Berghaus has brought out a collection of technical fleeces, including the Pravitale Hooded Fleece Jacket. The jackets offer a neat and athletic fit and come in men and women’s designs.
I have been wearing the jacket as an outer later on warmer late summer days, or when working hard to walk up a hill or mountain. I have also used it as a handy mid-layer, over the top of a baselayer and underneath a waterproof jacket.
It’s doubled as a good-looking garment for wearing to the pub after a day in the great outdoors, too. The colours and look of the Pravitale are really nice.
Men’s Pravitale FZ (without a hood).
Details of the Berghaus Privitale Fleece jacket
- AT-Stretch fabric that offers good insulation and breathability.
- Fabric that works as a mid and outer layer.
- Athletic fit
- Fitted hood, with stretch binding
- Full front zip
- Two front zipped hand pockets and a smaller “bonded” zipped pocket on the arm
- Stretch bound cuffs
- Thumbholes
- Simple and lightweight (432g for women’s UK12)
- Price: £80 in a choice of colours and sizes small to XXL or women’s 8 to 18.
On test: Berghaus Pravitale Fleece Jacket
The women’s jacket is comfortable and very easy to wear. The fit is a generous UK10 and the length is good, even for my long arms.
I like that the fleecy fabric is on the inside while there’s a smooth synthetic outer. This prevents the usual bobbling of fleeces after wearing and washing them a few times. In other words, the jacket stays good looking even when worn many times over.
The fabric keeps out the wind, although it won’t stop very strong winds from penetrating. It also allows for sweat to evaporate easily. I found that when walking hard uphill I remained cool and dry rather than becoming hot and sweaty.
The jacket is neat fitting so if the rain comes on you can simply add a waterproof jacket over the top.
I like the amount of stretch in the fabric. It feels like a neat fit but you can still enjoy a lot of movement, for example, when reaching over your head.
The close fitting hood is also very handy. I found it useful when the wind picked up at higher altitude and it meant I did not need to look out a hat. The full-length zip helps to keep the hood nicely in place without it feeling too constrictive.
The thumb loops are lovely. They feel comfortable against the skin (which is unusual) and add to the feeling of being insulated from the outside elements.
For £80 this is a great jacket and useful for all kinds of activities and weather conditions. The Pravitale FZ without a hood is £75.
See www.berghaus.com