First
Look
Columbia
Outdry Extreme
£180 225g
columbiasportswear.co.uk
OutDry turns the design of rainwear inside out, with the
waterproof layer and the taped seams on the outside. This
gives garments a distinctive and rather plastic and shiny
look that may not appeal to everyone. More importantly
it means there’s no need for a DWR treatment and
therefore no need to ever reproof the outer.
The Featherweight is the lightest OutDry Extreme
jacket and it lives up to its name, the Large size weighing
225 grams. It has a watertight front zip backed by a stiff
flap, two large mesh pockets with watertight zips, an
adjustable hood with a bonded visor, adjustable cuffs, and
an extended back.
I took the Featherweight Shell on this year’s TGO
Challenge. For the first week, it stayed in the pack as the
weather was dry and sunny. The second week was wet,
sometimes very wet, and I wore the jacket a great deal.
No rain came in and breathability was good, even on a day
when I was in steady rain and mist from dawn to dusk.
The Featherweight has an unusual hood. This has a
slightly stiffened visor with light elastication either side
and a rear drawcord. I found that unless I tightened the
drawcord enough to pull the hood back a little I couldn’t
get it to stay put in wind or to prevent rain entering at
the sides. The cuffs have Velcro adjustments but are so
narrow anyway that these don’t make much difference.
I do like the big pockets. These are cut off by a hipbelt
but are so roomy that I could still get a map in and out.
This is a good very light jacket made from an
unconventional fabric. I’ll be wearing it more to assess the
durability but so far I’m impressed.
Chris Townsend
THE UK’S
MOST
EXPERIENCED
GEAR
TESTING
TEAM
TGO’s gear reviewers
Chris Townsend
Height 5’8” Boot size 9
Clothing size Medium
(with short legs)
Chris Townsend has written 20 books on
the outdoors, including the award-winning
The Backpacker’s Handbook. Among his
walking achievements, he was the first
person to complete a continuous round
of all the Munros and Tops and the first to
walk the 1600-mile length of the Canadian
Rockies. Chris has been reviewing gear
for The Great Outdoors since 1991.
Judy Armstrong
Height 5’2” Boot size 3.5/4
Clothing size 12/Women’s medium
Judy Armstrong has been
testing gear for The Great Outdoors
since 2005 but has been hillwalking and
mountaineering for 30
years. Originally from
New Zealand, Judy
lives in the North York
Moors National Park
and also has a base
in the French Alps.
Alex Roddie
Height 5’ 7” Boot size 10.5
Clothing size Large
Alex Roddie is The Great
Outdoors magazine’s Online Editor and
a regular feature writer. A reformed
climber with a background in Scottish
winter and alpinism, he loves nothing
better than long-distance lightweight
backpacking in wild mountain
landscapes, particularly the Scottish
Highlands and Swiss Alps. Read his
reviews online at tgomagazine.co.uk.
Robens
Hawk Stool
£30.99
The Hawk offers a
strong, steel frame for
a sturdy, durable seat.
This basecamp chair is
quick to assemble and
incorporates mesh panels
for enhanced breathability
and comfort, plus a side
attachment for a bottle holder. The
backrest can be folded down to
create a small 12cm x 75cm packed
size yet the 2,385g chair measures
55cm x 60cm x 77cm when open.
robens.de
Terra Nova
Laser and Zephyros compact versions
From £180
These new ultra-lightweight tents from Terra Nova are the ultimate
space-savers. The brand has extended its range of short pack-size tents by
introducing compact versions of its popular Terra Nova Laser Competition
and Wild Country Zephyros one- and two-person shelters. The new models
all have a packed length of 30cm or less, and weigh between around 1kg and
1.5kg. This development is a response to increased interest in bikepacking
and a trend towards products that pack down to a smaller size.
terra-nova.co.uk