Phil’s introductory comments on men’s lightweight waterproofs apply equally to womens’ jackets and some may prefer the fit of the male version anyway. In general these jackets are aimed at reasonably mild conditions so are cut fairly short, so anyone on the tall side should check the length. Similarly apart from the Craghopper Travelite II, all the jackets were cut on the slim side, fine if you of small build but if not and you plan to wear several layers underneath a larger size may be better. Surprisingly only the Craghoppers’ jacket is available in a size larger than 16. The Pink Stinks campaign has obviously yet to gain ground in the adult outdoor gear world with a fair few truly girly pinks, light blues and mauves on offer, with everything else either black or eye-wateringly “bright”. As always its worth shopping around as the current economic climate means many products on offer for much less than the stated RRP.
Craghoppers Travelite IIRRP: £65
This is a basic waterproof that performs well given its relatively low price and has a few comfort features (fleecy chinguard, velcro double stormflap, mesh lining) that make it worth considering. Using Craghoppers’ AquaDry membrane, the mesh lining adds to the bulky feel and weight, and proved to the least breathable but was still perfectly adequate (no one is actually going to go running in a coat of this style). Craghoppers rate AquaDry as providing 70% breathability. The fit is looser than some of the others which will suit some, but did mean it was prone to billowing in windy conditions and the hood is also on the large size and difficult to adjust so that the small unstiffened peak doesn’t obscure your view. In addition to the 2 hand pockets there’s a zipped internal pocket at chest height which can only be accessed by opening the front zip, not great in a rainstorm or gale. The nylon zip needs some care – I managed to force it to burst open at the bottom when doing it up in a hurry on the hill. Available in voilet and a distinctly Barbie-esque fushia it’s not for anyone who wants to blend in on the hill. Comes with a stuffsac to add to your mini-stuffsac collection and is available in sizes 8 – 20.
Protection: AquaDry Weight 400g (size 12)
Berghaus AnnikaRRP: £120
This proved to be very breathable and an all round good performer, despite my dislike of the mesh and nylon liner which in my opinion adds too much bulk especially on the sleeves. Using the Berghaus in-house AquaFoil 2.5 fabric, the jacket was the second most breathable of those tested but I wouldn’t want to take this running or cycling due to the bulky feel. The cut is slim, so a larger size may be needed if wearing over multiple layers. The hood is large and easily adjusted but I would have preferred a more adjustable wire-stiffened peak than the self-stiffened peak. Fleecy chinstrap and shockcord hem adjuster add to comfort and the water-resistant zips worked well in driving rain conditions. The fit allows big arm movements so its comfortable when scrambling, but in my case it had a tendency to ride up at the back when wearing a rucksack. An internal chest map pocket is easy to access under the water-resistant zip which is very stiff and can be difficult to do up in poor conditions. Available in black (with the obligatory pink zips), blue and pink. and in sizes 8 – 16.
Protection: AquaFoil 2.5 Weight 420g (size 10)
Mammut KeikoRRP: £175
For this price, this Mammut jacket ought to be really good and it certainly is. The unlined Drytech Premium fabric is very lightweight with a comfortable, non-shiny feel. Drytech Premium is Mammut’s own 2.5 layer laminate membrane and claims to be more breathable than its standard product. In use it shed the rain well and stood up to a running session in the rain with minimum sweat build-up – the most breathable of the four in my experience. The hood adjusts nicely and the adjusting shockcords are taken well away from your face, although I would still prefer a wire stiffened peak as the self-stiffened one cannot be moulded into shape. Pit zips aid ventilation and don’t add too much bulk and with two zip ends can be opened from the middle as wide as you need – although at fully open the sleeves can flap disconcertingly in the wind. Raglan sleeves mean there’s plenty of arm movement, although the fit is generally on the slim side there is more give in the fabric than the other jackets. There are two front pockets and no chest pocket, cutting down on weight and bulk but meaning there’s no pocket handy when a hipbelt is worn. The hem is cord adjusted and the zip is not waterproof, protected instead by an inside storm flap and tiny external flaps, the pockets do have waterproof zips. Maybe its just the mammouth on the logo, but this jacket seems to cope reassuringly well with most conditions and is one I’d be more than happy to have in my rucksack for all but winter expeditions. Available in a more interesting range of colours (black, white, blue, turquoise and the eye-popping lime green that seems be everywhere this year) than some, it comes in four sizes XS to L so its worth checking the size guide before any purchase.
Protection: Drytech Premium Weight 320g (size S)
Karrimor HeliumRRP: £119
Its good to see the Karrimor logo on clothing once again and with some good offers bringing this jacket in at well below RRP, this is well worth considering for its lightweight and design properties. Using Karrimor’s 2.5 layer Weathertite Extreme fabric it performs well in wet and sticky conditions, although probably the least breathable out of the four performance was still good. The helmet-compatible hood scores points by having a wire stiffener but loses them for the hidden toggle adjustment mechanism which is fiddly although it does take the cord further from the face than any of the others. The fit is what I would call ‘streamlined’ ie. don’t expect loads of room for multiple layers, however the sleeve design means there’s lots of freedom for arm movement and the two capacious front pockets are positioned high enough with venting waterproof zips that can be accessed even with a hip belt on. Contrasting zips seems to be the order of the day this season, and the Helium has sturdy YKK water resistant zips backed up with an internal storm flap – the best combination on the main zip out of all four jackets. Available in black (with bright pink contrast zips of course), bright blue (and Karrimor really means bright) and poppy red in sizes 8 – 16.
Protection: Weathertite Extreme Weight: 340g (size 10)
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