Sasta Mehto Pro 2.0 hunting suit review by Nathan Jones

Jacket - SHOP NOW

Trousers - SHOP NOW

Introduction

Over the last 12 months the Sasta Mehto Pro 2.0 jacket and trousers have been on test by a professional  stalker in the Scottish Highlands. Stalking in the Scottish Highlands is renowned as particularly strenuous activity and equipment used is subject to harsh environments and aggressive use.

Both green and optifade camouflage patterns have been on test in various scenarios throughout the year.


Stalker’s Remarks

Initial opinions

The jacket and trousers impressed immediately, they both appeared sturdy yet lightweight, low noise and had good ventilation potential, needed for the mountainous terrain the equipment will be used on.

Warm weather stalking

During the spring and summer months the temperatures on the hill can fluctuate greatly, even reaching 20+ degrees Celsius. Therefore, it can become difficult to manage personal temperatures during stalking as it often involves long periods of activity combined with periods of inactivity.

The jacket was usually worn with a thin outdoor base layer underneath.

The vents helped temperature regulation greatly and have been placed strategically on the jacket and trousers helping dry off perspiration caused during the more active periods of a stalk. These can be quickly closed due to easy access allowing the jacket to retain heat required during the periods of inactivity.

The material used also dried extremely quickly when saturated as a result of heavy rains or sitting in wet areas.

 

Cold weather stalking

Initially the trousers occasionally gave a feeling of dampness during the colder days. Advice from the team at Elm of Burford was to couple the trousers with an ice breaker merino wool underlayer. This immediately supressed the feeling of cold and dampness through the trouser without getting too hot during more intense activity.

During periods of inactivity during a stalk the cold would get through the jacket and the underlayer, again the advice was to pack a PrimaLoft padded jacket which could be put on underneath the Sasta Metho Pro 2.0. This combination has made stalking in the coldest conditions much more pleasant and the PrimaLoft jacket could be folded to fit in a small rucksack.

Due to the constant use of this outfit it was advised that regular washing with Nikwax, would provide additional waterproofing properties aiding the longevity of the clothing.


Issues with the equipment

The jacket and trousers were not totally waterproof. They were completely waterproof when rained on at any intensity, however when sat in water or on extremely wet ground eventually water does percolate through.

The colours on test didn’t quite match the terrain. The green and the optifade appear to stand out on the hill as it is a darker colour. The optifade however works well in dark woodland or in outcropping peaty areas. A lighter camouflage pattern would be beneficial for Scottish hill stalking.

 

Potential adaptations

Trousers
Reinforcement around the knees, lower leg and rear would aid the product as these are the areas which receive the most abuse when walking/crawling over the terrain. This may also enhance the waterproofing properties.

Jacket
Reinforced elbows and forearms as this is the area which receives the most rigorous use when crawling. In addition, a neoprene cuff may also help prevent water moving down the arm of the coat when crawling.

Increasing the length at the back of the jacket, would protect from cold and water when sitting and also reduce the potential of the coat riding up when sliding down steep gradients.

A reinforced shoulder with a gripping surface would also be beneficial for carrying a rifle, helping to keep it in place and prevent possible damage at the shoulder.

 
Conclusion

Overall the clothing on test has performed extremely well, surpassing all other brands previously used. The clothing can be used on its own in summer with one light layer underneath. However, as the temperature decreases, when coupled with the correct balance of underlayers this outfit can withstand comfortably all temperature and weather fluctuations.

The clothing has been tested aggressively over the year with many weather and stalking scenarios encountered. The outfit provides a comfortable fit with no restrictions on movement and has shown no sign of disrepair over the course of the year and still maintains a brand new appearance.

We would like to thank Nathan for his review and suggestions for improving the suit.