The Lierne is aimed at general outdoors user, with a bias towards walkers and hillwalkers. At 390g it's moderately light weight and packs down to a size that will be satisfying to most. With a price of £120 the affordability is its main appeal.
The bottom-length fit of the jacket is loose and baggy, which allows for good venting in warm weather as well as layering in colder conditions, but may not be to everyone's tastes. Adjustment, however, is fairly comprehensive, with twin draw cords at the hem and hook and loop patches at the wrists. The hood comes with another pair of (fairly fiddly) draw cords at the neck and a hook and loop patch at the rear; the peak is sizeable and well judged, and head movement isn't limited too much when in use. Overall it offers a versatile fit.
There are two hand pockets on the Lierne, and no other storage options. Although sizeable they sit quite close to the hips, so can sometimes be obscured by rucksack belts but are generally fine with a bit of planning. One feature you won't see on many other modern waterproof jackets is pit zips, which in this case are also secured by a pair of hook and loop patches each. Consequently they're quite fiddly to open (and near impossible one-handed), but do offer effective venting once you've done so. Some may see this more as an indictment of the breathability of the fabric than a user-centric addition, but others who run particularly hot may see such large underarm openings as an attractive feature. The main zip has a very broad outer stormflap as well as poppers at the top and bottom to secure it.
The main fabric is Vaude's own 2.5 layer Ceplex, which achieves industry-standard lab ratings for waterproofing and breathability. It performs well in use and held up to typical British conditions throughout our testing. It was not, however, quite as quick drying as other more technical jackets.
In conclusion: The Lierne might not have stellar performance, but if you're looking for a good general use, workhorse of a waterproof at a very reasonable cost, the Lierne is well worth investigating.
