SPRAYWAY

Piper

RRP £60 Target price £60 The Piper (men’s version: Saul) has struck a sweet spot in the fleece world. Not only does it tick pretty much all the boxes for practical use, but it’s also a well-tailored, smart-looking jacket – a perfect cross-over between hill yomps and casual about-town meanderings. I found that the Piper offered instant warmth, which made it excellent for pulling on during snack stops or high, airy bits of walking, when you’re exposed to the wind. Its close-cut tailoring means that it fits snugly under another jacket, and it is snug – although it doesn’t look particularly fluffy from the outside, the brushed fleece inside feels soft and cosy against the skin. As well as the two standard hand-warmer pockets, the Piper also offers a zipped chest pocket for a small phone or compass. The 100-weight polyester fabric (what Sprayway call CoreC) is hardy enough to wear as an outer layer in mild, breezy conditions, but I did find that it overheated fairly quickly on tough climbs. Overall though, this is one of the most versatile fleeces on test and for that reason, one of the best value for money too. RB