Kathmandu Styper Snow 3 in 1
New Zealand-based adventure gear manufacturer Kathmandu have a great range of skiwear and other kit available for winter 2020.
Unlike many competitors, the company’s Styper range of jackets for both men and women come in every version you might prefer – a shell, a fully insulated jacket or a 3-in-1 jacket that combines shell and a fleece inner.
We got hold of the 3-in-1 jacket to test out the company’s pitch that for 30 years, they have designed their gear to take on the rugged landscapes of their homeland, using Kiwi ingenuity and an open mind to continuously adapt their gear to endure different weather conditions, diverse terrains, and different needs.
So we took the jacket out on the slopes in Scotland and the Swiss Alps to give it a good testing.
What we particularly liked:
The outer shell jacket has all the technical bells and whistles you’d expect from a quality, mountain-ready shell, so no surprises there. We braved the strong winds and sleet on Scottish hills and a mini blizzard in Switzerland and felt nice and dry inside the jacket but equally well protected from the wind.
Both the inner fleece jacket and the shell feel very light to wear, which, being used to heavier fabrics for more extreme conditions is a little un-nerving at first, but when you realise it’s performing perfectly, is as real bonus.
The details we particularly liked in the shell were the big hood that was both big enough to comfortably fit over the helmet without restricting head movement and also gave great protection when not wearing a helmet. The big, easy close pockets were great for lots of storage and the easy access sleeve pocket for the lift pass by the wrist was much better for accessing the pass and frantically waving it in front of the sensor panel when it didn’t register at the turnstile than the old upper-arm position used to be.
The inner jacket (above) is made from the company’s Bluesign™ approved core polypropylene insulation providing sustainable, low bulk warmth that won’t absorb moisture.
We found it stayed dry during days of full exertion and that it looked good too when we stripped off the top layer at mountain restaurant breaks.
It features fleece sleeves, back and hood. We particularly liked the hood which was light and comfortable but also immediately warm and cosy.
In terms of weight the outer jacket comes in at 1020g the inner at 455g.
In terms of production, Kathmandu say that sustainability lies at the heart of what they do, from the materials used to the people employed to create their products.
There’s more information about their sustainability practices here.
The jacket is available from outdoor retailers worldwide. UK stockists include Go Outdoors and Amazon.
