Berghaus Ghlas (2016)

Features

A jacket without a hood is often better than a jacket with a poorly designed hood as it results in less weight, a lower price and less bulk. The Berghaus Ghlas is made from a Bluesign-approved environmentally friendly non-membrane material that is very breathable and resists some wind and water. You get a small chest pocket plus two lower pockets as well as Velcro cuff adjustment and a hem drawcord. 4/5

Fit

This men’s jacket comes in size S-XXL with no women’s alternative available. It has a good fit that means it can be worn over or under other layers, and there is very little movement in the cuffs or hem when raising the arms above the head. There is no hood but the collar sits neatly around the neck, although you may need some cord adjustment to refine this. 4/5

Comfort

The material is not as soft as some and feels slightly stiff. But you get good airflow for breathability so the Berghaus Ghlas can be worn under a waterproof and on its own. It also fends off light rain and wind very well. The sleeves don’t ride up and the cuffs can be adjusted, so comfort in this area is better than some others offer. The lack of a hood means a hat will be required. 4/5

In use

The pocket design lets this otherwise workable option down a little. The chest pocket is a bit smaller than would be ideal, but it will still take some GPS receivers if not all guidebooks. The lower pockets are just about OS-map-sized but they are positioned rather low so rucksack hipbelts do slightly obscure access. Not having a hood is better than having a poor hood, but a good hat will be needed. 4/5

Value

This jacket is slightly better in its performance than other similarly priced models received for this test, so it is better value. 5/5

Verdict

The Berghaus Ghlas is a decent ‘affordable’ choice if you don’t need a hood, but more cash brings far better alternatives. 4.2/5

Review by Graham Thompson

First published in Trail magazine September 2016