Men's | translate:/Global/SiteRating: 4 | Not Yet Reviewed | 400-499g

On the surface, the Berghaus Ignite Hoody is very similar to the Montane Flux; however it is slightly heavier (20g more) but feels a little warmer. Like others on test it’s wind- and water-resistant, filled with PrimaLoft insulation and also boasts an adjustable hem cord to get a snug fit around your waist. A draught excluder is fitted behind the ...

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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 ...

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Montane Scarab

£100.00

A warm jacket, but the Scarab has excellent venting through the pockets and this, plus an excellent combination of fabrics (Pertex with a pile lining), means it breathes incredibly well so remains very versatile. Includes a roll-away hood, which is very comforting when it is needed. Yet despite all these features, it’s also very light and packs down well, too. ...

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PHD Taiga Fleece Mountain Jacket 2009

£94.00

PHD is a small British company that specialises in designing and making products here in the UK that are at home in the world’s most extreme environments, from the Poles to Everest. The Taiga Fleece Mountain Jacket boasts total practicality in fabric and features. DesignThe PHD Taiga Fleece Mountain Jacket is based on a well-proven design of a long jacket ...

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Páramo Explorer Pull-On 2009

£60.00

Páramo is best known for its waterproof jackets, which are well-proven as being ideal for walkers in the wet and windy British hills. But the company also makes a range of other layers such as the Explorer Pull-On, which is designed to be worn as either a base layer or mid layer and as part of a Páramo clothing system ...

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Lowe Alpine Diablo 2009

£120.00

With an insulating layer under a windproof or waterproof jacket, maximum efficiency is achieved using a very open-knit material. That is exactly what Lowe Alpine has set out to achieve with the Diablo, which traps huge amounts of air for warmth while allowing maximum airflow to reduce any potential condensation. DesignThe material sets this fleece apart from others, while the ...

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Mountain Equipment Shroud Jacket 2009

£70.00

Mountain Equipment (ME) makes a range of hard shell waterproofs and soft shells. But, unlike most modern mountaineering brands, they also produce the Shroud fleece jacket, which combines all the typical practical features that they are known for coupled with Polartec fleece. DesignDesigned to function with other ME layers, the Shroud can be worn over a base layer and under ...

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Vango Flux 30 rucksack (2008)

£225.00

Montane makes a huge range of functional, lightweight jackets that are excellent for hill-walkers – and the event Halo Stretch is typical of their pedigree. The weight is good and so is the use of eVent waterproof and breathable fabric. There are additional reinforcement panels on the hips and forearms for greater durability. But the big difference is the addition ...

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Berghaus Temperance 2008

£220.00

It is not often that a new design of hood appears on a jacket, but the Berghaus Raptor hood was designed to make a real difference. To make sure they got the new design right, Berghaus enlisted the help of Andy Kirkpatrick (the climber with the funniest mountaineering stories on the planet). The original idea was to create a hood ...

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Crux Torq 2008

£240.00

The Crux Torq is a very lightweight winter jacket that’s made of 3-layer eVent fabric, so it has top-end levels of waterproofness and breathability, and you will hardly notice it in your pack. The fabric felt nice and robust but also soft to the touch and ideal for fending off a winter storm. The design is very functional, having just ...

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Berghaus Paclite Trek 2008

£160.00

The Berghaus Paclite Trek general-purpose jacket won Best Value in 2007, thanks to its weight and features, and also as it is a longer option. The material is Gore Paclite, which is superb in terms of waterproofness and it is good in terms of breathability, but its main advantage is its compact nature, which allows this to pack down very ...

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Millet Super Touring 2008

£160.00

Millet has produced a series of great soft shell jackets over recent years, and the Super Touring is its latest offering. It’s very lightweight and makes use of Polartec Power Shield to provide 98% wind resistance and very good water resistance, while maintaining a higher level of breathability than some other fabrics. There is good stretch too for extra mobility, ...

