I got this recently in the UK. It’s been -5c, and i’ve been out every morning and afternoon in it with the dogs, for around 3 hours a day. The most i’ve done in it so far is 7.5 miles across trails, roads, fields etc. Countryside and rural areas
What I love
It’s not a coat that will get you warm, but you won’t get colder. It’s a shell, but it is windproof, and my upper legs definitely didn’t feel the wind and cold like my lower legs did. This is what I want from a coat, to be able to layer how I want to layer
The pockets are big enough for extendable dog leads, hats, gloves and so on. The phone pocket on the chest can just about squeeze in a samsung S21 ultra with pen case, with a little wiggle
The pockets are also low enough, that if you use a backpack with hip belts, the pockets are still accessible beneath the hipbelt. Genius.
The two way zip makes things so much easier, climbing over fallen logs or stiles, crouching down to tie your bootlaces etc. It just makes everything easy to do with one pull of the zip. The zip does also come high up on the face, so your face is also protected
The weight and the ventilation. I’ve been wearing this whilst wearing two layers (one the excellent Bølger Torvik thin merino t-shirt. I definitely recommend this as a layer), with a camera sling or backpack on. I’ve never yet felt overheated or weighted down by it whislt wearing it. Having the two way zip means i’ve been able to adjust the ventilation as I’ve been wandering. Being a shell, it is also easily packable.
The movement range. Perhaps an odd thing to say, but some coats are restrictive. This isn’t. I haven’t once thought something is pulling or pushing into me. It moves with me, and allows me to move freely. You know you’re wearing it, but it works so well with you. I’ve been slipping in mud, snow, ice and i can just move as needed
I am a 113cm chest, and the XXL fits me absolutely fine, even with two thin layers on underneath, so the sizing is correct
Things I’d change about this coat
The zip needs that little bit of material that stops it pulling at facial hair. It’s only happened a couple of times over twelves hours of wearing it though
The hood is huge. It is also very adjustable which is great, but the extra side cord exits near the shoulders/chest and dangle down. Once they caught in my bag as I was taking the bag off, and then released, snapping into my face. I’d add a tiny loop on the chest so the extra cord can be kept close to the chest. You don’t know they’re there the rest of the time though
I’d love to see pit zips on this. I’m using this coat to protect me from wind and rain, and I aim to still be hiking 5-25 miles daily when out with it. Whilst I’ll only wear it when it’s raining or very cold, i’ll probably overheat a little in summer temps whilst using it to protect me from the rain on exposed beaches or ridges
Conclusion
I’ve been looking for an outdoor parka shell for a while, and they’re rare to find. This is so good, i’ve stopped looking, and in years to come, i’d happily buy another one of these if I ever wear it out.
*I haven’t commented on the waterproofness, as it hasn’t yet rained. But i have no reason to disbelieve the advertising. It feels and performs like a well made, well thought out, outdoor coat
