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If you want a jacket to keep you dry when running, this will be a very different jacket to one suitable for backpacking or trekking. Waterproofs designed for RUNNING will be very lightweight so that they won't slow you down. It needs to pack very small so you can carry it when you don't need it, and the best examples will be highly breathable. Also consider a smock to save weight.

To understand the purpose of the softshell jacket is useful to talk about the performance of 'hardshells' focusing on the potential problems with them, problems which boil down to breathability and stiffness. Creating a waterproof fabric is relatively easy but if the fabric doesn't breathe then you'll get just as wet from sweat build up as you would have done from rain if you hadn't worn it. So, a …

The Rab Torque is said to be designed for summer alpine climbing and active mountain use, offering complete freedom of movement and breathability. We are big fans of the Torque Pants which are our ‘go-to’ choice for long days in the mountains where unrestricted movement, breathability, and comfort is of much importance, so we excited to try the jacket. As with the Torque pants it’s great …

I was really keen to try out Lowe Alpine's Caldera jacket because its the lightest hooded softshell jacket that we stock, and weight means a lot to us! I took it for a spin on a Scottish backpack which saw variable conditions that were ideal for testing such a garment.A Softshell is supposed to keep you dry and comfortable on a showery day rather than during a full downpour. Day One of the trek wa …