Women's | Not Yet Reviewed | Warm layers

A gilet that packs away into its own inner pocket and can be used as a camping pillow? You’ve got to admit that’s pretty cool. The Rab Generator Vest uses synthetic Primaloft to deliver damp-proof insulation. It doesn’t quite pack the warmth-per-gram punch of down, but it does hold up much better against our typical British mountain weather conditions. The ...

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Berghaus Scorch Vest 2011

£75.00

The women’s Berghaus Scorch Vest is made mainly from Polartec Thermal Pro material, which is fleecy and soft to the touch. This fabric claims to trap body heat using lofted (fluffed-up) fibres, and if it’s ultimate cosiness you’re after, then it certainly feels snug to wear. The great advantage of fleece gilets such as the Scorch is that they’re highly ...

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Mountain Equipment Orion Vest 2011

£70.00

The first thing that’s apparent about the Mountain Equipment Orion Vest is its rugged durability. The fabric is EXOlite II, which is hard-wearing as well as having four-way stretch for freedom of movement. It was one of the most water-resistant gilets in our test, and would certainly see off intermittent showers on the hill, as well as providing a breathable ...

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Rohan Shimmer Shirt 2010

£45.00

The Rohan Shimmer Shirt is billed as ‘Technology disguised as clothing’, and it certainly is stylish. The material stretches, dries quickly, keeps the sun off and wicks perspiration away, but somehow it feels uncomfortable next to the skin. Try it on first, and if that’s not an issue for you there’s plenty to recommend it: hidden zip pockets, drying loops ...

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Golite Wicklow Polo 2010

£40.00

The Golite Wicklow Polo is an exceptionally comfortable top that does suggest a ladies’ golfing event. The cool material feels better able to cope with hot days trekking, and it’s still smart and presentable enough for a night out on the tiles. There’s a small zip pocket hidden away in the seams that could easily foil a would-be pickpocket. Review ...

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The North Face Stretch Boulder 2010

£55.00

The North Face’s Stretch Boulder shirt is practical yet attractive and made from Vapourwick, which means it should cope well with the heat. It also comes with venting at the back to keep you cool, there’s a hidden zipped pocket in the seams and it’s made of 100 per cent recycled material. Sleeves can be long or short thanks to ...

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Craghoppers Nosquito Susi 2010

£45.00

The Craghoppers Nosquito Susi is a very flattering shirt made of cotton: not ideal for a long day’s walking but the kind of thing I’d like to have in my pack for an evening exploring. There’s an internal zipped pocket at the chest and loops inside so you can hang it up to dry. No extra venting so although this ...

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Mountain Hardwear Ramesa 2010

£35.00

Lots of venting on the Mountain Hardwear Ramesa 2010 top makes it an ideal choice for walkers in hot climes: perfect for the trail, and pretty enough to be worn out afterwards. The sleeves, although short, aren’t as high as others. An in-seam zipped pocket gives an extra bit of security and the material is suitably cool, comfortable and easy ...

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Páramo Sumaco Shirt 2010

£51.00

The Páramo Sumaco Shirt does feel like silk against your skin: it’s very cool and wonderfully comfortable. And it’s packed to the rafters with technical features including Velcro adjusters at the wrist and a hidden zipped pocket – but surprisingly there are no straps to shorten the sleeves. As with the men’s version the sizes do come up very large ...

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Lowe Alpine Aruba Shirt 2010

£35.00

The Lowe Alpine Aruba Shirt is a surprisingly pretty top in a good technical fabric that is comfortable, and easy to clean and dry. There’s a passport-sized pocket at the chest with a secure zip, but this probably isn’t where you’d want to stash your travel documents. No venting areas, but it should perform well in all but the hottest ...

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Haglöfs Lute Q 2010

£55.00

I expected the Haglöfs Lute Q top to be far prettier than it turned out to be once on. It looks rather like a bowling shirt and the shape didn’t flatter – but that might not be the case for you. The material is suitably cool and comfortable, and it comes with Polygiene odour control to keep you relatively fresh ...

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Royal Robbins Boulevard 2010

£40.00

The Royal Robbins Boulevard is a safari-style top with four pockets and a tie waist. The sleeves can roll down to full length or be button-secured to give a good-looking short-sleeved look. It’s very comfortable but as it’s white it won’t look great after a day of anything more than sightseeing. And it’s slightly see-through, so not for countries with ...

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Vaude Micro Mikeli 2010

£28.00

Plain, lightweight, great colour, almost shiny and close-fitting: the Vaude Micro Mikeli, a 100 per cent polyester top, feels very comfortable, but it does have a tendency to cling to extra flesh so you need to have the figure to deal with it. It boasts ‘Bluesign’ credentials, which means it’s been made responsibly, and has UPF50+ sun protection. Review by ...

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Karrimor Hawk

This soft shell weighs 450g; completely windproof; durable, exceptionally water-resistant fabric; ideal design for running and mountain biking or climbing. But very little insulation; not the most breathable; two-way stretch fabric; no OS map-sized pockets; access to hip pockets is easily obscured by rucksack belts; no hood.