Berghaus Ridge Roamer Softshell Jacket review: Weatherproof and lightweight

The Berghaus Ridge Roamer Softshell Jacket is a technical, three-layer softshell that blurs the line between traditional softshells and hardshell waterproofs. Designed for mountain types who demand high protection without sacrificing comfort, it offers a winning combination of wearability and weather resistance.

Built from 100% polyester with four-way stretch and a bonded polyurethane membrane, it features taped seams throughout and delivers impressive wind and rain resistance. Weighing 420g (men’s L), the Ridge Roamer is lighter than many rivals while offering similar performance.

It boasts a soft grid-textured inner for comfort and handles heavy showers as well as many budget waterproofs. Its standout stretch and trim-but-not-tight fit make it highly wearable, with a comfortable cut, generous arm and torso length, and an adjustable hood. Features include laminated zips, three useful pockets and excellent water-shedding performance.

However, the incorporation of a waterproof membrane means that breathability is inevitably somewhat compromised compared to simpler single or double-weave fabric softshells, and the cuff design – oversized with no real adjustment – is a clear flaw.

At £270 RRP, it’s also a costly option in a crowded premium market, being pricier than some Gore-Tex Infinium rivals like the 66°North Straumnes. But if you find it discounted, the Ridge Roamer is a solid contender for wet and windy environments where protection is key but you don’t want to compromise on comfort.

Fabrics and stretch

The Ridge Roamer uses a technically advanced three-layer softshell fabric. It’s made from 100% recycled polyester with plenty of elastane in the fabric blend, giving four-way stretch.

The outer is bonded to a PU (polyurethane) membrane, while the inner face has a soft grid texture, which is very pleasant to wear. In addition, the jacket has taped seams throughout.

Hang on, you might be thinking – that all sounds very similar to a normal waterproof jacket. You’re not wrong. In fact, the Ridge Roamer blurs the line between a softshell and a hardshell. It's impressively weather-resistant, and can withstand some pretty heavy showers, as we discovered on test in North Wales. The fabric did wet out eventually, but no sooner than many lower-end waterproof shells.

If you want the lab stats, the three-layer fabric has a waterproof hydrostatic head rating of 10,000mm, while the breathability, as measured by MVTR (moisture vapour transmission rate) is an impressive 57,734 g/m2/24hrs.

Wind and water-resistance

The fabric negates the effect of wind very effectively. Being soft and supple, it isn’t as stiff as a Gore-Tex type hard shell, so it does buckle in the wind a little, but that’s the only noticeable difference.

It’s also functionally waterproof. The hydrostatic head rating from Berghaus is 10,000mm, which is equal to many everyday waterproof jackets. As such it's impermeable to drizzle and light rain. It handled on-off showers without issue, which meant our burlier waterproof stayed in the pack. The polyester face also absorbs very little water, so it takes longer to wet out, and the DWR finish also ensures most raindrops bead and roll off quickly.

According to the brand, the breathability rating is precisely 57,734 g/m2/24hrs. This is very impressive for a waterproof membrane-based fabric. It certainly feels less sweaty and clammy than most conventional hard shells.

Inevitably, it loses out compared to lighter single-weave windshirts or double-weave softshells without a membrane though. We found it still gets noticeably warmer and fuggier than most softshells of similar weight, especially when working hard uphill.

Sadly, it also lacks pit zips, which would help with dumping excess heat and moisture quickly. Still, we’d say it’s still far preferable to wearing any hardshell waterproof in similar situations, even those that claim high breathability ratings, such as Gore-Tex Pro shells.

Fit, comfort and weight

While it gets harder to maintain a distinction between softshell and hardshell in performance terms, there’s no doubting that the Ridge Roamer feels like a traditional softshell. It’s soft, stretchy and pliable, ensuring great comfort levels.

The weight is also impressive considering the high level of weather protection on offer here. The Ridge Roamer tips the scales at 420g in a men’s size large.

That would be considered midweight in the softshell stakes, but it considerably undercuts comparable three-layer rivals like the Mammut Ultimate VII Softshell (595g) or the Peak Performance Explore jacket (550g). You’re getting similar performance to those burlier rivals at a lower weight, which translates into a more wearable and comfortable jacket overall.

