Wired UK – September 2019

GEAR 066

SHAKE IT OFF_

Gore R7 GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY

This remarkable jacket is,

at just 118g, half the weight

of your smartphone and can

stuff almost as easily into

your jeans pocket. Designed

for serious runners, the R7

is made from a new Gore-

Tex fabric that has just two

layers, with the waterproof

membrane on the outside,

instead of being sandwiched

between an outer fabric. The

result means water never

saturates – it simply beads

on the surface and can be

removed with a quick shake.

£259.99 gorewear.com

COSY AND DRY_

Patagonia Stretch

Rainshadow Jacket

This design is made from 100

per cent recycled ECONYL

nylon fibres, much of which

has been salvaged from

discarded fishing nets. Eco

doesn’t mean compromise,

however, and the 2.5-layer

H2No Performance

Standard shell is breathable,

comfortable and waterproof.

It’s pretty light (300g for

a men’s medium), can be

stuffed into its own zippable

pocket, and unlike many

waterproofs, it has a lovely

soft feel. £180 patagonia.eu

WET-LOOK WEARABLE_

Columbia Titanium OutDry

EX Eco Tech Shell

It has something of a wet-look

aesthetic, but Columbia’s

revolutionary two-ply

OutDry fabric does away

with the need for an external

water-repellent layer, which

means no matter how much

it rains, the material will not

get saturated. What’s more,

Columbia has managed to

do all this using 100 per cent

recycled, PFC-free polyester

• and the white version is
  dye-free, helping to save
  water at the factory. £180
  columbiasportswear.co.uk

FITTED FABRICS_

Berghaus Changtse

Beat the rain by wrapping

yourself in three types of

Gore-Tex: the Changtse’s

body uses Gore-tex Active

(the brand’s most breathable

fabric); extra-durable Paclite

has been used in areas prone

to wear and tear; and Gore-tex

Topo has been used on the

cuffs and hem to create the

best-fitting jacket we’ve

tried. The stretchy material

clings brilliantly at the hip,

even when walking with a

rucksack, while the cuff

material stays snug to the

wrist. £290 berghaus.com

HYBRID STYLE_ (above)

Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid

A consummate all-rounder

that’ll protect you from the

harshest conditions, this

jacket deploys two Gore-Tex

fabrics – N40r and Paclite

Plus – to create a feather-

light (360g), packable and

hard-wearing protector

whatever your outdoor

pursuit. Where in the past

such water repellency would

mean feeling like you’re

trapped in a Bag For Life, the

SL Hybrid is soft, comfortable

and the most stylish design

Arc’teryx has launched in

years. £330 arcteryx.com

WATERPROOF JACKETS

A world away from the sweaty

cagoule of your youth, the

latest jackets come loaded with

near Nasa-level technology.

Gore-Tex, which was invented

in the 1960s, is still the material

of choice – but nowadays,

microscopic adjustments can be

made to tweak its breathability,

while fabrics with four-way

stretch, helmet-ready hoods

and waterproof internal pockets

can be found everywhere,

from the slopes of Flatanger to

flooded Fenchurch Street.

09-19-GEgear.indd 66 22/07/2019 12:36