Review: Berghaus Men's Knoydart Waterproof Jacket

Go Outdoors have sent me something else to test and review, this time it is one of their mens waterproof jackets.

This waterproof is a berghaus one:  the Berghaus Knoydart Jacket.

It arrived yesterday and I just picked it up and carried it home - it was too hot for a waterproof.

I am not really a gear geek.  Some outdoor bloggers seem obsessed with gear but while I like it, I often feel pretty guilty about spending that much cash.  So, while some people would have weighed this  and analysed the stitching, I'll just talk through how I've used it today and what I've thought of it.

This morning, I was woken early by rain bouncing down.  Edinburgh was drenched.  I picked up the jacket as I was leaving the flat and headed out for the bus.

It is only a few minutes walk to the bus stop but the rain was heavy and it was good to see the jacket shedding it well, the water beading on the surface of the coat as it is supposed to do.    I jumped on the number 23 which was just coming to the stop as I got there and must have looked a bit wierd taking photographs of my jacket to try to show you the beading of the water.

It rained all morning but at lunchtime I headed out for a walk around the block.  Down to Holyrood Palace and then up the Royal Mile before dropping down St Mary's Street, climbing up the new Scotsman steps and then back to the office down the High Street.

The drizzle was still thick in the air, although it was not putting off the tourists and performers on the Royal Mile.  The Jacket kept me nice and dry though.

I had the hood up, which fitted well.  There is a volume adjuster on the back which with a quick tug made the hood nice and snug.

Over the day the rain continued, but just as I was going home, things brightened up and as Marian met me for the walk home the sun was out and we wandered back via George Square which is all getting set up for the Festival.  I got her to take some photos of me in the jacket, me trying hard not to look too much like a model in a Grattan catalogue.


But what of the Jacket? 

I am impressed.  I don't tend to spend much on kit and since I've been walking  seriously I've only had a couple of waterproofs, a heavy Spraway one that I got in a sale and my current main waterproof shell, a Montane Atomic DT that I picked up a couple of years ago at 914 Outdoors.  The Montane one is light but simple.

This Knoydart Jacket is of a heavier material, but is still a lightweight jacket.  It is lined in a light nylon and there is a mesh pocket inside for your mobile.  The zip is well made and smooth with flaps to protect it.  The peak is not wired but I like that - it is still stiff enough to stay upright.  The hood can roll away quickly and when it does it looks very neat.  There is a pocket on the breast with a waterproof zip.  It is relatively short too as modern jackets tend to be.  I like them like this rather than thigh length.

I like it.  It feels very new and clean at the moment though and almost too good to use on the hill!  It will get out in the wilds soon, but at the moment it is a good jacket to see me through the summer downpours in Edinburgh.

If you are on the lookout for a decent waterproof at a reasonable cost I would certainly recommend that you take a look at the Berghaus Knoydart.