Golite men's softshell jacket

A lightweight, wind-and-waterproof coat that'll meet your demands whether you're skiing or hiking

Product

Golite McKenzie Reflexion Softshell jacket

Promise

Golite specialises in lightweight, well-made, durable outdoor clothing and gear. The McKenzie Softshell men's jacket promises a hard-wearing polyester outer shell with Sympatex waterproof / breathable liner - perfect for a winter hike or a day on the slopes.

Performance

WideWorld has just got back from a week product-testing in Beaver Creek, Colorado. We really put the Softshell through its paces (as we did with all the gear we tested that week), both on the slopes, in the backcountry and apres in the town itself. The Softshell boasts a very large hood (not for big heads; it's actually 'helmet compatible' so you can still keep your neck warm while you're wearing a ski or snowboard helmet (an essential item these days). There are 'pit zips' for ventilation - we found these particularly useful when we went snowshoeing in the backwoods during a blizzard: we needed a good layer of protection from the biting wind but we also needed to air out under the arms when we worked up a sweat. The Softshell was perfect. It also has a 'media pocket' for your iPod so you can surf the slopes to your favourite tunes.

The SympaTex liner is a waterproof, windproof and breatheable membrane that is laminated to the inside of the jacket. What's amazing about the Softshell is that the technology it employs mean it can provide protection from the elements while also being breathable and incredibly lightweight. WideWorld tried the green one, but it also comes in red, 'espresso' and 'Hefeweizen' (basically yellow)
 
Verdict

We love it. The Softshell looks stunning and does the trick whether you need a good quality, waterproof shell for a Spring or Autumn hike or whether you need the protection of a good ski jacket (although you'll need several layers if the temperature is really in the minus numbers and there's not much sun). We also love the fact that GoLite products have great 'green' credentials. Essentially, lightweight clothing and gear means less materials used and therefore less carbon, less toxics, less waste. In addition, the company says more than 20% of the mass of materials in its current products is made of recycled nylon and polyester which have up to an 80% smaller footprint than their virgin equivalents. Wonderful and well worth the 200 quid price tag