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Columbia Prarion (2012)

£150.00

Although it uses 700-fill down, the jacket has added insulation in the form of Columbia’s Omni-Heat reflective technology. Silver dots are added to the lining to help bounce radiated heat back inside. In use it does seem to add extra warmth to the top, without making things too stuffy. However, the jacket still remains quite heavy for a down-filled mid-layer ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Helly Hansen Cross Insulator (2012)

£120.00

A classic mid-layer insulator jacket, in a bit of a 1970s ski jacket style. The synthetic fill allows it to work even in the wet and it’s not too thick so it fits under a shell easily enough. The relatively short cut of the body also helps with mid-layer performance. When used as a mid-layer, it can be a bit ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Finisterre Sastruga III (2012)

£185.00

As with everything made by Finisterre, environmental concerns are high in the designers’ minds. The synthetic fill is PrimaLoft Eco, made from recycled plastic bottles and the face fabric is also made from recycled polyester. The jacket has a tight, long fit. Even in a large it’s quite a snug fit and won’t suit those who prefer a more relaxed ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Mountain Hardwear Kelvinator (2012)

£220.00

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR KELVINATOR £220 Our rating: ***** Review: A classic-looking mountain-style down jacket, complete with hood for battening down the hatches when it’s really cold outside. As it uses natural down filling inside, it is susceptible to wet conditions, but a thicker grade of face fabric means that the filling is a bit more protected than in a really lightweight ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 5
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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The North Face Diez (2012)

£230.00

This is a classic down mid-layer-style of jacket. There’s no hood so it won’t keep your head warm, but it does mean the down is less likely to get wet in a wintry shower. It has a shortish cut, built to fit under a shell layer. The lightweight Pertex shell fabric offers some water resistance, although it can’t be relied ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Marmot Baffin Half-Zip (2012)

£110.00

This is a kind of hybrid style of jacket that offers more warmth than a fleece with a bit of extra waterproofing thrown in. As a pullover style it won’t be to everyone’s taste, and it isn’t the easiest to take off in a hurry. But the thinking is that you shouldn’t need to take it off so often because ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Sprayway W.N.W (2012)

£110.00

This jacket is new for 2011, although it’s actually an update of a classic model from the Sprayway line. It’s a straightforward, midweight fleece with an added Windstopper membrane. This wind protection boosts the warmth rating of the top without adding to the bulk, in a similar way to many soft shells. That extra layer of material also makes it ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 5
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Rab Double Pile (2012)

£60.00

A heavy fleece and therefore very warm. Double-pile fabric really traps the heat in. That also makes it bulky, however, and this certainly isn’t the kind of garment to tuck away in your pack for emergency use. Although it may not look like it, the face fabric has a water-repellent treatment which means that you can wear the top in ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Outdoor Research Exit Hoodie (2012)

£90.00

Thick, warm and rugged. A stylish jacket, that really looks more casual than it should. Performance-wise it’s great, offering plenty of warmth with its dual-texture Alpin-wool fabric. The tough wool outer fabric couples with a microfleece lining on the inside to trap warmth next to the skin. The top certainly is warm, although bulky with it. Pound-for-pound this isn’t the ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Regatta Baxter (2012)

£30.00

This is a lighter-weight fleece than many out there, using a thinner grade of material that also makes it one of the least expensive too. The downside is a lack of insulation. This really only provides warmth as part of a layering system. It is designed to zip into a corresponding shell jacket. A drawcord around the hem helps to ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 2
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Mountain Equipment Shroud (2012)

£80.00

A technical style of fleece designed to perform well on the hill as part of a technical layering system. It’s a little too lightweight for wearing on a blustery day without a few other layers, and is really for those moving a little faster. Microfleece fabric provides most of the warmth, and allows moisture to wick away to outer layers. ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Craghoppers Risor Half-Zip (2012)

£60.00

A fleece for walkers who don’t want to be seen in a fleece. Has the feel of a comfy pullover, but is still highly practical. The outer fabric feels a bit more like thick wool than fleece, which makes it a little more resilient to abrasion and resists the dreading pilling of the fabric over time. The inner fabric retains ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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The North Face Terra 35 (2011)