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Rohan Mountain Pass Overtrousers

£60.00

Rohan is well-known for making great travel gear, but these waterproof overtrousers are good enough for hill-walkers too, particularly as they feel more durable than some of the lighter options. They get 44cm side zips, which were long enough to allow easy fitting over my size 11 boots. The zips are fitted at the back of the calf and get ...

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Rab Vapour Rise Trail Pants

£65.00

These warm trousers from Rab are light and soft against the skin – you’ll almost forgot you’re wearing them! The elasticated waist, which is backed up with belt loops, is great, but they are a little baggy. Warm trousers that will keep a short shower or a bit of drizzle at bay and remain comfortable even when they do wet ...

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Wynnster Braemar

£35.00

These waterproof trousers from Wynnster feel tailor-made, and the soft, lined fabric doesn’t feel like it should be waterproof at all. Elasticated/drawcord waist, but pull tabs on the pocket zips would be good. Copes admirably in bad weather, but fiddlier to pull on than some. Colours: Navy blue, blackSizes: S-XLFabric: Aquastop (polyester)/nylon taffeta liningWeight: 405gWomen’s version: YesContact: 01372 377713, ...

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Rab Super Dru

£200.00

Rab is currently top the league if you’re in the market for a well-priced yet functional lightweight hill jacket. The Super Dru extends Rab’s dominance, being designed as a lightweight mountaineering jacket that’s also durable. The fabric is 3-layer eVent, a proven top performer, but you also get more abrasion-resistant fabric over the shoulders and sleeves. The length extends around ...

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Montane Superfly

£200.00

This lightweight waterproof has a huge following thanks to the use of eVent fabric and great design. For 2007 it got a nip and tuck to improve its performance yet more. A scattering of bonded rather than stitched seams are evident to reduce bulk, while the shoulders are reinforced with a very unusual printed pattern. The most important update is ...

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Lafuma Djebal

£80.00

This soft shell was a runner-up in March 2006. If you are after a practical jacket that fends off light rain and wind while being more durable than fleece, then this is just the job. It’s made from four-way stretch Gore fabric. The result is that you put it on and you feel comfortable and ready for action while not ...

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Mountain Equipment Mountain Stretch Pant

£80.00

The cut and feel of these women’s walking trousers are wonderful. The fabric stretches in two directions and, together with an articulated knee, allows good movement. The pants have a solid set of features including four pockets that all have zips – two hip, one thigh and one back – and a tricot-lined waist for comfort and moisture movement. The ...

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Lowe Alpine Paradigm Pant

£70.00

These Lowe Alpine Paradgm Pants are soft shell trousers, roomy enough to move freely in, yet snug enough to keep you warm with very good breathability. The soft inner fabric feels great against your skin and is stretchy enough to allow for even the most strenuous movement. Combined with light weight, this means you hardly notice you’re wearing them. The ...

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Lowe Alpine Sierra Lite

£70.00

This soft shell jacket from Lowe Alpine is a good cut, and the snug, high, fleecy collar is great. However, it’s let down by cuffs that are too tight to pull up – an essential in this kind of jacket. Cut from a light and stretchy wind-resistant fabric, it matches the best in class for performance and handles rain slightly ...

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Sprayway Venom II

£150.00

This lightweight waterproof jacket from Sprayway is just right – a good length in the body and sleeves, with elastic and Velcro adjustment on the cuffs. The zip-off hood is also a great fit and it’s nice to be able to remove it when not required, rather than roll it away under the collar. The face fabric is slightly rustly, ...

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Berghaus Element

£80.00

This soft shell jacket from Berghaus is spot-on for size and there is even enough room to squeeze a midweight fleece on underneath in really cold weather. The fleece-lined cuffs are great, and the fabric certainly stretches well enough to allow complete freedom of movement. The Mistral soft shell fabric keeps the wind out completely and does a great job ...

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Sprayway Challenger

£60.00

This soft shell jacket from Sprayway is just the right size, with the cosy fleece-lined collar a perfect fit for trapping warm air. It’s let down by Velcro adjustable cuffs, which have no stretch in them and so are difficult to pull up. Great on a cold day with a midweight fleece (200 gsm), the Challenger is light, breathable and ...