What's It For?
The Kamleika Race Jacket is the second generation of OMM's Kamleika lightweight shell clothing - there's also a Smock which we scoop tested back in June - and matching waterproof pants. The kit is designed as lightweight, fast-moving waterproof shell clothing that you can run, walker, cycle or race in, but the jacket is touted by OMM as being a more 'relaxed' fit for more general use.
The Techy Bits
The Gelanots four-way fabric used by OMM is quite unusual. It stretches like a soft shell and has a soft, silky knitted polyester outer face fabric and for once, the stretch is quite real and goes right across the entire jacket rather than being localised to panels in strategic locations.
The fabric differs from the earlier version by having a new, soft-feeling inner and is effectively a 2.5-layer fabric. It's also very waterproof with 20 metres of hydrostatic head and in lab tests, registers 20,000g breathability, which is comparable to eVent and similar high end fabrics.
All seams are taped for full waterproofing and there are YKK water resistant zips on the chest pockets and main zip with a laminated storm flap behind the latter.
How It Performed
OMM may say the Race Jacket has a 'relaxed' fit but for most people, it's stillk quite streamlined, albeit with enough room for a lightweight mid-layer underneath. The fabric feels soft and pleasant to wear, a bit like a soft shell and we like the overall cut and pronounced drop tail which is great for biking and running.
The chest pockets sit neatly above waist belt level, though they won't quite hold an OS map, if that's a consideration for you. We like the reflective on the sleeves, though it disappears if you roll them up - easily done thanks to the stretch - and you also need to bear in mind that some packs or bum bags may obscure the reflective on the tail of the jacket.
The thin stretchy fabric means it all packs down to a neat, compact and stowable size and while 300 grammes isn't the lightest thing out there, it's still very reasonable.
The hood is quite minimalist and rolls away neatly enough. It won't give full-on mountain protection, but it's adequate and in keeping with the rest of the jacket albeit a little tight across the editorial chin.
Waterproofing has been fine so far with no leaks and what seems like an effective DWR treatment and breathability is as good as anything else we've used, particularly given the price, though as with all waterproof materials, you can still overwhelm it when working hard.
One thing to bear in mind is that the polyester knitted face fabric is unlikely to stand up to heavy pack use, so it's probably best to stick with relatively fast-moving activities with a lightweight pack or no sac at all.
Initial Verdict
We always liked the Kamleika fabric, but the new design has brought the jacket into the 21st Century and the rehashed fabric feels a lot nicer too. Breathability is very good, we like the prominent reflective print. and pack size and weight are both decent.
Buy if you want a reasonably-priced, nice-feeling, lightweight, compact, fast-moving, multi-sport waterproof with good breathability.