£105.00

One of the few packs to use a padded, channelled back system, and it’s one of the best. Although warmer than mesh systems, the channels do help keep the centre of gravity close to the body, making this more stable for those looking to move a bit quicker or even scramble. It also keeps the weight down. There is a ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Deuter Futura 32 (2011)

£85.00

The hip pads are great – supportive all the way around to the front and shaped to offer maximum comfort. The pull-together waist adjustment is great for getting a snug fit, too. The shoulder straps are also well-padded with a dimpled face fabric to help draw away moisture. The Air Comfort back system does allow air to circulate around well, ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Karrimor Airspace 35+5 (2011)

£75.00

The back system is a little different to others, with a thinner area in contact with the back, which can be a little awkward at first compared to wider mesh vents. The hip belt also flexes independently of the rest of the pack, which does allow for more comfort and movement in the hips, although it can sometimes stick into ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Lowe Alpine Airzone Centro 35+10 (2011)

£100.00

This is an excellent, technical pack with lots of features common to larger packs. In fact it will work well for overnight trips too, with its expandable 10 litres of extra capacity. The floating lid can be adjusted to hold more in the main compartment, and there are plenty of compression straps to expand or contract the pack as necessary. ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 5
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Vaude Brenta 35 (2011)

£80.00

The adjustable back system has to be the biggest draw for this pack, being one of the simplest to adjust and allowing you to customise the fit. The real benefit comes from the ability to customise the amount of curve in the suspended mesh back system. Two small tabs are all it takes and so the pack can be adjusted ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Blacks Alpine 30+5 (2011)

£35.00

No award-winner but a fairly capable pack for the price. There are a few technical features that you’d expect to find in a decent walking pack, albeit not quite as well executed as on more expensive bags. A padded back system does boost comfort and keep the load tight to your back, but has no venting at all which does ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 2
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Mammut Creon Classic (2011)

£75.00

From the outside, it looks like a simple pack and there aren’t too many straps and flappy bits to get in the way. Even the bottle pockets have zips to tidy away and secure your water – bad news for Duke of Edinburgh hikers, with their flapping tin cups et al, but good news for everybody else who doesn’t like ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Osprey Atmos 35 (2011)

£100.00

A cracking pack from Osprey with a technical feel to it and a lot of different fabrics used throughout. The main compartment is huge and access to it is good – through a zip opening with some pleasingly large zip-pulls. The zip entry may not be for everyone as there is a slight increase in the chance of getting water ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Regatta Adventure Tech 35 (2011)

£50.00

A basic-looking pack with all the usual features you would hope to find on a 35-litre pack, but at a more reasonable price. You get a suspended mesh back system, hydration pack-compatibility, a rain cover and somewhere to store your poles. What does suffer, however, is a little reassurance in the quality stakes. The fabric used does feel noticeably thinner ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 2
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Berghaus Freeflow 35+8 (2011)

£80.00

A great pack for all-round walking, with an extra eight litres of expandable capacity for when you need to carry a bit more kit. The Freeflow back system is excellent, with minimal contact across the majority of the back and excellent padding in areas where it’s needed (hips and shoulders). The padding around the waistbelt is solid enough, and extends ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Aclima Warmwool Polo (2012)

£62.00

An incredibly luxurious feeling base-layer. Although part of the midweight range it is pleasingly thick when on and really helps to keep warmth in – almost feeling like a jumper or mid-layer. Of course, in warmer conditions that isn’t ideal, but for walks in cooler, winter conditions it is excellent. There are slightly thinner panels of material on the sides ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Trekmates Merino Contrast Zip-top (2012)

£55.00

A lightweight merino top suited to warmer weather. When holding the top up to the light it’s a little alarming to be able to see through the material, but there is no such worry once the top is on. It creates more warmth than you might expect from something that appears so thin. The thin nature of the fabric, especially ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 3
  • Owners' rating rating is 0
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Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Half-Zip (2012)

£60.00

Helly Hansen’s polypropylene Lifa hollow fibres are mixed with merino wool in this top to capture the best elements of both. Lifa fibres are fast-wicking, with some insulation, while the merino gives extra warmth to the top, whilst also providing natural anti-odour. The dimple effect fabric helps draw moisture up and away well. It works well over a range of ...

  • LFTO.com rating rating is 4
  • Owners' rating rating is 0

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