Bought: July 2007 from the ‘Rock Bottom’ Cotswolds store in Grasmere.
Cost: £100 (half price)
Used: On Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expeditions, Winter Mountaineering in Scotland and on an expedition to China.
Features: Gore-tex outer, a retractable hood, storm flaps, one map pocket with waterproof zip, wicking lining etc.
In Brief: A decent waterproof jacket, with some good features and certainly a level of durability, although the initial peak performance did not last beyond the first wash.

In Length: Being dry is, of course, a key concern of all fellwalkers, Duke of Edinburgh students, mountaineers and travellers. It was the misery of spending a day inside a uselessly wet-through cheap waterproof jacket which prompted me to turn to the trusted words ‘gore-tex’. The XCR was one of the ‘cheapest’ and prettiest looking (another key concern – if you’re going to face the elements, you may as well do it looking good!), with contrasting shades of blue, and it was with some trepidation that I bought it and packed it to face its first real test in action on a Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition to the Lake District that September.

Tested it most certainly was – the British weather threw everything it had at my virgin jacket, turning the average fellside into a raging torrent of water, and whilst there were a number of leaks around my cuffs and my collar, the main jacket kept me surprisingly dry.

I have since worn the coat in a variety of conditions, where it has proved itself a valuable part of a layering system in winter, and a cool outer layer in summer. The various features are for the most part useful – the storm flaps over the main zip in particular are more effective than the waterproof ‘taped’ zips – and the internal map pocket is a godsend. However, there are a few aspects in which the makers over-reached themselves. The patented ‘push button hood system’ seems fairly extraneous to requirements, and not as easy to use as a simple toggle in the worst conditions, and although the embroidered logos on the chest and sleeve look good, they do provide weak points through which water can seep. The two main ‘venting’ pockets I am also a tad ambivalent about – they keep you cool in warm weather but they are not so good for storing things in; the elasticity of the fabric doesn’t seem strong enough to hold a camera, whilst the absorbency of it means that the placing of wet gloves in the pockets would mean an instantly wet wearer!

The durability of a waterproof jacket is also a key feature to think about. In its first flush, the XCR was a brilliantly waterproof jacket. After several washes and reproofings, it still keeps the wearer relatively dry, but it has – inevitably – lost its initial top level of quality. That said, I have no doubt that it will continue to serve well for a good number of years yet.

Summary:

The bad – a few rather pointless and indeed disadvantageous features.

The good – waterproof, for one thing! Attractive look and versatile. Would recommend, but there are undoubtedly better waterproof jackets out there.