Mountain Equipment Lhotse XCR Jacket

Niall Kydd
Reviewed: 04 June 2004

GREAT ALL ROUND JACKET

Good length, cut and weight for a wide variety of activities - so far used it skiing, winter mountaineering, hill walking, scramblng and popping to the shops.
Like the hook for a compass string in the pocket!

Map pocket a little on the small side for those waterproof OS maps. They fit in but take a little persuasion.
Slightly massive collar when hood rolled up.
Another outer pocket perhaps?

Was looking for one sturdy jacket to do everything off a bike and found it. Yes you could use a Paclite in some situations but this isn't heavy enough to be a pain unless you're a real gram counter.

Jennifer Hale
Reviewed: 18 May 2004

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING - NO UNNECCESSARY FEATURES!

Wonderful peaked hood - great for when it's pouring down with rain or you need protection from gusts of wind in the Cairngorms in mid Feb.
Great fit - long in the arms, and just long enough over the bottom to allow good reach when climbing in winter conditions.
Map pocket is ideally placed and easy to access and swallows a map without a problem.

None that I can think of....

A lightweight Goretex 3ply XCR jacket which really comes into it's element in all winter weather conditions. I wouldn't say it's pricey at it's retail price of £240 as you really do get what you pay for, but if you can, wait for the end of season sales as I got mine for £150 in Rathbones, in Keswick just after Xmas 2003, loads of bargains about!

Stuart Nicholson
Reviewed: 11 January 2004

BRILLIANT

Comfort. Cut. Weight. Practicality.

?

I've just worn this for two solid weeks, the first in the North West Highlands, the second in the Lakes.
In Scotland it was bitterly cold, with a lot of snow. I wore the jacket as a wind/snow proof. Several things came to the fore in this environment - the sleeves were brilliant, so much freedom for reaching/ice axe work and the massive but unobtrusive cargo pockets were brillian for the hats/gloves on/off stuff. Finally, it was all hot and hard work and the breathability was absolutely incredible.
In the Lakes it just rained, all the time. I don't usually like using a hood (I'm a Lowe Alpine hat man myself) but the rain forced me to use this hood. It was a revelation. I'd liken it to wearing a hat which is attached to the jacket. Brilliant. So grim was the weather that navigation was a bit of a grind and it was the kind of weather where getting maps/compasses out is a chore. However, the map pocket swallowed a map in an Ortlieb case and was so easy to get to (no mucking about behind the storm flap). My compass could even attach to a D ring in the pocket so there was no excuse.
In summary, every feature this jacket has is exceptional (I haven't even mentioned the stiffened storm flap which just fastens itself), any feature it doesn't have isn't neaded. The best I've ever used.

les burns
Reviewed: 09 January 2004

GREAT JACKET- LIGHT, COMFORTABLE AND NOT FUSSY

Hood, length and freedom of movement

none

Mountain equipment make great clothing and this is a fine example- buy one. Look for factory shops and offers- I got 50% off mine :-D

Angus Taylor
Reviewed: 31 December 2003

WOW!

Great Length, Hood suberb, Love the 'whistle idea' & extremely Lightweight

Could possibly do with another external pocket or 2

Suberb jacket. An absolute bargain (last years' model) at £165 (F&T)