Top Rated: Keela Belay Smock (8.1 / 10)
Category: Midweight (~700g) Insulated Jacket
When you have a jacket this good, the negatives are almost amplified, because it could have been close to perfect (at least for Scramble's purposes). That said, we think Keela have come up with a super jacket. At the end of a cold and wet day, in very harsh winter mountain conditions, there's something almost reassuring about sliding on the Belay Smock. For arid, cold conditions like those in the Himalayas or the snow-free valleys of Antarctica a down jacket is the way to go, but for the often wet and cold winter climes of the UK and northern Europe, synthetic insulation is a must. The Belay Smock will keep you warm when wet and when you're wet will help you get dry.
Opting for a mid-weight insulation piece provides the flexibility of pairing it with a lightweight insulation jacket when encountering very low temperatures and eliminates the need for an extreme option (which may see less use than its price warrants).
So, to sum up, Keela's Belay Smock is a starkly functional, no-nonsense, utilitarian insulated jacket. It may not make the catwalk, but if you want to survive challenging conditions in the mountains, you'll forgive its looks and appreciate its excellent design and impressive thermal properties. The Keela Belay Smock is Scramble's top pick in the Midweight Insulated Jacket category.
Now Keela, please give Mountain Equipment a call and ask for their zip department.