• Berghaus Denizen jacket
• £140
• Berghaus
• Raw Experience 0131 440 2010

Berghaus’s Bike range is designed by the people at Raw Experience, who were also responsible for the popular Karrimor Bike range. The Berghaus Denizen jacket is intended to fit between the fully-featured waterproof category and the ultra-light, highly-packable but not necessarily quite so waterproof category. It’s a fully waterproof jacket but anything unnecessary has been left out to get the weight down to just over 300g.

The material is Gore-Tex’s Paclite Helium, an even lighter-weight incarnation of the popular fabric. Heavier fabric is used on vulnerable areas at the hips and forearms, and on the shoulders where your pack straps go. Cunning use of stretchy Gore-Tex XCR at the elbows allows for plenty of freedom of movement without excess fabric, and the same stuff is used at the cuffs to permit a fairly close-fitting sleeve that you can still get your hand through – Velcro closures take up any remaining slack.

The full-length zipper is the now-ubiquitous “inside out” waterproof type, backed up by an internal storm flap. A fleecy collar adds comfort, and a drawcord prevents any rainwater dribbling down your neck. The drop tail also features a drawcord. All seams are taped and there’s reflective piping and a reflective logo to improve visibility.

There’s no hood (although there are poppers to attach an optional one), no lining (although there’s a protective coating bonded to the inside of the fabric) and no pit zips. Fortunately the lightweight fabric is breathable enough to do without, and doing without all that stuff certainly helps the pack size – the Denizen easily rolls away into a drinks can-sized stuffsac, which is helpfully fitted with some Velcro bits to let you attach it to your bike should you so wish.

Positives: Fully waterproof, lightweight, thoughtful design

Negatives: There are cheaper Paclite jackets around

Fine blend of performance and weight

Performance: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 5/5