Berghaus Pravitale Mountain 2.0

Hooded £90

Berghaus has been kitting out British walkers since 1966, so by now it knows what we like to wear on the hills. And given many UK hillwalkers’ general mistrust of any jacket that isn’t properly waterproof – like windproofs and soft shells – it also knows that the majority of us will normally be wearing or carrying four layers at most: a base layer, a fleece and a waterproof shell, with maybe an extra warm layer stashed in our packs. And since you only really want to be wearing your waterproof if it’s raining, that means most of us spend a lot of time wandering around the mountains in a fleece. The problem is that if it’s windy, you get cold...

Berghaus’ solution is the Pravitale Mountain 2.0 hoody: a sort of ‘super fleece’. It’s made from a comfortable stretch fabric with a soft, warm inner and a tough, tightly woven face that offers better wind protection than most rivals, aided by a full-length fleece baffle behind the main zip. It’ll even shrug off a bit of light drizzle. As such, it’s an excellent allday jacket for the colder seasons that will work as an outer layer on cool but mostly dry days.

Thoughtful design features include a decent hood, stretch-bound cuffs with thumb loops, two sensibly placed hand pockets and an upper arm pocket (perhaps not that useful, but looks cool!).

IF WE’RE BEING FUSSY

It’s pretty heavy and bulky, so this is one you want to be wearing, not carrying. The fabric is tougher and more wind resistant than most, but also a little less breathable and not as fast-drying as some. And there’s no women’s version.

■ FABRIC Stretch hard face fleece (93% polyester, 7% elastane)

■ MEN’S SIZES S-XXL

■ WOMEN’S SIZES n/a

Verdict

If you often wear a fleece as an outer layer, this is a great option for UK hillwalking that is soft, warm, comfortable and a little more protective than most.

“Excellent all-day layer for the colder seasons”