Berghaus Kangchenjunga review

The Kangchenjunga is brand new this winter and sits right at the top of Berghaus’ range of waterproof jackets. For £300 you’d expect to get a lot of jacket for your money, so does deliver?

The short answer is yes, very much so. Using the most durable and waterproof version of Gore-Tex, ProShell, the jacket still manages to come in at under 500g, which makes it usable in a wide range of situations – from year-round British hilldays, to summer alpine ascents, to high-altitude treks. It feels superbly protective, coming down over the hips and with enough room to layer up underneath. There’s tons of pockets – two internal, two napoleon-style on the chest, one on the arm, and two side pockets that double up as vents. These work well as they come up high, and are a good, weight-saving alternative to pitzips.

The hood is superb; whether you’re wearing a helmet or not, adjustment is easy via two pull-down cords that are sited so that they can’t whip up into your face in high winds. The jacket comes up high over your chin, so this in combination with the great hood really protects your face.

Berghaus have been on a roll in 2012 with some really outstanding gear coming out of their design labs, and the Kangchenjunga continues that run of form. Although the new version of Gore-Tex Pro will start being introduced on products later in 2013, right now the Kanch is one of the best examples of jackets available using the current ProShell membrane.