Lightest Waterproof Out There?

The North Face is about to unleash pretty much the lightest waterproof jacket we've ever seen in the shape of the new 152-gramme Triumph Anorak. And they're backing it up with the sub 90-gramme Hydrogen windproof jacket.

The company reckons that the Triumph is 'surely the lightest, most compressible waterproof on the market' and, if the specs are correct, it does indeed undercut both TNF's own 200-gramme DIAD Jacket and the even lighter Haglofs Oz Pullover.

The Triumph uses just two panels of waterproof, breathable Hyvent DT fabric for the entire jacket including the hood. That's some pretty fancy pattern cutting and means that the number of weight and bulk increasing seams have been reduced with 50 per-cent less stitching and taping, but also - says The North Face - reduces the number of potential weak points leading to a stronger jacket.

The Triumph retails for £130 and should be in store imminently. It looks like an ideal buy for anyone who prizes lightness and packability for fast-moving use. Strictly speaking Montane's 100-gramme Featherlite H2O jacket is lighter, but it lacks a hood and the fabric is, we think, less waterproof than the Hyvent DT.

When things get windy...

Joining the Triumph is the new Hydrogen Jacket, a wind-resistant shell that packs down to the size of a tennis ball, comes with its own stuffsac complete with belt loops and weighs in at 87 grammes for men's sizes and just 73 grammes for women. It has a water repellant treatment as well, so should shrug off light showers just fine.

In the shops shortly priced at £65. More details of The North Face range at www.thenorthface.com.