Tough & stylish outer layer

Thrudark Zodiac Jacket £345

When I got this jacket (it’s really a smock), I was over the moon. It looked great. Secondly the materials used, particularly over the shoulders and hood area, are strong, water-repellant and of a ripstop nature so they’re repairable. All great stuff. The lower part of the jacket is a lighter stretchy material that allows freedom of movement. This is definitely a jacket to do physical stuff in. Which is perfect for me, a photographer who is always leaning against or laying on rough surfaces. Although the hood isn’t wired, it does have one of the best systems of tightening and shaping to your head that I’ve used. I’ve found it to be cold in windy conditions, with the lack of overall hard shell covering being particularly evident at these times. As Thrudark states in its specifications for the jacket it’s made from ‘water-repellant’ fabric, so bear this in mind when packing.

Stylish and figure-hugging, you’ll feel like a million dollars in this (though you won’t have a million, because you’ll have spent a considerable proportion buying it!). A very practical jacket, but you will still need a hard shell.

USED BY Tom Bailey, Trail photographer USED FOR 4 months