Performance Fab! I also own a PHD down belay jacket rated to minus 18c – great in really cold weather or when not exerting ones-self too much. Unlike the Berghaus it does not contain waterproof down and I would not want to try it out like I did the berghaus as in wet condition results – the results would obviously not be good!
Today, I was wearing said jacket on the Lake District Fells in temperatures barely above freezing with a brisk northerly breeze and it was fine until we got out of the wind then – too hot! Fortunately I had the Berghaus Extrem as well so I put that on instead.

I continued wearing the Berghaus all day and all I was wearing underneath was a long sleeved Driflo top, that was all I needed to be comfortably warm without being too hot. Despite being a dry day, with the windchill, I estimate about minus 8 – 10c
Two weeks ago I tried the Berghaus Ilam on a foul weather day in Langdale. Cloud down to 350m all day with a cold southwesterly wind driving initially a light drizzle which became heavy by mid afternoon. With the windchill, probably about 3c. The Berghaus was donned at Red Tarn on Crinkle Crags and remained on for the remainder of the day.
The jacket performed well in the wet, initially turning all of the water from the outer which ran down on to my Base Jump Pants soaking them at the crutch by later afternoon. In the last 3 hours of the walk, the drizzle became heavier and I was aware of becoming damp in the fold point between fore & upper arm and also where the rucksack waistbelt compressed the jacket. Not so with the shoulder straps though! Once again, I only had a Driflo on underneath. Despite feeling slightly cooler at the wetting out points I remained comfortable in vile wet weather in a down jacket. I though this quite amazing.

For me this jacket is likely to be used early season where it can be cold & wet but not as cold as it might be (fingers crossed) when the winter really gets going although I’m really looking forward to testing it out further in the Cairngorms or Ben Nevis on a decent winter route.
Currently, it bridges the gap between Hard Shell & layers or winter down jacket for me and for that reason, here in The Lake District, I think it will get a lot of use. Incidentally, it packs down in its stuffsac to a very small size which is a very good reason to throw it in the rucsack
Bravo Berghaus, there is definitely a market for this Waterproof Down Jacket.

Price: £240

Weight: 320g

Colour: Carbon / Thunder, Blue Aster / Intense Blue

Features:

■Weight: 320g
■Fabric:
■Main Body: Pertex Quantum GL (100% nylon mini rip stop)
■Lining: Pertex Quantum GL
■Insulation: 90/10 hydrophobic goose down 850 fill
■Durable Water Repellent finish
■Fixed hood
■Centre-front YKK concealed zip
■Internal stretch mesh bottle pocket
■Two external zipped pockets with concealed zips
■Stretch bound cuffs
■Adjustable hem draw cord with one handed closure
■Provided with a mesh stuff sack

Pros: weight, hydrodown, breathability

Cons: