Rab Boulder Pull-On 80
£70
Rab sent the pullover variant if the Boulder rather than the standard jacket version, they must have known of my long held fondness for such tops. A pullon tends to be neater, more comfy and doesn’t bunch up under a hipbelt like a jacket tends to and because there are no pockets you don’t get annoyed about not being able to get at 'em! The simple cut and only one chest pocket also cuts down on weight. The Boulder is made of Polartec Thermal Pro fabric, which is available in a variety of finishes. Rab have opted for a double sided fleece that feels like old fashioned fibre pile. This delivers heaps of warmth for such a light fabric due to its high loft. A deep chest zip and snug collar lets you ring the changes depending on conditions, making it an excellent layering piece and it looks good worn casually too.
Berghaus Kantishna half zip 60
C
£45
A casually styled pullover made of 200 weight fleece, the Kantishna looks like a knitted top at first glance. Its cut is casual without being baggy and it has 1 chest pocket; this relaxed fit allows you slip it on/off without the struggle you sometimes get with more fitted tops. This is another brilliantly simple top but I always had this feeling that it needed to be an inch longer – this may have been down to the looser cut. Good value nonetheless and another excellent layering piece even if it’s more of a casual than a technical top.
Berghaus Spectrum IA 60
£45
Just in case you’re wondering the IA in the name stands for Inter Active, i.e. the facility to combine this 200 weight fleece with a Berghaus Inter Active outer jacket with complimentary zips and attachment points on the sleeves. It has the standard 2 hip pocket layout so the standard comment re hipbelt again applies. This jacket has been part of Berghaus’ range since time began it seems and no doubt will continue to sell because it’s good value and great for a wide range of uses.
Gear 56
GoLite Stone Ranch 125
£100
Another environmentally responsible jacket made from recycled fleece, Golite also pride themselves on measuring their products on an index which takes materials, fair-trade production and end of life take back into account – an impressive and holistic view of a garment's life cycle and one to be encouraged. The Stone Ranch is made of high-loft 200 weight fabric with a smooth outer face and pile-like interior and has just 2 non-hipbelt friendly pockets. I was disappointed to find there’s no hem drawcord – fitting one at home would be easy but you really shouldn’t have to go to the trouble in the first place. This is a very comfy jacket but probably more designed for casual rather than hill use; Golite's Stelvio fleece looks like a better option.