Rab Women’s Valiance Waterproof Down Jacket

(£330, rab.equipment)

What the brand says: Designed for everyday use and wild winter walking days, this warm and waterproof coat features a durable and waterproof Pertex Shield outer alongside taped seams for reliable protection. The narrow bonded boxwall construction stabilises the down and allows it to fully loft, trapping the maximum amount of air for warmth. For added durability, lower bulk and better moisture management, the cuffs and hood are also insulated with fastdrying, synthetic Stratus insulation. Plus, it’s available in a range of colours.

What Katy says:

‘If you like padded puffa-style jackets then you’ll love this. Not one bit of my upper body felt cold while wearing it, however, as I was testing it in the most torrential of downpours, my legs got drenched and so, again, referring back to my introduction, I only wish this coat was longer; if it were, I would probably replace my regular long padded jacket for this, as that one’s not waterproof, whereas this is – rain is literally repelled off it.

‘The hood is fantastic as, like with the Kathmandu one, it has discreet, hidden toggles inside the hood lining with colour-matching drawstrings that fall within the coat. And you can pull it in so tight that, coupled with the high zip almost to my nose, it creates the smallest eye-hole of all, like a balaclava. The peak can also be worn two ways: one tucked under for greater vision, but also folded out for the wettest weather.

‘The cuffs can be adjusted with Velcro and, although the pockets have zips, I wanted to use them to protect my hands as I walked in the downpour, but found that rain got into them so I got soggy gloves. However, this is an issue with most coats unless there are huge storm flaps on the pockets. The fit of the 10 is snug, although I can still get a thick roll-neck jumper underneath.’

Fit: ★★★★★ Functionality: ★★★★★ Style ★★★★★