Berghaus Slipstream Smock First Look

Berghaus Slipstream Smock First Impressions

Price: £180.00

546g (men's Large)

Features: Three-layer Gore-Tex XCR fabric, wired 'mountain' hood with volume adjuster, two way, water-resistant main zip, pre-curved, articulated sleeves, one large Napoleon pocket, one chest pocket, one interior mesh pocket, drop taIL

Up till now most XCR garments have been top of the range, fully featured mountaineering jackets with pit-zips, funky hoods and other gimmicks plus prices and weights to match. The Slipstream stands all that on its head and pitches in with an all in weight of 546g for a men's large and a price tag of 'just' £180.

No frills - just XCR fabric, a hood, water-resistant zip and a weight uunder 550g for £180

What you're getting is a minimalist technical climbing smock with no silly gimmicks to add weight or high street cred. The fabric is Gore's highly breathable XCR, which we know from experience breathes better than any other conventional waterproof fabric. The main zip, which comes down to near waist level for venting purposes, is a double-zippered, water-resistant number with big, easy grip tabs. Sure, it's easier to put on a jacket, but how often do you actually completely undo it - in a climbing situation? Wearing a harness?

The hood feels up to Berghaus's usual standards with a wired peak and enough volume to envelop a helmet comfortably, though it's not quite so happy without a helmet. Other refinements include a big old Napoleon pocket that'll take a map plus snacks and other handies plus a smaller breast pocket on the other side, and a dropped tail at the, erm, tail.

Differential hem cords in different colours are a neat and useful touch

A nice touch is that the twin adjustable hem drawcords - one front, one rear - are colour coded so you can adjust the fit front or rear. You can, for example, opt to pull the front of the jacket, slightly flatter for better downward visibility. Overally cut feels good. Sleeker than, say, the Berghaus Suellivan

We haven't had the chance to use the Slipstream for technical climbing yet, but if you want light weight and low bulk without sacrificing full protection, at a reasonable price for XCR, then it looks like a definite option. You won't be seeing too many on the high street though, it's too uncompromising for that.

Initial Verdict: Light weight, full XCR, decent hood and no silly gimmicks.

Berghaus web site

Pushed for time: Light, stripped down, XCR with a decent hood and no silly gimmicks. First impressions are positive, though we've not used it in a technical climbing situation yet.

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