breathable fabric. The membrane itself is ultra-thin and microporous (with pore diameters 1/20000th of a water droplet), allowing it to expel water vapor while remaining waterproof. Its features include windproof, waterproof, breathable, and abrasion-resistant properties, which other materials lack, hence its high cost.

This Aoyun jacket is claimed to be storm-level waterproof. The packaging is minimal, so I’ll skip that part. The jacket is very light and thin, quite different from the typical image of a hardshell jacket; it can be considered a softshell jacket!

The entire jacket weighs only 180g, making it feel very light when worn. This is especially beneficial for trail running, as carrying a backpack over the jacket doesn’t feel restrictive.

The reflective print design on the front chest is quite clever, enhancing safety during night runs by making you more visible to oncoming vehicles.

The right side of the jacket features a prominent Kailas logo, which complements the left side. The hood is integrated with the jacket and has a drawstring design at the opening, with an extended brim to prevent rainwater from entering.

The numerous tags on this thin jacket reveal the amount of advanced technology it contains. From design and tailoring to fabric, these aspects make the Kailas Aoyun unique. The most outstanding feature is the GORE-TEX, which combines windproof, waterproof, and breathable properties, perfectly solving the issue of balancing breathability and waterproofing.

The internal seam taping of the Kailas jacket provides excellent waterproofing, preventing rainwater from seeping through the seams.

The lower part of the jacket also has a drawstring design at the waist to prevent wind from entering the jacket.

The sleeve print design, 'MOUNTAIN RUNNING,' highlights that this jacket is specifically designed for trail running and outdoor sports.

The sleeve cuffs have a more ingenious design, with a drawstring at the lower cuff and an additional thumb loop to keep the cuffs in place and prevent wind and rain from entering.

The other sleeve cuff features a transparent window design, making it convenient to check watch data while also protecting the watch from external elements.

The reflective logo on the back of the jacket, with seven reflective dots, adds a touch of style and enhances visibility.

Now, let’s talk about the zipper. I own several Kailas jackets, and they all use YKK zippers, which are of high quality. The zipper area also features external seam taping to achieve waterproofing.

In terms of fit, the Kailas Aoyun jacket runs small, so be mindful when choosing a size. The size I chose fits me perfectly, allowing the jacket to maintain its shape.

The sleeve design is quite fashionable. From what I know, Kailas jackets are usually more conventional, but this time they’ve incorporated some fresh design elements, which I like. It also makes the overall color scheme of the jacket less monotonous.

The interior looks like a non-breathable raincoat fabric. Honestly, when I first touched it, I thought it was a raincoat, but the actual experience will surprise you. The GORE-TEX lightweight waterproof composite material has over 9 billion tiny pores per square inch, 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, easily handling heavy rain. In experiments, water forms beads on the surface, and even if you try to break them apart with your hand, no water seeps into the jacket!

The hood also has a drawstring design at the back. Kailas pays great attention to detail, considering both the obvious and less obvious aspects. The three-dimensional cut at the back is comfortable, with minimal decoration, making it suitable for carrying a backpack during outdoor runs.

The Kailas trail running jacket truly lives up to its name when you start running. During the autumn and winter seasons, wearing a thermal or compression shirt underneath and this Kailas Aoyun jacket on top is sufficient. Pair it with thermal or compression pants and shorts for a lightweight outfit that doesn’t feel restrictive.

The wrist area fits snugly, providing excellent wind protection. If it’s too cold in winter, you’ll need gloves, so hand protection is also important.

This Kailas jacket has two large pockets for essentials like keys and tissues.

The integrated hood and collar effectively prevent wind from entering, reducing resistance during outdoor runs and shielding you from the elements.

For everyday exercise, the transparent window does allow you to see watch data. However, during intense activity, the jacket’s internal ventilation may not be fast enough, causing fogging. This can be a bit awkward as you’ll need to wipe the fog to see the data clearly, which is a minor drawback.

The exercise experience with this jacket feels very light, unlike the heavy traditional hardshell jackets. Kailas focuses on lightweight movement, and I prefer to pursue speed in my workouts.

A simple daily exercise routine helps maintain stamina—5 km, 10 km, regular long distances in autumn and winter, and other times according to your plan. Exercise isn’t difficult as long as you persist. The Kailas Aoyun, as a lightweight outdoor jacket, is designed to meet various environmental demands, showcasing Kailas’s dedication and effort.

After some time using it, the Kailas Aoyun lightweight outdoor jacket, enhanced with GTX, stands out with its windproof, waterproof, and breathable features. Although it still has some shortcomings, as breathability and waterproofing are somewhat contradictory, the breathability is slightly slower, causing internal moisture over time. However, in terms of lightweight design, I’d rate it above 95, and for waterproof and windproof performance, above 90. If you’re not familiar with outdoor jackets, you might think spending 2000 yuan on a raincoat is not worth it. But if you’re an outdoor enthusiast like me, you’ll appreciate the advanced technology that makes this lightweight jacket unique! What do you think of this Kailas Aoyun lightweight jacket?