Rohan Pinnacle Jacket

New in for review is the Rohan Pinnacle waterproof shell jacket, the company's new take on an all-round mountain waterproof made using their highly breathable Barricade fabric.

We've already told you a fair bit about the new Rohan Pinnacle Series but a quick recap if you missed it - Pinnacle is Rohan's return to its outdoor roots and aimed at technical mountain use. The range includes hard shells for men and women using a PU-based membrane fabric called Barricade, which in lab tests is as breathable or more breathable than leading fabrics. There are also soft shells, down jackets, trousers and merino base layers.

The waterproof Pinnacle jacket is at the very peak of the range and on paper, it looks promising, so were keen to try it out for real. First impression is that compared to most modern shell jackets, the Pinnacle is a tough-feeling, weighty beast. Even allowing for the built-in snow skirt, 790 grammes is a lot.

The next thing we noticed is the cut - it's generous to say the least, and we do mean properly big, and cut nice and long, which will be great for general walking use. Rohan designer Tim Jasper emphasises that it's intended for big mountain walking days in Scotland rather than elite mountaineering where every gramme counts and also concedes that Rohan is being realistic about its customer and cut the jacket to suit rather than idealising their end user. Which is fair enough, just don't expect a close-cut, lightweight alpine-style shell.

What is good is that although the cut and length may be traditional, the materials and features are up to the minute. PU-based fabrics are improving all the time and if Barricade is as breathable as Rohan claims - watch this space - it should be up there with eVent in the performance stakes.

We also like the waterprof Riri Aquazip, which we've seen before on a Crux mountaineering jacket - a good sign - and the big ventilation openings which use conventional water-resistant zips under storm flaps. There are two big chest pockets too, which should clear pack belts just fine.

The hood we're not sure about. It cinches down neatly and moves with your head, but we're a little concerned about how the only minimally-stiffened peak would cope in driven Scottish rain. A nice touch is not only a soft microfleece beard guard, but also fleece panels next to the ears for comfort and quietness - an interesting touch.

One feature we don't like is the interactive zip allowing you to zip a fleece into the jacket. It adds weight and creates a cold band along the zip opening.

At a whisker under £300 at £293.61, the Pinnacle is an expensive bit of kit and it's going to have to work very well to justify that price tag. That said, there are very few shell jackets around that combine a walking-friendly long and generous cut with the level of features and components the Pinnacle has and it does have a feel of tank-like solidity to it that some buyers will really like.

Full review once we've had the chance to try it out on the hill. Bear in mind, if you find the Pinnacle kit too heavy for your taste, that next year Rohan is promising a lighter, more minimalist range. Watch this space for more details soon.