Jack Wolfskin

Exolight Pro £340

+ Endorsed by Alpine School Innsbruck, highly waterproof

- Fiddly hood, price

Developed with input from the Alpine School Innsbruck, the Exolight Pro offers an impressive waterproof rating of 30,000mm HH. Jack Wolfskin uses its own Texapore O2+ fabric to achieve this, and while the hydrostatic head rating is impressive, the price is quite high for a jacket that uses a proprietary membrane. The fabric manages to feel both tough and relatively soft with some stretch to aid movement, although the slightly baggy fit of the jacket helps here. Lab tests suggest Texapore O2+ offers excellent breathability, but in use it felt a little more clammy than some materials. Ventilation is aided with decent-sized pit zips under each arm and a two-way main zip, the latter of which is backed up by a good internal stormflap. Cavernous Napoleon pockets swallow almost anything you want to put in them and are unhindered by a rucksack waistbelt. Things aren’t so impressive when it comes to the hood though. It has two separate cinch cords on the back of the head, plus two at the front which are accessed inside the Napoleon pockets – far from ideal. It’s possible to eventually get a good fit with good visibility, but it’s a fiddly and frustrating process.

■ Men’s sizes S-XXL

■ Women’s sizes XS-XL

■ Weight 550g (men’s M)

Verdict

Tough, comfortable, and able to handle anything – right up to the moment you need to adjust that hood…