OMM Kamleika Race Jacket - 4th Generation
Super stretchy, lightweight, waterproof and breathable, the iconic Kamleika Race Jacket has all the features that you’re looking for in a multisport jacket. A long-established and proven performer in this category, the new Kamleika (launched in Sept) is set to be the stretchiest yet so if freedom of movement is your priority, this could well be the jacket for you.
We used this jacket for our first Munro-by-mountain bike mission in the Cairngorms a few weeks back and were super impressed. Comfortable yet technical, the integrated 37.5 technology in the 4 way stretch fabric provided both excellent freedom of movement and breathability (18,000 mvtr) on the potentially sweaty long hike-a-bike sections and when the Scottish skies inevitably opened, we stayed dry thanks to the Kamleika’s 20,000 HH rating.
Inov-8 AT/C Stormshell Waterproof Jacket
If you’re looking to save weight but often find yourself outside in burly conditions then take a look at the lightweight, robust, and packable AT/C Stormshell Wateproof Jacket from off-road specialists Inov-8.
Weighing in at 140g, the AT/C Stormshell is proper feathery and the lightest of the three jackets. Despite this, it really is capable of delivering premium levels of waterproof protection when it counts. The 2.5 layer waterproof fabric with 20,000 Hydrostatic Head rating and heat sealed taped seams of the AT/C Stormshell will keep you dry and protected in the most brutal of downpours and the adjustable hood with wired peak is easily tensioned in strong winds, providing a really tight fit when the storm rolls in. The over-the-head smock style of the jacket is also a major plus for anyone who suffers from cold hands and struggles doing up fiddly zips.
Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket
The Storm Racer is Patagonia’s lightest waterproof shell and much like the Kamleika and the AT/C Stormshell, it’s a premium product that offers excellent breathability and weather protection.
The stand-out difference between the Storm Racer and the other jackets however is that it packs into itself which we really like. Being able to just stuff the jacket into its own chest pocket, zip it up and store it in your pack makes for an efficient and organized gear storage system.
The textured finish inside the jacket not only feels nice next to your skin, it also ensures that the fabric stays away from your body when the perspiration dial turns up a notch. If there’s two things Pretty Gritty really dislikes, it’s the word ‘clammy’ and the sensation of the inside of your jacket sticking to your skin – eeky.