Thrudark Veles Jacket review: Tough as nails and built to move

The Thrudark Veles Softshell Jacket is a technical hooded softshell jacket intended for use as an outer layer in milder weather or a midlayer in tougher conditions. It’s built for demanding terrain and high-output adventures, employing an advanced 4-way stretch fabric that blends nylon, graphene-enhanced polyester, and spandex, striking a balance between toughness, flexibility, and thermal regulation.

This makes the Veles exceptionally versatile – equally suited to scrambling, hiking or backpacking in changeable weather. On test we found it to be a lot more resistant to wear and tear than most midweight rivals in our best softshells group test.

The fabric’s diamond-grid backer adds breathability and comfort, while the double-weave construction ensures excellent wind resistance. A durable water repellent (DWR) coating sheds light rain, though like most softshells, it’s not a substitute for a good waterproof shell.

Weighing 410g (men’s L), it sits in the midweight category – offering more protection than featherweight windshirts but avoiding the bulk of winter-grade softshell.

Design-wise, the Veles has a trim, alpine-style cut, a snug-fitting hood, and high hand pockets that work well with harnesses or hipbelts. The fit is slim and sculpted but not restrictive, and the stretch fabric allows excellent freedom of movement. While it lacks some adjustability (no hem or hood drawcords), it excels in terms of overall performance, comfort and weather protection.

With a RRP of £165, it’s no budget buy, but it offers solid value in the premium market, rivalling softshells from serious climbing-focused brands such as Montane, Mountain Equipment, La Sportiva, Black Diamond and Klättermusen – whilst giving users something different and distinctive, with added durability.

Fabrics and stretch

The Veles uses an unusual and technically advanced fabric. In simple terms it’s a midweight double-weave softshell fabric with four-way stretch that balances breathability, mobility and all-round weather protection. The inner face also has a soft diamond-grid backer for added comfort, whilst also improving the overall temperature-regulating and wicking properties of the fabric.

But it’s the fabric composition that really stands out. It’s made from a blend of 74% nylon, 13.5% polyester graphene and 12.5% spandex. The high proportion of stretchy spandex fibres delivers loads of flexibility for first-class freedom of movement. Usually, there’s a trade-off to be made here in terms of durability – in general, the stretchier a softshell fabric is, the less wear and tear it can handle.

However, Thrudark has got around this by employing high-tenacity nylon and graphene-enhanced polyester in the blend. Graphene is a carbon-based element that has exceptional tensile strength. It’s also an excellent thermal conductor, which aids the fabric’s ability to store and dissipate body heat.

The result is a jacket that punches above its weight when it comes to toughness. On test, we hiked and scrambled extensively across the mountains of Eryri throughout May and June. After a couple of months of regular wear testing, it showed no real signs of abrasion, which was impressive.

Wind and water-resistance

The tight knit and double-woven construction of the fabric ensures that, to all intents and purposes, the jacket is functionally windproof. As such it delivers sufficient protection in breezy and blustery conditions, keeping off the worst of the wind whilst retaining a high degree of breathability.

It’s a slightly heavier weight than that found in the lightest softshells on the market, like Black Diamond’s Alpine Start or Rab’s Borealis, which means you’ll overheat more quickly than in those types of jackets – but on the other hand, you also get significantly more warmth and weather protection from the Veles.

All in all, it’s a good performer for full three season use from spring through to autumn, though not quite burly enough for standalone wear in cold conditions (Thrudark’s heftier Centurion Alpine, another Live for the Outdoors favourite, being the brand’s winter-weight softshell).

Like almost all non-membraned softshell jackets, the Veles is water-resistant rather than fully waterproof. The DWR coating repels light rain but isn’t intended as a substitute for a full-on hard shell. It’s very quick drying though, which is a benefit on multi-day backpacking or trekking trips.

Fit, comfort and weight

As a brand, Thrudark is a relative newcomer to the outdoor industry, only being established in 2018, by two ex-British special forces operators. It’s made a lot of waves in a comparatively short period of time, and the range of apparel has expanded hugely.

It now encompasses everything from lifestyle-focused clothing to more technical outdoor wear. Inevitably this has led to some issues. Anecdotally, we’ve heard of some customers complaining of inconsistencies with the range, particularly when it comes to sizing.

All we can say is that with the Veles, Thrudark seems to have nailed it. For me it's one of the best-fitting softshell jackets I’ve tested. It suits my rangy build perfectly (for reference, I’m 6ft 4in, with a 42” chest and 34” waist). The men’s size large was ideal, with plenty of length in the arms and torso, plus a slightly dropped tail that delivers a bit of welcome rear protection.

It’s worth noting that it is a trim, technical fit though, with broader shoulders and chest, but a narrow, tapered waist. It’s similar to the typical cut of alpine and climbing-focused brands such as Mountain Equipment and La Sportiva.

On the plus side, this ensures it sits neatly under a climbing harness and/or a rucksack hipbelt, with no bulges or excess folds of fabric. So, it’s a good choice for athletic hikers, hillwalkers and backpackers, but would also work brilliantly for scrambling and climbing. On the other hand, if you’re carrying a bit more timber around the midriff, it might feel a little snug.

The fabric is soft and comfortable, thanks to that in-built stretch and the pleasantly textured inner face. Seams are sensibly positioned so as not to cause irritation, being slightly offset at the shoulders. The patterning lacks the raglan-style sleeves and seamless underarm panels of some rivals though, which would improve articulation even more. Luckily, the fabric’s mega stretch offsets this slight drawback.

The cuff design is simple, with no adjustment, but it fits neatly around the wrists. So does the hem, although it lacks any sort of drawcord adjustment, which feels like an oversight for a technical jacket.

The Veles weighs 410g in a men’s large, which puts it squarely in the midweight category of softshell jackets. It’s double the weight of the lightest softshells and windshirts on the market, like the Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody.

But it’s nowhere near as hefty (or bulky) as rivals like the Mammut Ultimate VII, the Keela Hydron or the Alpkit Resolute. As such, it strikes a decent middle ground – you can wear it as a standalone wind-resistant outer layer in spring or summer, and layered under an insulated jacket and/or a waterproof hard shell in colder conditions.

It offers similar warmth to 100gsm fleece and is just as comfortable whilst also being more wind and water-resistant. And while it offers similar weather protection to a windproof jacket, you’re getting the added benefits of a soft and stretchy softshell fabric. Unlike most others in this bracket, the Veles also brings enhanced durability.

Features: pockets, hood and ventilation

The Veles has well-positioned zippered hand pockets, which are set high enough so as to not obstruct a rucksack hipbelt or a climbing harness. They’re also mesh-lined, so if you want added ventilation, you can unzip them for a bit of extra cooling.

The zippers are small and unobtrusive but fitted with chunky pullers to make them easy to grab hold of, even when wearing gloves. They are also reverse-coil designs with upper zipper garages for a bit more weather protection (but don’t rely on them to keep electronics dry in proper wet weather).

The main zip is a chunkier YKK design and is backed with a storm flap for additional protection from wind and light rain. It zips right up to the throat, which incorporates a chin guard and works well with the grown-on hood to create a snug feel in blustery weather.

The hood fits neatly over a bare head or beanie, with a slightly stiffened peak to deflect wind and rain. It feels more protective and weather-resistant than the simple elastic-bound hoods of lighter, flimsier rivals. However, it lacks any form of volume or face adjustment. On the plus side, this ensures it fits neatly under a climbing helmet if you’re using the Veles on steeper or more technical terrain.

The other noticeable element of the Veles’ design is the profusion of branding on the jacket. People will certainly know you’re wearing Thrudark kit, which you may or may not like. For us, there’s probably one too many logos, but that’s just personal taste.

This includes the insignia patches on both shoulders, part of the brand’s military/SF aesthetic. They’re intended so you can add ID patches or similar if you want, but again, for most climbers and backpackers, they just add unnecessary weight and bulk. Trail’s in-house snapper Tom has ripped ‘em off his Thrudark kit!

Price and competition

Thrudark gear is generally priced at the premium end of the outdoor market. This is not budget kit. Having said that, the Veles has a UK RRP of £165, which seems like reasonable value for a technical softshell with such a unique and effective fabric.

If you want something with a similarly trim and technical fit but with a softer, more fleece-like feel, look at the Mountain Equipment Arrow Hooded Jacket (£100). Alternatively, there’s the Helly Hansen Blaze (£130), which has a few added features and a more forgiving cut, whilst still saving you thirty-five quid.

If you want something warmer and more protective, then consider the Alpkit Resolute (£120), the Keela Hydron (£150) or Thrudark’s own burlier offering, the Centurion Alpine (£260). But all are heavier, bulkier and arguably less versatile than the Veles.

If you want maximum weather protection in a softshell jacket, then the pinnacle is probably the well-proven Mammut Ultimate VII Softshell (£240), which uses Gore’s latest Infinium Windstopper fabric.

Otherwise, there’s the Berghaus Ridge Roamer (£270, but shop around), or the Rab Kinetic Alpine 2.0 (£260). Both of these use softshell fabrics that sandwich a waterproof PU membrane between a sturdy outer and a soft inner. These all give you added water resistance compared to the Veles’s double-weave fabric but this comes at the cost of breathability.

Verdict

The Thrudark Veles is a tough, breathable and impressively versatile softshell ideal for spring to autumn use. If the trim and technical cut suits you, it delivers premium performance in a sleek package, so it’s well worth considering for hikers, backpackers and scramblers who value flexibility and durability.

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.