A colleague of mine is planning 7 days of hillwalking in Scotland at Easter and needs a jacket (& ? trousers).

We think a waterproof / breathable shell type jacket would be best with layers used underneath.

He lives in Gloucester and I think ideally he’d like to try on in a shop rather than buy online, but that is an option.

He’s bewildered by the array of options, from £40 – £600 jackets, he’d like a quality jacket to see him into his retirement in a few years time, willing to spend, but not top end.

Any recommendations gratefully received.

There are a few recent threads on this hanging around in the STW ether. Mountain Equipment in a fabric that suits the wallet seems to be the front runner. If he wants to try stuff on, there’s a Cotswold Outdoor near Cirencester I think, which should have a pretty good spread of major brands.

Personally I’d go ME – just really well designed and brilliantly cut outdoor jackets. Gore-Tex is still arguably the benchmark for reliable, long-term waterproofing, but most own-brand fabrics these days are also very good.

This might be of interest?

I think types of layers is more important than which specific ones you buy.

Hillwalking jacket – unicorn and costly?

Easter, yes you need waterproof trousers. I tend to go cheaper, and Berghaus Deluge are available in different leg lengths and all sorts of sizes, usually £50-60. Job jobbed.

Jackets – Mountain Equipment, Berghaus and Montane all make good walking jackets. It’s really a case of how much you are willing to pay for a gain of ‘better’. Don’t buy one with a helmet hood or some kind of ‘alpine climbing gnar’ credentials – one which has a walking brief is better imo.

I’m coming back round to Gore materials being better.

A couple of obvious ones:
Montane outlet shop: https://mountain-kit.co.uk/men-c18/waterproof-c24#sort3

Berghaus Vent PacLite

https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Berghaus_Paclite_2_0_Mens_Waterproof_Jacket/

Mountain Equipment Garwahl

https://www.winfieldsoutdoors.co.uk/mountain-equipment-mens-garwhal-gore-tex-jacket-black/

best I have had are berghaus.  don’t go for ultralite in any brand.  they soak thru too easily / are too fragile IME

Trousers for easter as well

Maybe something from Ridgeline? I’ve noticed a lot of farming people wearing their kit, and as they’re out in literally all winds and weathers, they ought to know what works well.
Personally, working a 12-hour day in filthy conditions, a Buffalo Special 6 with a cheap Peter Storm over the top, and a Helly Lifa base layer worked as well if not better than a £300-odd whizzy Goretex; less to go wrong, and no proofing to worry about over time.

Monsoon Elite II

As far as trousers are concerned, a cheap pair of work overtrousers with something warm and comfy underneath, like a pair of stretchy joggers – I’ve got a pair of Portwest S556 overtrousers, plain black, a sort of cordura-type material, with a waterproof membrane inside, zip leg gussets at the bottom and zip pockets. Nothing fancy, but pretty tough against rocks and brambles, etc, and they keep the worst off without worrying about getting them snagged and filthy.

The marmite option is Paramo. I wear a Velez Adventure Light Smock throughout the year in Scotland. If it’s going to be sheet rain all day, I pack a shell, but it’s only worn on the worst of weather.

Much comfier/quieter than Goretex.

Monsoon Elite II

1/3 of the waterproofness rating of Gore Pro and a terrible breathability rating combined with a weight of +800g 🤔

Ridge line is popular cos it’s inexpensive but it has a reputation for being “boil in a bag”.

I wear Paramo jackets. My main one, worn more or less everyday in all weathers has only ever been defeated once in terms of water ingress, and that was after five hours stalking in horizontal Scottish rain. I got it for Christmas in 2014.

If you get one with the foam strips in the back, leave them in if you carry a pack. Straps will “push” water through the fabric in the very worst of the weather.

Get a goretex pro jacket. My favs are ME. Currently have 2. One is the dog walking coat which is years old. Starting to delaminate around the cuffs but still water tight. It has been used and abused and not very well looked after.

Can I suggest it has pit zips, gives a bit of temperature control.

Podcast this week may be of interest (the meat of it kicks in at the 22 minute mark):

No 560 – Outdoor Gear Coach

I’ve been a fan of Berghaus for 25+ years, their coats seem to last well.

What I find annoying, and I know others have posted similarly, is that they are all too short these days. I’d like my waterproof coats to reach past my bum and on to my upper thigh please, just as they used to!

