REVIEW: Gruppa 99 L5 Softshell

In autumn and especially in winter, very wet and cold conditions prevail. To protect yourself against such adverse weather conditions, it is recommended to wrap your body in functional clothing. Soft outerwear is particularly fashionable and comes from the West. But today we present you a softshell suit from Russia: the Gruppa 99 L5. And the goods from the wild East are wonderful! SPARTANAT will explain why. (All images clickable for enlargement.)

The color corresponds to the typical Soviet beige or khaki as we know it from the old WW2 uniforms and the modern Gorka. In the image, we tried to compare it to Eagle MJK, Multicam, and a classic Gorka. The cut is similar to an Orc/Patagonia PCU L5, probably because the design team of Gruppa 99 includes some former Patagonia designers.

The material is really high quality and comes very close to the quality of Arc'Teryx and similar brands. The sewing quality is extremely good. The entire system was intentionally not lined, as it would not be breathable enough otherwise. We extensively tested the set during some sports activities in cool, wet autumn weather and it kept us dry from the outside while the sweat transport worked perfectly. We also tested it in snowfall and cool winter weather, with the same result. Since it is made of softshell material, it is water-repellent and windproof, but not waterproof. Using it as a rain jacket in heavy continuous rain is not recommended. It is also worth mentioning that both the jacket and the pants come with a 10x10 cm piece of softshell fabric each, in case repairs are needed.

Jacket:

The jacket is cut so that a warming fleece jacket can still fit underneath. The shoulders are seamless to prevent uncomfortable pressure and chafing spots when using a PC or a vest. On the chest, there are two ~20x20 cm large pockets, each with a pen compartment and another subdivision. In the hip area, two spacious cargo pockets are located, where the hem adjustment is housed. Under the armpits, there are ventilation slots with a one-way zipper that perform their task perfectly.

The upper arms are equipped with the usual pockets, but unlike other manufacturers, they do not have Velcro attachments. The jacket has a 7 cm high stand-up collar that is independent of the hood. The non-detachable hood, in turn, is spacious enough to wear a helmet underneath. The hood can be tightened, but only the top edge moves towards the eyes. It is not possible to wrap it around like Kenny McCormick. A nice design feature of the hood is that it forms a small visor.

A look at the rather unexciting interior. Pockets and similar gadgets were deliberately omitted. The sleeve cuff is solved by an integrated elastic band that is not adjustable. However, the cuff fits perfectly, it is neither too loose nor too tight.

Pants:

The pants are cut to sit approximately at the level of the navel. It doesn't look great, but it makes sense to avoid exposing one's Maurerdekollté. The waistband, which is elastic, naturally has belt loops and two loops to attach suspenders in the style of a Gorka. The waistband is closed with two snap buttons and a zipper. The pockets are very spacious and have a reinforcement for knife clips. The thighs have classic pockets, closed with zippers.

The width of the cuff is adjustable with a snap button. There are only two positions. The hem is also elastic and has a rubberized inside to prevent it from riding up. A different fabric was used on the inside of the ankles than the rest of the pants. This nylon fabric serves as abrasion protection.

CONCLUSION: A truly simple, well-thought-out, very successful softshell suit that combines the material and quality of Arc'Teryx with an extremely affordable price. This price-performance ratio is simply unbeatable. To say it in Russian: очень хорошо! For us, the Gruppa 99 L5 is the insider tip of the year in terms of workmanship and quality (and by that we mean, to be clear, more in the past year). The clothing system with the PCU nomenclature L5 is clearly superior to its American counterpart, and all at a much nicer price. If you want an excellent softshell, you have to grab this one! Highly recommended by SPARTANAT!!!

The L5 is available directly from Gruppa 99, the jacket for a wonderful 4,800 rubles (around €120); the pants for a fascinating 3,500 rubles (around €90), excluding shipping.