Ive narrowed my search down to three jackets, arcteryx Alpha LT, arcteryx Theta AR or mountain equipment changabang.  Im basically looking for a jacket that can be used for most things, can be worn with a harness and can take a heavy battering (Im not one for taking great care of my equipment I like to get dirty and love gorge walking!).  Currently the heaviest weather it will see is a good downpour in the lakes, but I want to get a jacket that is suitable if I start doing something a little more serious as Im thinking of joining a mountaineering club.  Which would you pick out of these three jackets!?

Thanks, Danny.

Thanks for a completely useless comment.

I can barely afford one of them, but I dont want to be constantly worrying if I am going to damage my stuff, I would rather concentrate on what I am doing.  Surely it takes the enjoyment out of doing an activity if all you can think about is fsk me this jacket took me 3 months to save for, I dont want to rip it.  Perhaps I should have said ... "I want to be able to take it out the house without fear of damaging it" would that suit you?  That is why I want to spend a lot of money on the jacket, so that I know it will last me even if I do fall on my arse and go sliding down a scree.

Once again, thanks for being an arse.

www.mandmdirect.com

Berghaus solipist XCR, cheap enough to knock about...................£149

If you dont want to worry about damaging your jacket something cheaper might be a better bet, sods law sees to it that the more expensive jacket is more likely to get ripped anyway (I find). There are plenty of cheap, tough, reasonably performing jackets out there from the likes of regatta and result for instance if you want something to take a beating.

Unless you are after a smart brand of course

Arcteryx gear looks great and certainly did have a reputation for unrivalled quality when it was made in Canada.

But:

As Ben said, the Alpha is a lightweight jacket and, however well made it is, the materials aren't that durable.

I don't think Atcteryx has any clear edge over other top end brands when it comes to quality any more -- they're all made in China, no doubt with very strict quality controls, but even so...

The designs tend to follow North American requirements and sahions, not British or European ones. The hoods, in particular, are often not brilliant, having floppy or laminated brims that are fine with a helmet or even a baseball cap, but not on their own in driving sleet. Have a careful look at this before buying.

If cash is an issue, I reckon there are others that'll do the job at least as well for less.

Re the Changabang, do you really need pit zips? They seem like a great idea, but I hardly ever used them on a jacket I had which was fitted with them -- just too fiddly -- and they are a weakness. If great breathabiliy is essential, what about eVent?