On a beautifully clear and crisp Lake District winter day I got out of the car and was blasted by a northerly Arctic wind that dropped the temperature to below zero. Wearing only a midweight merino wool base layer, the Sherpa went on; immediately I was thankful for its generous down fill and it's longer length at the back, which if like me you always seem to have a chilly posterior, certainly had that covered! Within seconds the wind could have all but disappeared and the microclimate inside the jacket was very comfortable. Setting off for an amble, the jacket stayed on until a point where the sun was winning against the wind, and for a walk in 0 degrees, it was too hot. It proved its worth again though later in the day, when on a summit the wind took over!
The Sherpa is excellent quality, from its rip stop outer material to the fill quality and the stitching on the box wall construction, which give large sections for you to be easily able to loft the down again for those times when you will inevitably get flat spots through wear. Its main pockets at the front are fleece lined and easily accessible, even when wearing a harness. It has a small external chest pocket, handy for compass, mobile or more importantly, a snack to keep energy levels up! An internal chest pocket and two very generous internal mesh pockets allow for storage that would easily take a map, and at higher altitudes, allow for cameras or such like to be kept warm to alleviate issues with cold batteries not working. It has adjustable drawcords at each side of the base of the jacket that can easily be used with a single gloved hand. Velcro adjustable tabs at the cuffs allow for the jacket to be closed right up giving you a very cosy feeling.
The main zip baffle is a velcro and press stud mix, which is not to everyones' taste and press studs can be fiddly in big gloves, and if at extreme temperatures, velcro is prone to failing, however the baffle is also down filled so shouldn't present too much of an issue except in the harshest of conditions. One area that does need some work is the hood. It has the standard draw cord fittings, one at the rear and one each side to draw it in around the face. If like me, you only put the hood up as a last resort, I like to have some flexibility with how it can be positioned as I don't like to feel hemmed in. The rear drawcord allows for it be to fitted snugly to the head without it being pulled in around the front of the face. The design at the front is where the problems lies, the drawcords have to be secured by a small toggle which is difficult to locate and is awkward to use in large gloves, it also leaves a long length of cord hanging down at the front which will then whip you in the face in windy conditions. The flaps at the side that should fit across the front of the face are a little too long and that means a tendancy to not fit as snugly as they should, meaning that there can be a gap above the neck leaving you prone to cold gusts finding a way in. When not is use they also flap around a lot which I find distracting. The hood fits a helmet, but its snug and might not be comfortable with larger volume helmets.

The issues with the hood should not detract from what is a substantial piece of kit, it is without doubt an excellent jacket that will very comfortably see you through a multitude of outdoor adventures. Go somewhere cold and enjoy it!

Price: £240

Weight: 685g

Colour: Black/Kharani, Neelo/Kharani, Lama Red/Kharani

Features:

•Drawcord hem, adjustable cuffs and front-zip storm flap keep wind and snow out
•The adjustable hood zips off when you don’t need it
•Side-entry Napoleon chest pocket and handwarmer pockets hold essentials; all zip shut
•A DWR (durable water repellent) coating gives the ultra-light, ripstop nylon shell its water resistance
•Internal mesh pockets are large enough for gloves or water bottle
•Comes with its own stuff sack
•750 Fill Power down

Pros: 750 fp down, Weight, Mesh Pockets

Cons: Long adjuster cords, Face cover needs work

Note: This article was restored from the archives. It's published creation date is inaccurate.