It doesn’t get much more niche than Finisterre – a Cornish company specialising in cold water surf apparel. It may seem strange that a surf company would appear on the radar of a hillwalking website, but amongst the hoodies and chunky jumpers are a few technical pieces that I think are worth a look. Finisterre Ekman DB Waterproof Shell Price: £250 Weight: 425g (size large) fabric, styling, hood cut, zip pulls Most outdoor brands have a 400g hardshell in their range, and Finisterre’s is pretty good. The fabric is an unbranded three-layer waterproof breathable laminate which is particularly soft and…

Gear editor Phil Turner writes, “Generally taking the form of a light fleece pullover with a half-zip I find the combination of baselayer, microfleece and a windproof capable of dealing with most of my non-winter hillwalking. The beauty of the microfleece pullover – my preferred option – is the simplicity; a half zip for venting and a high neck for cosiness. Fleece is generally make from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is thermally efficient and hydrophobic and retains insulative properties when wet – ideal for a cold and wet Scottish environment. Like PET bottles fleece is also recyclable and some manufacturers…

In previous reviews we’ve looked at baselayers and waterproof jackets, so it’s time to look at the next item in the standard hillwalking layering system – midlayers. Generally taking the form of a light fleece pullover with a half-zip I find the combination of baselayer, microfleece and a windproof capable of dealing with most of my non-winter hillwalking. The beauty of the microfleece pullover – my preferred option – is the simplicity; a half zip for venting and a high neck for cosiness. Fleece is generally make from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is thermally efficient and hydrophobic and retains insulative…