Review: Berghaus Fastpacking Jacket

Anyone who spends a significant amount of time outdoors knows the importance of a good, waterproof jacket. Whatever drives your passion for the outdoors staying dry will be key to a successful mission. I was really happy to be invited by Simply Hike to try out the Berghaus Fastpacking Hydroshell Waterproof Jacket during a recent day of hiking on the South Downs. Reading up on the jacket it promised full waterproof protection, a lightweight and breathe-able wear and a stress free packable storage. Sounds ideal for those days when you come across every type of weather…I was keen to check it out and see if it lived up to its reputation.

First Impressions

I love the Snorkel blue colour! I know it won’t be to everyone’s liking…the jacket is available in a more subtle Granite tone for those who find the blue a bit much. The jacket is typical Berghaus; a clean, simple design with quality stitching and edging. It’s very thin and lightweight…but feels like a quality product. First impressions were good indeed.

Light weight

The Berghaus Fastpacking Jacket gives you a versatile 2.5-layer waterproof shell built for the fast paced hiker looking for low-weight protection without compromise on function. The jacket may be light weight, but is also surprisingly durable. The perfect jacket for activities where you might find yourself exposed to varying temperatures like trail running or hill walking.

Waterproof

The jacket boasts a 100% Waterproof Hydroshell providing 15’000mm of waterproofing with a highly breathable membrane. This enables to jacket to release heat moisture whilst keeping you dry on the move. Perfect for Summer backpacking or activities where you work up a sweat.

Practical

The Fastpack offers a number of practical accessories making it completely fit for purpose. Features that stood out for me were an integrated stuff sack for compact storage, phone size internal pockets and full hem adjustment cords guaranteeing the wet stays outside in particularly challenging weather.

I like what I’ve experienced of the Fastpacking jacket. I was fortunate enough to test the jacket on a mild day…so I struggled to really put it through it’s paces. However, I was impressed by the functionality of the jacket. It really is a great light weight outer for warmer days when you might need protection from showers but don’t require heavy insulation. It’s also perfect as an outer for more physical, outdoor sports such as trail running where, even in Winter you might only want a light, breathable layer. It’ll certainly become a stable on my Spring and Summer hikes…it’s so easy to pack I’d be a fool not to!

Disclosure: I was gifted the Fastpacking Jacket in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.