The Puddle jacket from The North Face is their crack at a lightweight, windproof/breathable outer shell for grotty days in the hills.
The fit is superb – there’s room for under-layering, but it’s not baggy or billowy when worn on its own. It’s a good weight too, easily stowable and worth taking as an emergency outer layer in case you get caught out when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The Gore Windstopper torso does an excellent job at keeping the wind out and the warmth in but we’d have appreciated some venting when climbing. There’s a handy stash pocket at the front and the lower cut rear helps keep water out of your drawers.
The sleeve length is good but we were a bit bewildered by the baggy cuffs. At a standstill they sit down over the top of a glove, but get on the bike and you get, for want of a better phrase, a wizard’s sleeve on.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.