I know he’s interested in a jacket but the tip I really have there is you need pit zips – “breathable” simply isn’t enough when you’re cranking out big lungfulls of air on a climb – big holes in your shell when you’re sweating is what’s needed.

Layering is the thing. If he’s doing multi-day then this:

1) Long-sleeved merino wool base layer. Avoid tech fabrics – they stink after a day and they can be cold when wet. Merino wool is warm when wet and you can sweat into it like a pig for a month and it won’t whiff at all. Dunk in a lake, hang up on your tent line, dries quick too.

2) Any cheap fleece as a mid-layer.

3) Shell jacket with pit zips.

Correct clothing for walking is all about sweat management. You can (and I do) spend a lot on unicorn fabrics – but they’re not necessary. The right stuff, used the right way, is what you need.

When you’re NOT walking – that’s the biggie when you’re camping. Maybe pack a spare merino layer, a wooly jumper, maybe a packable down jacket – all to go under your shell. Nice wooly hat too. The down jacket works because they work when you’re not sweating your balls off.

Loads of youtube vids about it – but they all say variations on the above 🙂

I have some of Decathlons MH500 trousers, £40, not too flimsy but not too sweaty. I would buy again. I bought a ME jacket after it was recommended on here. It’s very lightweight and I’ve never been wet in it but it’s not very reassuring if that makes sense, doesn’t feel like it’s going to last.

Montane Extreme, bargain at £85
Montane Fireball for when it’s a bit warmer or under a duvet jacket

There is only 1 correct answer.

Paramo.

Just a case of deciding which version.

The Alta3 for a full big jacket for the worst of weather. But has arm zips to grt some venting if needed.

Or if the weather is looking more positive the lighter Velez smock or velez light even.

Cascadia trooosers work in case it rains – with plenty of venting if it gets warmer.

A decent umbrella if it isn’t too windy.
Keeps the rain off your head, shoulders and rucksack.

Keela Munro jacket is worth a look for a proper Scottish walking jacket at a decent price. It’s the durable, highly functional and low fashion option. A sort of Shimano Deore hillwaking jacket.

I bought a GoreTex pro jecket a few years ago, and it’s a big lump of cash I’ve never regretted spending. Sorry, but don’t like the Paramo thing at all, and that smock with a binocular pocket is going to be great for a few specific things, but isn’t going to be a good allrounder. As said, try and get sometihng NOT cut for alpine climbing – Arcteryx alphas are lovely jackets , but for most people the design isn’t optimal (get a Beta). Mmountain equipment are nice, others I don’t know. Pitzips are standard on these jackets.

You can get a lot cheaper but they won’t last as long, and some don’t last very long at all

Paramo make many different jackets not just 1 smock

after years using ultra-lightweight jackets, I’ve just bought a heavier weight, longer cut jacket (patagonia triolet) with pockets (4) and pit-zips.

must be getting old.

I’ve got a variety from various manufacturers using various fabrics.

The lightest is a North face Pertex Shield at 260gm. Generously cut and keeps me remarkably dry especially when working hard. I cringe every time I throw a heavy pack on my back when wearing it.

The middle ground are all Gortex from the North Face, Millet… . My favourite is a long cut North Face Gortex Active at 400gm. However, experience tells me that after a few years of rucksac straps rubbing it’ll probably start leaking which brings me to:

Classic three-layer Gortex jackets at about 600g. The taping needs gluing back on after a few years but once you’ve done that and given them a wash they keep you dry again. They last well but are clamy, stiff and not very cosy.

A Shöffel ski jacket. It’s nearly a kg, I can’t remember what fabric it is, something like Goretex but breathes and lasts better, and it’s lined. Had it for years, out in it at 2450m today. If it’s going to be really foul out the weight is worth it.

For UK conditions I’d take the North Face Goretex Active at Easter.

Military Surplus.

My £15 long, unlined DPM Goretex jacket still going strong after 15yrs. My £8 trousers likewise.

If you don’t want camouflage you can get RAF or Navy Goretex jackets in shades of blue.

Used in various levels of scruffiness £10-30. New £40 upwards.

I generally wear a Buffalo Alpine jacket or Special6 shirt and put the Goretex shell over the top if it’s really wet. Otherwise it lives permanently in my backpack.

You can spend £400 on a good jacket if you want and I get why people do. It’s just not for me.