OUTDOOR RESEARCH Transcendent

RRP: £180 Target price: £165 Outdoor Research might have the dullest name in outdoor kit, but there’s nothing dull about what this adventurous US brand actually makes. The Transcendent is one of their flagships, and this winter it has had a makeover, including wider quilting and softer face fabric. But it still uses premium natural goose down, and OR say they are fastidious about ensuring it’s responsibly sourced. What has emerged is a beautiful-looking (and in particular, strikingly coloured) insulator that is a joy to wear. This one kept me perfectly toasty on a bitingly cold day on Hay Stacks, then embraced a gentle riverside walk in the Eden Valley without ever feeling like overkill. It even stands still perfectly, staying warm on a lunchstop where other jackets would start to feel the chill. The only area where it doesn’t excel outright is water repellency: the down isn’t hydrophobic, and although the outer surface of the jacket is DWR-treated, it does start to wet out pretty quickly if the rain is in for the day. But on a cold, dry day throughout autumn and winter, there’s nothing about this one you can’t love. RB

INFO: Sizes: XS-XL Weight: 406g Insulation: Natural 650 fill power goose down Colours: Black, blue, grey, garnet, turquoise, plum Contact: 01768 772227 (UK stockist), www.outdoorresearch.com + Almost every feature is flawless. – Not as rain-repellent as others in this test. BEST FOR: Cold, dry days where you need an adaptable midweight insulator.