Mountain Equipment Arrow Hooded Jacket review: Comfy, stretchy and breathable

The Mountain Equipment Arrow Hooded Jacket is a versatile midweight softshell designed for climbers and active mountain users who need breathable warmth and freedom of movement. Made from a 182gsm double-weave softshell (90% polyester, 10% elastane) with a lofted, grid-patterned inner and a smooth face, it offers a superb balance of comfort, insulation, and weather resistance.

Weighing 380g (men’s L), it's light enough to wear all day but warm enough to stand up to chilly starts and exposed ridgelines, which is exactly what you expect from the best softshell jackets. With a close-fitting “active fit,” excellent stretch, and long sleeves, the Arrow moves exceptionally well and performs admirably whether worn alone or layered under a waterproof hard shell.

Its water resistance holds up to light showers thanks to a PFC-free DWR, while breathability is high enough to keep it on throughout a wide range of conditions. The feature set is thoughtful: three well-positioned zippered pockets, a snug under-helmet hood, and cinchable hem complete a minimalist but functional design.

At £100, it undercuts many technical softshells with similar performance and makes a strong case for itself over lighter and arguably flimsier options like the Rab Borealis or Black Diamond Alpine Start. For those wanting fleece-level comfort but with added wind and water resistance, the Arrow hits a sweet spot.

Fabrics and stretch

The Mountain Equipment Arrow is made from a midweight (182gsm) double weave softshell with a lofted grid inner and a smooth outer face. It’s 90% polyester, with 10% elastane for plenty of stretch.

It’s an excellent fabric. The inside of the jacket has a honeycomb-like grid texture, with a super-soft handle that offers breathable warmth. The lofted pattern feels great against the skin but also does a good job of moving moisture away to keep you comfortable in variable conditions.

The result is goldilocks-style ‘just right’ temperature management: warm enough if you’re in the shade of a crag or gully, but not too warm when you top out on a sun-soaked mountain summit. In addition, the high elastane content ensures ample mobility and freedom of movement. All in all, it’s one of the most comfortable and versatile softshells we’ve tested.

The possible downside of this softness is that, being polyester-based rather than nylon, it’s not going to be the most abrasion-resistant fabric out there. Then again, you can’t expect bombproof durability from a sub-400g softshell. Mountain Equipment also claims that the fabric has stood up well in real-world testing, despite being used almost daily by the guides and instructors they work with.

Wind and water resistance

The fabric isn’t 100% windproof, but it cuts out the worst of the wind in breezy and even blustery conditions. When it comes to water-resistance, a PFC-free DWR coating ensures water beads on the jacket and sheds nicely.

If you’re on the hills in sporadic drizzle or light showers you’ll probably get away without needing a proper waterproof shell over the top, especially if you’re on the move. It’ll still wet out in a downpour though, as with most softshells.

Breathability is very good, which makes this a practical and wearable layer. On test in classic ‘four seasons in one day’ Welsh weather, we generally found we could stick it on at the start of the day and still be wearing it by the time we got home.

Fit, comfort and weight

Mountain Equipment describes the Arrow as having an ‘active fit’, which is the brand’s designation for its trimmest, close-to-the-body cut. It's certainly snug and streamlined.

Luckily, there’s enough stretch in the fabric for things not to feel restrictive and the Arrow still permits excellent freedom of movement. The sleeves are very long, even for a rangy 6ft 4in frame like mine, and there’s minimal hem lift even with your arms above your head.

On the other hand, overall length in the body isn’t the most generous, which perhaps reflects Mountain Equipment’s climbing-focused ethos. After all, the Arrow is primarily designed for rock and mixed alpine pursuits, and though it works as a multi-activity softshell, the cut is on the technical (i.e. slimmer) side.

Looking at customer reviews online, it seems that a few users have got around this by sizing up, which would give a slightly more relaxed fit that would perhaps work better for general outdoor wear, including hiking and biking – something to consider.

How about weight? Well, the hooded version of the Arrow, which we tested (it’s also available without a hood) is 380g for a men’s large, which puts it towards the lower end of the ‘midweight softshells’ category.

This strikes a decent middle-ground, and though the most minimalist alpinists and ultralighters might look to lighter layers (like Mountain Equipment’s Aerofoil, for example), it’ll suit a range of other less hardcore outdoorsy types, especially those looking for a balance of warmth, breathability and weather protection.

The jacket is well constructed, with flatlocked seams to reduce bulk and minimise irritation. This makes it a great layering piece. There are no seams at all over the shoulders, which also aids comfort when wearing a pack.

Ultimately, we found that the Arrow works well as a standalone outer layer for 2-3 season conditions, yet layers easily under an insulated jacket or a waterproof hard shell too. Bottom line? You get similar warmth, comfort and breathability to 100-weight fleece, but added wind and water-resistance.

Features: Pockets, hood and ventilation

The Arrow delivers more functionality than most light or midweight softshells, with two zippered hand pockets that sit nicely above a climbing harness or hipbelt, plus a smaller zippered chest pocket. You also get two split-tether drawcords at the hem to cinch things in tightly and prevent the jacket from riding up or exposing your lower back.

Cuffs have no adjustment other than the inherent stretch in the fabric itself, but they hug the wrists snugly. The low-profile design with no elastic binding also means they cover the backs of the hands well and layer easily under bigger, bulkier jackets.

The hood is similarly simple but effective: close-fitting, designed to sit under a climbing helmet whilst still being stretchy enough to go over a cap or beanie. The elastic binding ensures it fits snugly around the face, which largely overcomes the lack of any drawcord-style adjustment.

The one-way central zipper is a YKK component with an oversized puller that zips right up to the throat. It runs smoothly but is not a reverse coil design and has no stormflap to help seal out the cold or wind.

Price and competition

At £100, I think the Arrow Hooded delivers excellent value. You can save £25 on that if you go for the non-hooded Zip T version, which uses the same weight double-weave fabric, though that one lacks a full zip, so it’s really a pullover rather than a jacket.

You could argue that the Arrow is quite a simple garment for the money, but it's intelligently designed, versatile and effective across a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions.

It also delivers noticeably more warmth than lighter softshells like the Rab Borealis, Black Diamond Alpine Start or Montane Tenacity Nano, though of course, it's a bit heavier.

With that in mind, the closest rivals we’ve tested recently are probably the Thrudark Veles (£165, 410g in a men’s L) and the La Sportiva Descender Storm (£170, 440g). Both have similarly technical, slim-fitting cuts and double-weave fabric construction with cosy lofted inners. The Veles is undoubtedly tougher than the Arrow, with a nylon face and graphene-enhanced fibres, but it’s also £65 more expensive. The La Sportiva is pricier still.

Verdict

The Mountain Equipment Arrow Hooded Softshell Jacket is supremely comfortable and breathable, with fleece-like warmth and excellent weather resistance – all in all, a very versatile layer at a fair price.

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.