BERGHAUS Elite Half Zip (£90)

BERGHAUS Elite Half Zip (£90)

By John Manning

September 19 2011

TGO Rating 4.5 stars

Several familiar brands, when invited to submit jackets for this test, admitted they couldn’t meet the sub-£100 criteria. Berghaus slipped in creatively, with this lightweight pullover, one of only two such featured here. The Elite Half Zip will appeal to those who prefer to go fast and light. A much closer fit than Patagonia’s Torrentshell smock (and this an XL size, compared to Patagonia’s L), there’s room for free arm movement but not so much for additional layers. Cut fairly short, it half-covered my butt but rode up as I walked. More problematic were the draughts I could feel through the front zip, and the moisture that collected across the shoulders and within the hood when walking hard, which took a good while to issipate, despite a good drying breeze. Unlined, the fabric instead depends on a printed inner face pattern to disperse gathered moisture. The floppy-peaked hood fit snugly thanks to easily used face and volume adjustment cords.

Technical Spec

Protection: AQ2.5 (polyurethane-coated 15D ripstop nylon)
Pockets: one tiny zipped sleeve (holds stuff sack)
Weight: 244g (XL, inc stuff sack)
Sizes: Men: S-XXL, Women: n/a
Likes: weight, hood adjustment & fit
Dislikes: length, lack of pockets, close fit, draughty zip

Berghaus
www.berghaus.com 0191 516 570

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