The fit is generally good too, with the men’s version being nicely cut and true to size. The overall silhouette is reasonably trim without feeling restrictive. And there’s plenty of length in the sleeves and body. Our only frustration was with the cuffs – more on that below…

Features: pockets, hood and ventilation

Most of the Ridge Roamer’s features are excellent, but one is a real let-down (for this tester, at least).
Let’s start with the good. All the zippers are laminated reverse-coil designs, ensuring superior weather resistance compared to standard zippers.

The main zip has double sliders and is backed with a storm flap, pointing to the Ridge Roamer’s technical focus. It goes right up to the chin to deliver good face protection, aided by a grown-on hood with rear volume adjustment for a tight fit over a bare head or beanie, and a slightly stiffened peak that stops most of the rain from dripping onto your face.

The two hand pockets are roomy enough to provide useful storage and positioned high enough to clear a climbing harness or rucksack hip belt. You also get a zippered internal chest pocket, which is a nice touch. As previously mentioned, the jacket offers a full coverage fit with plenty of length in the arms and torso. The cuffs are also shaped to cover the backs of the hands.

But here’s the kicker. The cuffs are ridiculously baggy, with no real adjustment of any sort. I don’t have particularly skinny wrists, but on me they’re like wizard’s sleeves. I checked with a tape measure, and the cuffs measure 28cm (11 inches) in circumference.

So, unless you’ve got the wrists and forearms of The Incredible Hulk, they’re going to be pretty big. It seems like a real design oversight and one that needs fixing. Possibly if you have shorter arms, the sleeves would extend enough for them to cover the entire back of the hand, which might work better for you.

Otherwise, I can only think that this jacket is primarily intended to be worn with bulky gloves or mitts, when conceivably you might appreciate the extra space. But I find it a significant shortcoming that limits the practicality of this otherwise excellent jacket.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £270, the Berghaus Ridge Roamer seems rather expensive, even compared to most other three-layer membrane-based softshell jackets.

Take the Peak Performance Explore, for example, which uses a similar PU-based membrane sandwiched between a stretch polyester face and a soft inner. That one costs £200 (though admittedly, it lacks the Ridge Roamer’s taped seams).

Then there are Rab’s excellent Kinetic 2.0 and Kinetic 2.0 Alpine jackets, which are direct competitors to the Ridge Roamer, with the same hydrostatic head rating, albeit lower breathability. The Kinetic 2.0 is lighter overall and costs £220, while the mountain-focused Alpine is about the same weight as the Ridge Roamer but costs £10 less (at RRP).

Even jackets employing Gore’s premium Infinium Windstopper fabric are mostly a bit cheaper, such as Mammut’s excellent Ultimate VII Softshell (£240), the Adidas Terrex Techrock Softshell(£220) and Rab’s Scimitar Windstopper (£210). Only Mountain Equipment’s ultra-rugged Vulcan MRT – a Mountain Rescue-specific version of the brand’s most protective softshell – outprices the Berghaus, at £300.

Ultimately, once you get to these specs and prices, a softshell becomes a considered purchase. Although these high-end softshell fabrics blur the line between water-resistance and full-on waterproofing, it’s still a lot of money to spend on a jacket that isn’t guaranteed to keep you dry in a downpour, no matter how much you might appreciate the superior breathability.

Bottom line? Unless you spend a lot of time in high, dry and predominantly cold environments – like the Alps and other big, snowy mountain ranges – it’s difficult to justify such a splurge. Even then, you might want a softshell that offers a bit more warmth (see: any of the Gore Infinium options already outlined above).

Otherwise, your best option might be to shop around or wait for a sale. There are deals out there. We recently spotted the Berghaus Ridge Roamer at half price (in last season’s colourway, but who really cares about that?), which suddenly makes it a bit of a steal.

Word of warning, however: if you do go bargain hunting, don’t get the Ridge Roamer confused with the similarly named Ridge Roamer Lite (£140), which is a lighter and simpler double-weave softshell jacket. It’s a decent jacket in its own right, but it doesn’t offer the same level of weather protection as its big brother, since it lacks a PU membrane and taped seams.

Verdict

The Berghaus Ridge Roamer is a weatherproof and stretchy softshell that performs as well as a lightweight hardshell – if you can overlook the poor cuff design. But it's expensive unless you catch it on sale.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.