The Salewa Puez Paclite is a lightweight and packable waterproof jacket, engineered in the foothills of the Dolomite mountains by Italian brand Salewa.
As is typical of Salewa kit, it looks stylish and feels well built, with a Gore-Tex Paclite lining employed in a 2.5-layer construction. This jacket is primarily designed as a minimalist, Alpine-style ‘back-up’ shell to stuff in your backpack, ready to grab and pull on if the heavens open.
However, from our testing in Snowdonia, we found it’s also comfortable enough to wear all day if required, thanks to the use of an improved carbon backer that feels less clammy than older versions of the Paclite.
www.tradeinn.com
Pros
- Lightweight
- Packable
- Great fit
- Good eco credentials
Cons
- Only two pockets
- No pit zips
Features
The jacket has a simple and streamlined feature set. This includes two roomy hand pockets, which are sensibly placed to sit above a rucksack hip belt. Both use reverse-coil laminated zippers. The one-way main zipper is also a reverse-coil laminated style, backed with an inner storm flap.
The hood is straightforward but fairly effective, with a small, slightly stiffened peak and rear adjustment. A small elastic-bound panel under the peak helps it to retain its shape. It cinches in reasonably well but is not as protective as the hoods of more technical mountain shells. We found it starts to reach its limits in sustained rain and strong winds.
At the hem, there are dual elasticated drawcords for easy adjustment. Sleeves feature chunky Velcro cuff tabs for a secure closure. The jacket lacks pit zips, which saves weight and bulk at the slight cost of added ventilation.
Fit
Here’s where the Puez Paclite really excels. The overall design and patterning is first class, which elevates it above most other shells in this price bracket. It oozes quality, with a trim and tailored cut that minimises bulk yet still offers excellent mobility.
There’s plenty of length in the arms and torso too, which makes this shell feel more protective than its lightweight build might suggest. On the flipside, the fit is quite snug, and won’t accommodate too many layers underneath – but then, it’s intended as a three-season shell rather than a dedicated winter waterproof jacket for colder conditions.
We should also caveat this by saying that the women’s jacket comes in UK sizes 6 - 14 only. It would be good to see more of a commitment to a full range of sizes.
Fabric
This jacket is made from the latest generation of Gore-Tex Paclite fabric, which boasts a waterproof hydrostatic head rating of 28,000mm and a breathability rating of <6 RET. It’s a 2.5-layer construction with a polyester face and a dry-touch backer.
This is a big improvement on the printed ‘half layers’ of older Paclite jackets, which often felt sticky and plasticky. It’s still not quite as comfortable as a three-layer jacket, but we wore it for extended periods in the hills without feeling too clammy. The polyester face ensures the jacket is soft and pliable, without the swish and rustle of stiffer shells. It’s a plain weave though, so don’t expect the durability of ripstop nylon.
Sustainability
The jacket boasts Salewa’s Committed label, which means the jacket has to tick several sustainability boxes. Firstly, the main fabric has been chemically tested by a third party according to the Oberalp Chemical Policy.
Secondly, the main fabric is bluesign certified, and the factory where the product has been manufactured has been audited for social standards and working conditions by a third-party. The DWR treatment (Durable Water Repellency) applied to the fabric is PFC-free and the product must also contain at least 50% recycled materials (in this case, a 100% recycled polyester face fabric).
Salewa is also a Fair Wair Foundation member with 'Leader' status.
Price and performance
It’s lightweight and stashable enough to stuff easily in a pack for emergency weather protection on milder days, but the Gore-Tex Paclite fabric is reliably waterproof and decently breathable too. We liked the full-coverage fit because delivers a high level of weather protection, yet the sleek silhouette and trim cut means this isn’t a jacket that feels bulky or cumbersome.
The polyester face fabric also means it is more supple than nylon shells (i.e., less crinkly and rustly), though this might come at the cost of long-term durability. In an ideal world, we’d like a more secure hood in windy weather and perhaps some pit zips to help dump heat when working hard, but these are minor niggles.
Availability is a bit patchy but if you're willing to hunt around you can pick this jacket up for well under the £200 RRP, so it’s a good value buy.
How we tested
Our Snowdonia-based gear tester Ellie Clewlow put the women’s Salewa Puez Gore-Tex Paclite Jacket to the test amid a wide range of conditions in the mountains of Snowdonia. Ellie was so impressed that’s it’s become her grab-and-go shell for all but the worst weather.
Verdict
The Salewa Puez Gore-Tex Paclite is a stylish and streamlined Gore-Tex shell that makes a great ‘just in case’ jacket for fast and light mountain missions.