Jacket buying - dead easy right? I mean, you read a few reviews on
the web and in the mags, pop down the shops, pick a nice colour, wave
your arms around a bit then, whooomph, it's out with the credit
card...
Great till you find that the hood doesn't do up properly, the
front of the jacket explodes like a pregnant llama as soon as you
shoulder a pack, you can't manipulate the zips wearing gloves and
wearing a harness prevents access to every pocket in the garment.
But believe it or not, there is a better way - even if it does
look a bit silly - just follow our top jacket-buying tips and while
you may look a bit of a trog, long term embarassment will be smugly
avoided.
The Cut Start with the general fit, you're looking for fit
that's snug, but not restrictive. You need the option of wearing a
mid-layer underneath when it's really cold, so hell, try one on. If
the cut is big and baggy you'll be looking at billowing fabric in the
wind, unsightly bulges and convection currents that will rob you of
body heat. Can you reach up easily above your head as it scrambling
or climbing?
Pack Test You'll be wearing a pack right, so try the jacket
with a pack on your back. Yes, it's a bit of a hassle, but it's worth
it. Does the pack harness cause wads of material to billow out at the
chest? Can you access all the pockets you need to without difficulty?
What about pit zips if you have them - can you get to them easily
still? Last but not least, is there anything caught or rucked under
the hip-belt that could cause discomfort - you'd be amazed where some
manufacturers decide to site cord grips... Can you still reach up
easily above your head as it scrambling or climbing?
Hood Hassle Hoods are crucial for winter use, but good ones
are surprisingly rare. First try it with a bare head. Can you cinch
it down to leave a close-fitting face opening for maximum protection?
Is the peak stiff and effective enough to provide some protection in
strong winds? When you look around up and down, does the hood move
with your head or do you find yourself with a birds-eye view of the
lining?
Look up, down and around and make sure that the neck fastening
stays fastened. Try adjusting the fit wearing winter gloves and see
what happens - better to find out in the shop than in the
Cairngorms...
Put A Lid In It If you climb then repeat the same test with
your usual climbing helmet in situ. Make sure you can still look
around freely, especially upwards and that there's enough space to
cinch down round your face. Designing a hood that works with and
without a helmet is difficult and few work really well in both
situations. Does the neck fastening stay done up when you move your
head around? Is it comfortable against your neck? Be wary of thick,
fleecy inserts which can get damp and freeze unfcomfortably
solid...
Harness Test If you're a climber, don't wait to get on the
crags. Try your harness on with a rucksack in the shop. Is the cut
still neat, do bits billow? Most important of all, is your movement
restricted when you lift your arms high above your head as if
climbing (or worshipping). If your cuffs are pulled down your arm,
try another jacket, or you'll be looking at a spindrift party in your
sleeves. It sounds so basic, but some jackets simply aren't cut with
enough arm-lift for climbing and it's better to find out in the
shops... Free but snug is the way to go.
Pockets And Fastenings Start with the basics - does it have
enough pockets for you? What about handwarmer pockets, even climbers
might find them useful. Are they in the right place? Can you access
them while wearing a rucksack? Is the map pocket taped in position so
it doesn't flop around when loaded?
Next look at how well the zips are protected and make an educated
guess as to whether the water will get in. Water-resistant zips are
good, but still need protecting at the ends, or water can seap in
past the zipper. Few pockets are genuinely waterproof, but some are
better than others and, if a pocket is mesh-lined, poorly protected
zips will fasttrack water to your mid-layers - yuk...
Main Zip Gore jackets have to pass tests for waterproofing,
but check out the main zip. Make sure any Velcro or stud fastenings
are secure and easy to use and secure, try them with gloves as well.
There should be at least one layer of material protecting the main
zip and two if the Velcro isn't a continuous strip.
Drawcords Check that they are easy to access and use and
operate smoothly without rucking up the material. If you're a
climber, watch out for loose cords and ends that could catch in a
belay or abseil device and cause serious problems. Few do these days,
but check anyway to be safe.
Overall Quality And Feel If all the above is present and
correct, you can worry about finish and quality - colour even... Gore
fabrics and construction are actually lab-tested by WL Gore before
garments are approved, but own brand and other fabrics should also be
well made and finished.
If you're Mr or Ms Hardcore Mountaineer and seriously will be
thrutching up rocky chimneys look for reinforcement to forearms,
elbows and shoulders. If you're going to be backpacking, look for
shoulder reinforcement to protect from long term abrasion from pack
straps.
Breathability shouldn't be an issue with top-end jackets, so get
the basics right before you start panicking about variations on the
RET scale...
Colour Okay, now you can start worrying about which glorious
colour to select. We like the burnt orange hue that Patagonia used to
favour, but whichever you choose, make sure you can still reach up
easily above your head as it scrambling or climbing. Purple can be
very restrictive.
Ian Baker
