Together we founded what might be the only band in the world that consists of only two bass players and Ingeborg Bachmann in spirit, and I’ll be grateful forever that she put up with my enthusiastic but talentless strumming, because it was so much fun. We might have a comeback though (umm, can you come back, when you’ve never played live?), who knows, but climbing has taken over, and in non-corona times we usually hang out once a week at the Reach, so if you see two scruffy women farting aloud, that’s us. Here’s my friend Maria raving about her awesome jacket:
“After a very wet autumnal walk up Helvellyn I discovered my waterproof jacket just wasn’t any more…
My Berghaus shell jacket had served me very well over the five+ years of everyday wear, plus coping with the demands and rigours of outdoor activity use. Finally, though the waterproof coating on the inside began to peel away around the neck and shoulder seams.
Before a trip to Scotland in early autumn I tried to patch the seams of my beloved jacket with some expensive tape I bought from Go Outdoors. It did the job, or so I thought …until I was faced with some proper mountain weather.
What I particularly loved about my Berghaus was the fact that unlike other waterproofs I’d owned previously, you could just roll it up and stuff it in a rucksack. It rolled up to the size of a pakamac leaving room for other essentials but possessing all the attributes of a proper waterproof plus great looks- being a flattering navy blue with a funky fuchsia inner.
Being a bit of a bargain hunter, I always look to buy my kit in sales or second hand. I believe you get what you pay for as far as quality is concerned in some items of outdoor wear. If something has to work hard it pays to buy the best you can afford. Like my lovely Scarpa Terra boots- worth every penny as I use them every day walking my dog- my warm, dry feet thank me daily.
So, buying a new coat in lockdown does present a few challenges. You can’t just pop down to the shops, try things on and compare and contrast. Returning unwanted items can be a pain.
I was looking for a jacket that would allow a full range of movement- for climbing and have a hood that could cover a helmet, have pit vents –handy for when I get hot on strenuous hikes and that was light and stowable when not needed.
At last, after many soggy hikes, I found my new jacket in the Cotswold January sale. It’s a Rainshadow jacket by Patagonia. It has all the features I was looking for plus it can be folded away into the front pocket with a carabiner loop. It was a bit more expensive than I’d hoped to pay- £120 but it was reduced from £200. Luckily, they had it in my size, L, which the size guide said was a reliable UK 14/16. Sometimes buying outdoor activity clothes in my size can be difficult, especially climbing clothes. Despite being the UK national average size for a woman, manufacturers seem to think that climbing ladies are mostly very lean. Maybe this is true, but I have noticed that there are others like me who do not conform with the ‘standardized size’. When I have found clothes in my size I have checked reviews to see if they are an ‘expected fit’ a lot of the time they seem to be significantly smaller, which inevitably puts me off buying because, for me, returning things is a bit of a chore. In my experience Decathlon has come out pretty well, they seem to offer good value for money and a broader range of sizing despite usually being a bit on the small size.
Getting back to the jacket- I love the colour – a mid -green I usually go for darker colours but I thought this would be a nice change. After a speedy delivery, my new jacket looked to be all I’d hoped- I kept the labels in, just in case I changed my mind after a couple of days (I have been known to do this:) I wasn’t too sure about the colour at first and I haven’t tested it on a climb yet, but the colour has grown on me, plus I think the luxury of being dry and warm sold it for me -my jacket is a keeper.”
