An unknown brand to me spotted a cheap Icepeak Mauno soft shell in the Gelert shop in North Wales and thought would give it a go.
Icepeak is a small Finnish outdoor clothing manufacturer who recently seem to have appeared more in UK shops and offer attractively styled garments for very reasonable prices. As with anything outdoorsy you often get what you pay for but decided to give it a go. I was after a cheap, not overly warm jacket for a bit of english cragging and spring/autumn wear.
Pros
Being of fairly slim build, 5' 11" and around 11 stone, the jacket fits well.
It has a fairly slim cut and has a standard soft shell finish.
It has proved pretty windproof and shower resistant
Pockets are well laid out and a chest pocket is always useful when wearing a harness.
Stretchy enough not to limit movement negatively.
Nice bright colours and reflective detailing.
Cons
The zips are not great. A little bit rough feeling in use and could benefit from an upgrade to YKKs or somesuch.
Not the most breathable softshell can get a little warm.
For the price I think these are fair value. Yes they are not quite as high quality of the premium brands but for those on a budget provide a reasonable buy. Just be careful with the zips.
I made the mistake of buying an Icepeak softshell jacket on sale.. The design and fit is very nice, but the breathability is truly horrible. I will not be wearing this jacket ever - Don't waste you money.
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