The Trespass Martine is a simple and cheap-ish down jacket that does pretty much what it says on the label.

Insulated jackets are everywhere and lightweight down jackets are among the most popular. Rather than wearing a huge puffed up down jacket, people are opting for something lighter-weight and more flattering.

The warmth won’t be the same as a big puffer jacket but if you combine with a decent baselayer or two and an outer waterproof on wet or windy days you’ll benefit from a high level of warmth.

The Trespass Martine women’s down jacket is marketed as a ski jacket but it would work just as well – or possibly better – as a walking or general mucking about outdoors in winter jacket.

This is a simple style of jacket. It has a nice female fit with two concealed zip pockets for your hands, an integrated hood and a full front zip. There’s nothing fancy about it but with a price tag of just over £55 and a full down/feathers fill it seems like a good buy.

The jacket also stuffs into a handy bag and while I’ve seen jackets compress to be smaller, the Martine still packs up pretty small.

Other features of the jacket include matching binding at hood, hem and cuffs and a good selection of colours, including Mallard, Aqua, Black, Coral Blush and Wine.

I found the size Small to be a good and fairly roomy fit and I am usually a UK10. I would like the sleeves to be just a little longer but I do have long arms so that wouldn’t be a problem for most people. The torso length is good.

On a cold and blustery day the jacket kept me nicely warm. I wouldn’t recommend wearing this jacket in the rain because down doesn’t cope well in the wet so make sure you have a waterproof jacket to pop over the top.

Because the jacket is lightweight and slim-fitting you should be able to fit your ordinary waterproof jacket on top.

I also wore the jacket on cool days with only a t-shirt. The lining feels soft against my skin.

If I was going hill walking I might choose to stuff this jacket into a corner of my rucksack and reserve it for times when I’m stopping for something to eat or when I am feeling colder, for example, at higher levels.

As a skiing jacket it lacks some of the features that I would look for, such as a snow skirt, two-way zip, water-repellent outer and a ski pass pocket. But for a mid-layer underneath a waterproof outer ski jacket it’s perfect.

The Trespass Martine is an easy-to-wear jacket and versatile. It is perfect for going to the pub or office or wearing for walking. It would make a perfect basic ski jacket if you were just starting out on skis and the weather was dry.

See Trespass Martine down jacket priced £55.99.