A good wind jacket is often missed off kit lists, but we've found them to be invaluable items for hiking, cycling and general travel. This offering from Rohan is pared down to the essentials without sacrificing performance.
The light weight fabric has 10% elastane which gives it a little stretch and the cut is loose so there are no problems with chucking it on over layers.
The material successfully keeps the wind at bay, it also benefits from a DWR treatment which helps water bead up and run off. The DWR treatment prolongs the time before you need to break out the waterproof and, in some instances, allows you to keep going through light showers without breaking it out at all.
There are four pockets, two hand and two internal security pockets, these are all zipped and are great for stashing gear in. The left hand internal pocket can be used for stowing the jacket in, and compresses it down to a pack size of just 500ml, combine this with a weight of just 215g and you've got something that's slight enough to chuck into your pack for more or less any adventure. The stash pocket is mesh lined so if there is any dampness in the jacket it should be able to escape. The jacket is also very quick to air dry in around 2 hours making it versatile for life on the road.
The hem benefits from drawcord adjusters and the cuffs have thumb loops, with the arm length being long enough for them to be used as intended, this is a novelty for those, like me, with long arms!
There's a hood stashed away in the collar which can be rolled out for extra wind protection or stashed away to give a slightly smarter look. This firmly ticks the box for travel use where you wouldn't want to stand out too much in a crowd.
Overall, this is a versatile wind jacket that's earned a well-deserved place in our regular kit list.
