Warm and waterproof: combining Insuloft synthetic insulation with Rohan's Barricade Standard waterproof technology, the Rohan Altus is perfect for Britain's wet and cold wintry weather.
Founded in 1972 by couple Paul and Sarah Howcroft in Skipton, Yorkshire, Rohan has been making protective outdoor clothing for over 50 years. Those decades of expertise have seen the brand become a household name, best known for its broad range of technical outdoor and travel clothing suitable for everything from the city to the mountain top.
Indeed, while Rohan's clothing has been worn to the summit of Everest, it's just as suitable for hiking around town, in the Yorkshire Dales or on holiday in Scotland. “Born in Skipton and worn worldwide since 1972" is Rohan's tagline, and the brand is excited about another 50 years of innovating in the outdoor industry.
In particular, Rohan prides itself on designing outdoor clothing with five key benefits. All of Rohan's kit is protective, lightweight, packable, easy-care and versatile. And the new Rohan Men's Altus Insulated Jacket is no exception, with its high-tech materials, protective design and guarantee of leak-free waterproofing. Here's the full lowdown.
rohan.com
Combining Insuloft synthetic insulation with Barricade Standard waterproof technology, this lightweight and technical jacket from Rohan provides superb protection for every adventure.
Most jackets are either warm or waterproof, but rarely both. Waterproof jackets will keep you dry but not warm; puffer jackets are toasty but useless in the rain. But that's not the case here. With the Rohan Men's Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket you can get the best of both worlds. Or, in other words, you can have your cake and eat it with the Rohan Men's Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket.
Combining Insuloft synthetic insulation with Rohan's in-house Barricade Standard waterproof technology, the Rohan Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket is a lightweight and technical jacket providing all round protection for active adventures. It comes with Aquaguard zips, three secure pockets and a DWR finish.
To establish our first impressions of this jacket, we tested it on a few day hikes in the north-western fells of the Lake District in late September, encountering wet conditions in the national park. Here are the main insights we discovered from these in-field tests.
Waterproofing: the Rohan Barricade Standard
This jacket does not feature Gore-Tex but a similar waterproof-breathable hydrophilic membrane technology. The Rohan Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket is manufactured with Rohan's in-house waterproofing tech, known as Barricade Standard.
This membrane "provides waterproof, windproof and breathable protection from the elements", as Rohan puts it, with the brand adding that as a British company "we understand unpredictable weather". With Barricade Standard protection, all Rohan waterproof clothing is designed to enable hikers to "move comfortably in changeable conditions" with kit that's "ready to tackle whatever the weather brings, so you can always adventure in complete confidence".
Specifically, the 2-layer Barricade Standard version used in the Rohan Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket is an insulated shield, rather than a lightweight layer. This means it's made for wet and icy winter conditions.
Three key areas determine Rohan's Barricade Standard: membrane water resistance, membrane breathability and garment construction. This ensures all Rohan's waterproofs have a minimum 20,000mm hydrostatic head rating (a technical, scientific measure of waterproofing).
This is universally considered a premium rating, and means a 20m column of water can stand atop the fabric without water entering through the material. Rohan states that a 20,000mm rating is "over ten times the British standard for waterproofing".
Ultimately, for the consumer, this provides enhanced confidence in the performance of the jacket, and provides a higher degree of certainty that you’ll stay dry, no matter how atrocious the weather gets.
With the Rohan Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket, you also get fully sealed seams to prevent any water ingress and provide a perfect block to rain, while for further protection the jacket has a Durable Water Repellency (DWR) finish, which forces water droplets to run off and “bead” on the outside of the fabric.
The 2-layer construction of the Altus means the water-repellent outer fabric and the PU hydrophilic membrane are bonded together, with a fully-lined Insuloft+ fabric attached to protect the membrane from the inside, and to provide extra comfort.
During our test hikes, the Altus kept us dry in light to medium-intensity rain, without any problems, with water beading nicely on the jacket during intermittent showers. But more time is needed to fully assess the jacket’s performance in prolonged heavy rain. Similarly, its durability and long-term performance over several months are untested, but our initial findings in terms of waterproofing are positive.
Breathability
The Barricade Standard membrane also provides a minimum 20,000g/m2 MVTR breathability grade. Again this is considered a premium rating for high-end clothing, and ensures water vapour can escape from the jacket. As such, when you're working hard climbing up a mountain, it's easier to dump heat, ventilate and feel less clammy in the Altus.
During our test hikes in relatively mild conditions we found the Altus perhaps slightly too warm, but this bodes well for the height of winter, when more warmth will be welcomed.
Insulation
This jacket is not only waterproof, it's also warm. The warmth comes courtesy of a lining of quilted Insuloft insulation in a versatile and sleek design. This is a synthetic fill made from 100% recycled polyester, which means it will retain its insulating properties even in damp, humid conditions.
Hood, pockets & features
You get loads of nice features with the Altus jacket. There are three pockets - two handwarmer pockets and one external chest pocket - providing ample space for storing any items you need to. All of the pockets have Aquaguard zippers to block out the rain and keep their interiors dry, as well as a soft, brushed, microfleece lining for added comfort and warmth.
The hood, meanwhile, is well-shaped and fully adjustable, with three-point adjustment enabling a fine-tuned fit to the shape and size of your head. Pull it tight when the weather is unrelenting or opt for a more relaxed fit when you need minimal protection. The hood also has a bonded, peaked visor, which keeps it well positioned over your head and keeps rain off your face in a torrential downpour.
The wrist cuffs are elasticated to help seal out the weather, while the waist hem is adjustable via a drawcord for a cinched-in fit around the waist. Other features include a large central Aquaguard zip with stormflap, a brushed microfleece lining at the neck and chin guard for against-the-skin comfort, and a shorter cut in the length for good freedom of movement.
Verdict
During our test hikes the Altus proved comfortable, waterproof and warm, with good all-round performance, and our initial impressions were mostly positive.
It may be quite pricey at £260, but the Rohan Altus Insulated Waterproof Jacket provides better all-round value for money because it does two jobs, rather than just one. It’s both warm and waterproof, thanks to the combination of Rohan’s Insuloft synthetic insulation and Barricade Standard waterproof membrane.
This means, in many scenarios, it can replace the need for an insulated puffer jacket or fleece alongside a hardshell waterproof. Instead this jacket is a two-for-the-price-of-one option, providing the best of both worlds in one garment that’s perfect for wet and cold wintry conditions in the UK.