Last Year | Lightweight | Waterproofs

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£50 - £149 (4)
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Berghaus Paclite II (2012)

£160.00

The Paclite II is everything a lightweight waterproof should be, and it comes at a relatively modest price too. At 375g, it’s certainly light, yet the Gore-Tex Paclite fabric, combined with great design, means it will withstand just about anything thrown at it. The rollaway hood is deep and adjustable (although it loses a mark for a rather flimsy peak) ...

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Marmot Crystalline (2012)

£120.00

This is the lightest jacket on test at a mere 160g. It has a lovely flattering cut, although it’s shorter than some and only just covers the hips. Packability is superb, while it is waterproof and breathes well too. But the best thing about this jacket is comfort. The lightweight fabric glides easily over the skin, and feels lovely and ...

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Craghoppers Buenos 2.5 Layer (2012)

£120.00

This jacket’s 2.5-layer fabric bonds a stretch face fabric with Craghoppers’ AquaDry water-repellent finish. It has a tough, soft, shell-like appearance, but don’t let this fool you into thinking it’s as breathable as one! Inside, the fabric has a plasticky feel that can be quite clammy against bare skin. The stretch fabric gives great freedom of movement, though, and overall ...

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Kathmandu Patronus (2012)

£200.00

Here’s a lightweight jacket made from very breathable Gore-Tex Active Shell. It feels great to wear, very unrestrictive. It also feels reassuringly tough, unlike some lighter jackets, and should withstand some heavy use. It’s cut quite short and doesn’t cover the hips, but there’s plenty of length in the arms. The cuffs are adjusted with a zip, which keeps them ...

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Peter Storm Escape (2012)

£60.00

This is a heavier jacket at over 400g. It’s warmer than many others too, with a mesh lining and tough outer fabric. It’s comfortable to walk in, though – it covers the hips and there’s plenty of length in the arms. There are even stretch panels under the arms to enable better flexibility. It has a nice, fleece-lined collar that ...

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Salamon Quest Stretch (2012)

£180.00

Top marks for comfort here. The Climapro Stretch fabric is soft to the touch, rustle-free and, of course, stretchy. But it doesn’t breathe as well as the Gore-Tex Paclite used on some of the other jackets on test. The hood is great – super-adjustable and deep enough – but like most, the peak’s too flimsy to deal with high winds. ...

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Odlo Packaway Pro (2012)

£170.00

The Packaway Pro has some really great features. It’s long enough to cover the hips, and the fabric is reassuringly tough as well as waterproof, breathable and very easy to move around in. It’s packed full of features, including a waterproof front zip with a fleece chin guard at the top; rubber-backed Velcro cuff adjusters that are easy to grab ...

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Outdoor Research Foray (2012)

£170.00

The Foray is one of the coolest-looking models tested, with pit-zips that run all the way down to the hem – something you don’t often see on lightweight jackets. But weight is kept to a respectable 420g thanks to the extremely light fabric. The hood is good – drawcord adjustment all round and a high chin guard – but the ...

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The North Face Blue Ridge Paclite (2012)

£200.00

New for this spring, the Blue Ridge is an absolutely top-notch lightweight waterproof and more than capable of coping with a typical wet British day on the hill. It’s lovely and light, and the Gore-Tex Paclite fabric proves as breathable as ever when you are working hard. The hood’s good – deep, adjustable and it swivels with the head – ...

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Paramo Velez Adventure Light Smock (2012)

£200.00

This is the lightest of Páramo’s super-breathable waterproofs and there are soft shells on the market that feel clammier than this. It has superb weatherproofness when it does take a hammering, and the Nikwax Analogy fabric sheds water with ease, while the hood is deep, comfortable and boasts an adjustable wired peak. It’s best-suited to people who run cool or ...

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Rab Kinetic (2012)

£150.00

A very light jacket at only 190g. It has a nice flattering fit, covers the hips comfortably, and there’s plenty of length in the arms too. The 2.5-layer Pertex Shield fabric is more than capable of coping with heavy rain and is amazingly breathable too. It’s got a nice high collar which is great in bad weather when you’ve got ...

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Jack Wolfskin Raintool (2012)

£100.00

The cheapest jacket in the test but also one of the lightest, despite being full of features. Jack Wolfskin’s own 2.5-layer Texapore fabric is effective in heavy rain (although it doesn’t breathe as well as some of the more expensive offerings tested here), and the jacket’s belt and braces approach to fastening down the storm flap makes sure the zip ...

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Mountain Equipment Firefox (2012)

£200.00

The long-established Mountain Equipment Firefox should be vying for the crown in this test, and performance-wise it’s up there with the best. Moisture build-up is extremely low, leaving you cool and dry even while working hard. Likewise, it is as likely to keep you protected from the rain as any other jacket on test. It’s also extremely supple and quiet ...

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Jack Wolfskin Accelerate XT (2012)

The Jack Wolfskin Accelerate XT is the heaviest jacket on test at exactly 400g, but don’t let that put you off. It’s loaded with all the necessary features including: extremely large pit zips with two separate zips and Velcro fasteners; dual hem adjusters; rear and neck-based hood adjusters; a semi-rigid hood peak; two large external pockets that will accommodate an ...

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Berghaus Velum (2012)

£200.00

Tidy seems to be the watchword with the Berghaus Velum. The four hood adjusters are discreetly placed below the neck and drape downwards out of sight, while the releases are cunningly hidden within the hood and are relatively straightforward to operate. The hem adjuster is likewise tucked away on the inside of the jacket. There are no pit zips, which ...

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Kathmandu Patronus (2012)

£200.00

This inventively minded contender from Kathmandu is well worth considering if minimalism and light weight are your thing. At just 260g it’s the second lightest contender in our test (it’s beaten on weight only by the OMM smock, which technically isn’t a jacket at all). To achieve this, there are no pit zips or hem adjuster and just one small ...

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Vaude Mischabel (2012)

£195.00

Offering a simple and attractive design, the Vaude Mischabel is the second lightest jacket (after the Kathmandu) and the third lightest contender (including the OMM smock) on test. The hem adjusters are swift and relatively easy to use, as is the neck adjuster with external tidy. The hood peak is semi-rigid and far from the largest on test but it’s ...

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OMM Cypher (2012)

£200.00

Smocks tend to sacrifice features in favour of lightweight simplicity and durability, and the OMM Cypher is a prime example of the style. You have just one rather small front pocket, though it does come with an impressively water-resistant zip. The main neck to mid-chest zip is equally protective and opens from both directions, allowing a form of venting that ...

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Mountain Hardwear Stretch Typhoon (2012)

£180.00

The Mountain Hardwear Stretch Typhoon is a hugely impressive jacket for the price. Costing 10 per cent less than most contenders in our test, you get three external pockets (one small, two just large enough to carry an OS map), one small internal mesh pocket, sizeable two-direction pit zips and cuffs that are large enough to clasp around your gloves. ...

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Marmot Stretch Man/Athena (2012)

£200.00

The Marmot Stretch Man/Athena tops the tables for comfort and design. You’re certainly getting your £200-worth in this regard. The stretch panels featured throughout keep the jacket supple and moveable in all positions, while the dual hem adjusters and neck and hood fasteners (with internal tidies) and extremely long, two-direction pit zips are well-designed and satisfying to use. The two ...