This is a jacket good enough for Royalty. Keela’s website features a quirky little article about how William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, donned the Hydron softshell during a visit to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team. No more details are provided, but Will and Kate were most likely adequately protected from Wales’ notorious weather in the Hydron.
It’s a fully-featured hybrid jacket, fusing the benefits of both fleece and softshell in one garment. The gridded, fleece-like interior adds warmth, while the sturdy softshell outer blocks wind and rain – the best of both worlds. This design is very similar to the Helly Hansen Odin Pro Shield Hybrid, albeit at a lower price-point. For hiking in chillier conditions, it’s a solid choice with good durability and mountain-ready toughness – but for some it may too heavy, boxy and warm.
Pros
- Warmth
- Weather protection
- Durability
Cons
- Not the stretchiest
- Fits a little boxy
| Men’s sizes: | XS-XXXL |
| Women’s sizes: | XS-XL |
| Weight: | 527g (men’s small) |
| Fabric: | AirXtream outer (80% polyester, 15% PU, 5% elastane), Matrix inner (100% polyamide) |
Fabrics & Stretch
This softshell is made from Keela’s AirXtream fabric, a blend of 80% polyester, 15% PU and 5% elastane. The shell outer feels robust and strong, and ready for the rough and tumble of mountain use. Conversely the Matrix inner is fleece-like, with a gridded texture of small square tufts of fleece. This is soft against the skin, although the almost ridged texture may polarise opinion, or take a little time to get used to. The end goal of this hybrid approach is interior warmth and exterior weather protection, and Keela definitely hits this brief successfully with the Hydron.
The technology used in the Hydron’s fabric is called AirXtream Fusion. This is a complicated, three-layer material concept. Without getting too geeky, this involves an outer layer with a DWR treatment being laminated onto a waterproof hydrophilic membrane, which in turn is laminated to the inner liner. The outer layer and membrane are designed to deliver top-notch weather protection; the inner is designed to trap air between the fleecy squares and thus provide insulating warmth, as well as wick away moisture and breathe when required.
Keela says that AirXtream Fusion delivers “weatherproofing…that can be used for longer on its own when the weather turns bad and acts as the perfect mid layer in colder conditions, reducing bulk while still helping to retain insulation”, while the Air Channel Matrix gridded interior “minimises contact with inner clothing or skin and allows for an increased air gap, helping to improve the overall performance of the layering system and reducing condensation without constraining body movement”.
The Hydron has an elastane content of 5%, which is a few percentage points lower than many other softshell jackets – the Helly Hansen Odin Pro Shield Hybrid has 7% and the Alpkit Resolute has 8%. The stretch in the Hydron is also only two-way, rather than four-way. All of this means the Hydron lacks some of the stretch and freedom of movement you get with other jackets. But, in practice, how noticeable this will be to the average hillwalker is debatable.
Wind-Resistance & Water-Resistance
The Hydron is billed as windproof and water-resistant, and provides a good warmth boost too. The outer shell has a DWR treatment laminated onto a waterproof hydrophilic membrane, which provides reassuring weather protection. The jacket can cope well with light rain, although - like all softshells – it isn’t designed for heavy or consistent rain.
In terms of warmth, the Hydron is at the toastier end of softshells. For colder days or for hikers who tend to run cold, this is a big positive. The downside is that the jacket may feel too hot in many circumstances, increasing the chances of it becoming sweaty and clammy. Keela says the Air Channel Matrix gridded inner helps to regulate air movement, improve breathability and wick away moisture. To a certain extent this helps to mitigate the risk of over-heating, but there is no doubt that this is a warmer, thicker softshell that’s better suited to colder days, perhaps in autumn.
A better option for dumping heat, when required, is to use the Hydron’s twin side vents. Most softshells don’t feature vents, so this is a nice design inclusion. Each zippered vent is 25cm long and helps improve airflow and ventilation.
Fit, Comfort & Weight
The Keela Hydron weighs 527g in a men’s small. This is mid-weight: neither ultralight nor excessively heavy, and generally par-for-the-course for a fully-featured, hooded softshell jacket.
The fit is true to size, perhaps a tiny bit roomier than more athletic cuts from other brands, but all in all it’s quite a standard fit. Comfort levels are good, the jacket moves reasonably well with the body, and the articulation and contouring of the cut is fine. We found the gridded interior of the Hydron a tad coarser, and thus less soft and comfy, than the Helly Hansen Odin Pro Shield Hybrid, but this may just be personal preference. Both are not as comfy as the Alpkit Resolute which, for us, had a smoother, more agreeable interior.
All in all, the Keela Hydron feels quite muscular and rugged, rather than light and agile. Some may find the fit a tad boxy and stiff; others will love the heavily-protected, durable sensation.
Features: Pockets, Hood & Ventilation
Impressive features include a very protective, adjustable hood with a wired peak, Velcro-adjustable wrist cuffs, four external pockets, waist hem adjustment, and a scooped back for good coverage over your backside.
The pocket orientation includes two zippered handwarmer pockets and two zippered chest pockets. The pockets are fleece-lined, rather than the more common mesh lining used by other brands.
The hood is helmet compatible and it can be rolled away and secured at the neck via a Velcro tab, if you prefer to stash it away when not wearing it. The hood is adjustable via three drawcords, one at the rear and two at the sides.
The wrist cuffs have thin Velcro tabs for cinching-in the fit around your wrists, while the waist hem is similarly adjustable via two drawcords. The central, one-way zipper is backed by an internal stormflap and has a zipper “garage” at the top. The semi-circular pull tabs on all of the zippers work well and can be operated while wearing gloves.
Verdict
A tough, durable, hooded jacket with a fleecy interior and a weatherproof softshell outer – but it fits a tad boxy and can be too warm
About the author
James Forrest writes regular features and route guides for Trail and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years. James is based on the edge of the Lake District so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.