“They’ll see you coming a mile off!” teased a friend who knows my feelings about standing out in a crowd. Admittedly the brochure photos of the Jack Wolfskin Northern Sky waterproof jacket looked a little more muted to my eye but I thought I’d try something different than the usual blues, greys and blacks that make up my normal outdoor attire. In fact, the coat’s ‘Hibiscus Red’ description was more pink sorbet and instantly brightened up my coat and cardi rack. It took a while to get used to but I was glad I’d not opted for the version in black.
Out in the field its colour acts an added safety device. Contrasted against nature’s cold winter hues it could in fact be a lifesaver.

It’s also incredibly cosy owing to its Microguard synthetic fibre insulation, while the Texapore technology is said to hold off the worst of the weather, complete with eco-friendly water repellent finish. So maybe you can’t scrunch this into a little ball as you could with some down jackets, but keeping you dry will be water off a duck’s back, as they say.

The generous drawstring fixed hood also offers good protection from the elements too as I was to later discover in strong gusts on the North Devon coast.

I loved the soft feel to this coat, particularly the inside quilting (that was incidentally a definite ‘hibiscus red’), that added to the exterior pocket warmth. The zipped inside pocket was just large enough for a small purse and phone though I could have done with a second one.
I ordered the medium size jacket and found it very roomy with just a couple of T-shirts beneath, so there’ll be plenty of room for manoeuvre come winter’s thermal layering.