UKC

Hi all,

I'll start by saying that I'm not a climber and I've only come on here to get some expert advice (please)...

Basically I'm in law enforcement, predominantly working outside the whole year round. I'm looking for a hooded softshell type jacket that isn't too bulky and which will keep me warm and dry when the weather is pretty rotten. I thought I'd found the jacket for me when I went to Cotswold outdoors store and tried on the Rab Vapour Rise Guide jacket. It was lovely and warm, fitted well etc.... The only problem was, I really hated the colour!!

It sounds petty but I don't like plain colours like black or grey, and the only other option was shocking red! I've since found out that this jacket was made a few years ago and it's difficult to find any other colours online. So this is where I need your help.

I have no idea what I'm looking at when I look online but I can tell you that I want something similar to the Rab jacket I mentioned above. It needs to have a hood (for when I wear an ear piece) and it needs to have a nice fleece lining to keep me warm. Water proofing isn't essential as I can find cover most of the time...but it would be a bonus. I did see that Tog24 were doing a couple of cheaper softshell jackets at approx £50. Does anyone have experience of using thrrm? Maybe not....but I thought I'd ask.

Budget would be up to £150 but I'd like to keep it as low as possible as I'm only using it on the streets of London and it may get ruined if I'm rolling around the floor with some little scally wag!

In reply to TDW999:

Sell your vapor-rise and buy in a different colour. Brilliant jacket 🙂

In reply to coombsy:

Thanks but I never actually bought the jacket. I just tried it on. I suppose what I'm after is some alternative (but similar) jackets to the vapour rise Guide jacket. I thought I'd have lots of recommendations by now. Fingers crossed I'll get some soon.

In reply to TDW999:

Have a look at:

http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/teclite-shirt/ you can buy a removable hood.

Or

https://www.montane.co.uk/mens-c1/clothing-c25/insulated-jackets-c6/alpha-g...

Colour wise, you may be stuck with the exciting options of black, blue, more black, plain old black....

In reply to TDW999:

Check out buffalo.

http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk

In reply to TDW999:

How about the ME mission : http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/mission-jacket

but, unfortunately for you, you are trying to replace the 'gold standard' when it comes to shoftshells.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Another vote for Buffalo.

In reply to TDW999:

Vapour rise is basically a two layer softhell, but not the only one on the market. Marmot did a similar one (Driclime IIRC; it was not as warm as the Rab version) and Mountain Equipment certainly used to (but not sure they still do...).

I've certainly seen Lowe Alpine versions and Patagonia do too, but having a fight in a Patagonia Adze hoody seems like a bad idea on several fronts.

Last but not least the Buffalo Teclite gear is very similar - and not always black. http://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/fell-jacket-2/#colourswitch

Cheers

b

In reply to all:

Thanks, some good suggestions there. Am I right in thinking that the guide jacket is the best out there for what I'm describing?

I like the look of the other softshells but not too sure about the buffalo systems. That said, the buffalo looks nice and warm...and that is what I'm ultimately after. Do the linked softshell jackets have fleece linings?

Thanks again

In reply to TDW999:
https://www.montane.co.uk/mens-c1/clothing-c25/insulated-jackets-c6/extreme-jacket-p51

Very similar jacket. Bombproof and toasty warm. Sleeves not as long as rab! Comes in 4 colours.

The pullover version is on go outdoors for 125 squids!

In reply to TDW999:

The Patagonia Adze might be just what you're looking for:

https://www.alpinetrek.co.uk/patagonia-adze-hybrid-hoody-softshell-jacket/?...

I've got the Patagonia Northwall, which is very similar but no longer available. The Northwall is fantastic, easily the best jacket I've ever bought - and I've bought lots. If you're not familiar with Patagonia jackets, they have a great reputation which is well deserved.

In reply to TDW999:
I've got an older Mountain Hardwear Softshell that has served me very well and this looks like it would fit your criteria, worth a look perhaps?
http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/mountain-hardwear-mens-super-conductor-hoode...

In reply to all:

Thanks guys. Really helpful advice which will surely point me in the direction of something suitable. I still get the feeling that the Guide jacket is the crème de la crème so I don't know whether I'll try to convince myself that the plain colours are worth the quality!

In reply to TDW999:

Haven't you just "totally blown your cover"? All us little scally ways will be on the lookout for a bloke with an earpiece in whatever softshell you decide on!

More seriously, if you can pop into Decathlon (Surrey Keys I think in London) and see what they have. All their stuff works very well and often at a third of the price of the specialist brands. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/alpinism-mens-light-softshell-grey-black-id_8358... or http://www.decathlon.co.uk/windwarm-500-men-dark-green-id_8370305.html might work?

In reply to Nbrain:

Just been looking at all of the links and this one seems to fit the closest to the guide jacket. Thanks for the link 😀

In reply to TDW999:

Think about your role as well. Sitting in a cold OP requires different clothing from foot surveillance, which is different clothing from plain clothes patrol, which again will vary from mobile to foot.
Pockets are usually useful.

Don't the National issue jackets...?

In reply to TDW999:

I would question whether you really need a high tech jacket for the use you're describing. Personally, I have a £60 M&S waterproof and lined jacket for day to day use and a £10 Sports Direct fleece to go under it when it gets colder.

I save my expensive Mountain Equipment gear for the hillwalking and climbing conditions where it's really needed, rather than wear it out by using it around town.

In reply to TDW999:

Get yourself down to Decathlon - their softshells are good and dirt cheap - not two characteristics that often go together. I currently have a black one with a hood (cost me £35) and a grey one without (£40). Both cope fine with Scottish winter weather as long as it's not properly raining. Both are in the same league as jackets that cost four times as much.

In reply to TDW999:

Thanks everyone, I've gone ahead and ordered the montane jacket. Much appreciated. Good luck out there and stay safe!

In reply to TDW999:



Dead giveaway, as it comes in black, grey, red and green. Must be a bluff.

In reply to felt:

Why would I go to the trouble of registering on a forum to ask a very specific question if I wasn't serious? Don't assume what you don't know! I went for the grey with yellow piping because I wanted something with a bit of colour.

In reply to TDW999:

I'm so sorry, I wasn't exactly being serious, just picking up on a comment made further up the thread. Enjoy the top! (I'd have gone for the red.)

In reply to TDW999:

You wont go far wrong with a Montane, proper, proper kit.