INSULATED JACKETS

REGATTA / HALTON II £120

Given the opportunity to guess, you wouldn’t have a chance of nailing what the insulation inside this jacket is: alpaca wool. That’s right! Comedy animal aside, alpaca wool is premium quality, light (399g), stays warm even when wet and is certainly a talking point. Nicely featured with stretch cuffs and a hoodless design – handy for layering – this is a good value and functional warm layer that will hold its own in the style stakes.

Men’s S-5XL / Women’s 8-26

MONTANE / ICARUS £150

This supremely warm jacket is insulated with all-new Primaloft Thermoplume, a synthetic insulation that mimics the structure of down and punches a similar weight on warmth – equivalent to 500 fill-power – whilst not succumbing to down’s weaknesses to moisture. It’s not quite as light as a down jacket, at 605g, but is good value and very well featured, with Pertex Quantum Eco shell offering a decent amount of weather protection.

Men’s S-XXL / Women’s XS-XL

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT / ARETE HOODED £160

The perfect hillwalker’s down jacket, the Arete Hooded is packable, light (370g) and packed with 700 fill-power feathers, which are ethically sourced and offer top warmth-to-weight. Some features are slightly stripped back, such as the basic hood and elasticated cuffs, but it all helps shave weight from this jacket which packs small for a warmth boost whenever you need it. Men’s S-XXL / Women’s

RAB / PHOTON X JACKET £225

If you’re standing around a lot and need something that is going to fend off snow and rain as well as keep you toasty, this is the jacket for you. Packed with Primaloft Gold and shelled in Pertex Endurance, with pockets galore and a helmet-compatible hood, this will keep you warm and snug on winter camps, belay stances and the inevitable long walk to the pub in the snow.

Men’s S-XXL / Women’s 8-16

PATAGONIA / DOWN SWEATER VEST £140

Warming your core alone offers a critical level of insulation without overheating or restricting movement. Gilets (aka vests) are a very useful bit of kit. With low weight, high insulation factor and very low bulk in your pack they are ideal for throwing on to avoid a bit of summit chill. This one has a 100% recycled shell, 800 fill-power down and a featherlight weight of 278g (M). Men’s XS-XXL / Women’s XS-XL

ROHAN / ICEPACK OVERHEAD £155

A cool new addition to the swelling ranks of trad-inspired gear, the Icepack Overhead has a smock-style design, is perfect for cold, damp conditions, and is packed with zoned Insuloft Wadding (thick on the core, thin on the sleeves). This is a jacket with many thoughtful touches. The jacket packs into a pocket lined with microfleece so it can double as a pillow, there’s a kangaroo pocket in the front, it stays warm when wet, weighs just 470g (M) and dries in only five hours. Men’s XS-XL / Women’s n/a

BUFFALO / ALPINE JACKET £214

Buffalo’s winning combination of windproof Pertex and cold-killing fibre pile have long made the brand a favourite of squaddies and old-school winter mountaineers. In recent years, the Alpine Jacket style – with a central zip, super hood and snazzy design – has been added to the ranks. It may be warm and slightly heavy (724g), but it’s uncompromisingly built for uncompromising British weather. Men’s S-XL / Women’s S-XL

FJALLRAVEN / KEB PADDED HOODIE £235

Excellent as a standalone jacket or as a layering piece in the coldest conditions, this no-frills but well-featured jacket will give a warmth boost in moderately cold conditions. With two hand-warmer pockets and a zipped chest pocket, it’s insulated with G-Loft synthetic insulation to withstand damp and stay light (510g) and packable.

Men’s XS-XXL / Women’s XXS-XL

ARC’TERYX / CERIUM SL HOODY £270

The superlight 215g Cerium SL may be a more basic jacket than some – the hood has no peak or adjustment beyond a rear volume adjuster – but it has features where it counts, namely 850 fill-power goose down in the body, and synthetic, moisture-resistant insulation on the shoulders and cuffs. A deceptively tough nylon outer, two zipped pockets and a stuff-sack round out this solid offering. Men’s S-XXL / Women’s XS-XL

MONTANE / HYDROGEN EXTREME SMOCK £200

Covered with the latest version of Pertex’s Quantum Air nylon outer in the body, with a tougher, water-resistant version in the sleeves, and insulated with Polartec Alpha Direct fleece, this is kit for serious cold and wind – whether belaying, on a break, or bivvying in the snow. A superb helmet-compatible hood rounds off the package. And at 496g (M) it’s heavy enough to take a bashing and light enough to stash. Men’s S-XXXL / Women’s n/a

GORE WEAR / H5 JACKET £320

Gale-resistant thanks to Gore’s own Windstopper fabric, and insulated with Polartec Alpha fleece, this jacket will keep the foulest weather at bay. With a seamless design for extra comfort around the shoulders when wearing a backpack, this super-breathable jacket has been made for fast and light activity, so is perfect for stuffing in your pack and forgetting about – until you need something to provide as much warmth as a small woodburner. Men’s S-XXL / Women’s XS-XL

BERGHAUS / EXTREM MICRO DOWN 2.0 £200

Covered with a layer of Pertex Quantum – which is as tough as it is windproof – this jacket uses Berghaus’ premium MtnHaus technology to body-map insulation zones. It also has Reflect technology and Hydrodown with Nikwax waterproofing, so the down insulation in this jacket is more weather-resistant than you might expect – proven to work up to 16 hours after a drenching! A superb jacket for the price. Men’s S-XXL / Women’s 8-18