Insulated jackets are the must-have item for outdoors fans. Whether you walk, cycle, climb, ski, snowboard or horse ride, an insulated jacket is always handy, and in both winter and summer. During the summer I always have a lightweight insulated jacket (usually synthetic fibre) stuffed into a small corner of my rucksack. I use it when temperatures suddenly drop, perhaps higher up a mountain walk, or when we stop for a bite to eat. I have found that a lightweight insulating layer is the perfect antidote to the usual chills that I experience when I stop mid-exercise. In winter, a heavier weight jacket or a down insulated jacket is an essential item on my outdoors kit list. I will normally start out on a walk minus the jacket and then when I reach a higher and cooler level or the wind picks up I pop it on. I like an insulated jacket that is lightweight yet warming. And there are so many to choose from! Last year, we reviewed six great insulated jackets. Most of these are still on sale, some in newer colours or with extra features, such as a hood. A new insulated jacket for this season is the Berghaus Ulvetanna Hybrid jacket.

Berghaus Ulvetanna Hybrid jacket

This is a cleverly designed jacket with one eye on weight, another on weather and another on body heat. The Ulvetanna benefits form Berghaus bodymapping. That is, the insulation is positioned where the body needs it most and is lighter and more breathable where you might sweat more or need less insulation. In addition, the jacket utilises 850-fill goose Hydrodown and synthetic Hydroloft® Elite Pro insulation. Berghaus Hydrodown is goose down that is treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) to create a material that resists rain longer, dries quicker and retains its insulation even when it’s damp. Hydroloft® Elite Pro insulation is not so warm but offers a lot more breathability. It is also “non-migratory” (it doesn’t move around” and does not have to be sandwiched between downproof fabrics, unlike some other synthetics. What all this means in practice is that Berghaus can place down or loft in all the places that it thinks would be perfectly suited to maintaining comfortable core body temperature. The Ulvetanna Hybrid features include:

• A fixed, helmet-compatible hood with stiffened peak.
• Two zipped hand-warmer pockets.
• Stretch binding at the cuffs
• Drawcord at the hem.

The result is a fantastic technical jacket that is perfect for climbers, walkers or mountaineers. I would also wear it as an extra insulating layer while skiing on a very cold day. The Berghaus Ulvetanna Hybrid jacket is very easy to wear and really versatile. On a slightly warmer dry or damp day I would wear it as an outer layer or when I stop for a bite to eat while exercising. It would also make a great mid-layer on a very chilly or wet day when you would also be likely to wear an outer waterproof jacket. I’d happily wear this great looking jacket (it comes in fab colours) to the pub, too, or while on holiday and wandering around city streets or countryside attractions. It is quite costly at £250 but it does so many things that you might never have it off your back. There are male and women-fit versions of the Berghaus Ulvetanna Hybrid jacket. See Berghaus