I was recently invited to write a product review for Berghaus (thanks to Alan for suggesting me) and a week later, received a Full Zip Hoody (wrapped in a black bin liner?!) It’s a brushed cotton hoody, with a full zip, deep welt at waist and cuffs and in a nice blue colour. It fits well and is comfortable to wear. I washed it in a normal coloured load with a non-biological gel tab and it has washed and dried well, maintaining its shape and appearance. This top is currently unavailable but I believe it retailed previously for £55.
Hoody
I had a little difficulty doing this review. I suppose I had hoped to receive a slightly more technical item which would have fitted more easily into my wardrobe, but brushed cotton does not tend to wear well on the hill. The other weekly activities that I engage in tend to involve either a uniform (Guide Leader), sitting around for hours in cold places, or going to Tesco, (yes, I regularly have a Raynauds attack in the vegetable aisle) so merino tops and down jackets are the order of the day. It didn’t seem a fair review if I just wore the top around the house as part of my ‘Sloppy Joes’, so I had to make a few changes to my usual wardrobe habits.
Deep welt at waist and cuff
Hood
The day we went to Glen Affric, I threw the hoody in the car to pop on over my Icebreaker Zephyr hoody after the walk. It proved to be comfy and cosy in this combination. I did this again when I walked with Laura at Balmoral. On the odd short Tesco shopping trip that I do, I popped it on over a thin top under my Paramo and again, was comfy and cosy, but I’m not keen on a welted waist and it did feel a bit bulky in this combination. It was just warm enough, worn with the Zephyr again and under my big down coat, for shooting (exceptionally cold, no proper heating WWII type building) but not comfortable. That was the welted waist feeling bulky. As part of my Sloppy Joes, perfect. The only other downside would be the full zip. I don’t like them, they always bulge in an unsightly fashion and I feel I’m constantly pulling the front down to make it lie better.
On the whole, I quite like it, but I would never normally consider it because it doesn’t suit my needs and I wouldn’t pay £55 for a top to wear over my pyjamas. However, for someone wanting casual wear with ‘a label’, this is a well made garment in a hardwearing fabric.
For more information and another review, visit Martin’s blog.
4 comments:
Very good Louise. Tony Bennett has also reviewed this item. You seem to have made more 'hill' use of it than either of us, but our children really like it. Mind, it looks good on you.
Thanks Martin. Laura did a fine job of taking a couple of flattering photos (and one less so...).
I found it a little tricky to be 'fair' reviewing this, because it wasn't the sort of thing I expected to receive and doesn't fit in with my usual attire, but the girls are both poised to pinch it. Shame because that age group wouldn't probably look at this type of clothing and might not want to spend that kind of money on it. I'm not sure where it fits.
Now I'll pop over and take a look at Tony's review!
Mmm. A bit of a surprising poor hill top to review. Ok for around camp or car camping but not what i would have expected considering backpacking is the object of the blog.
Maybe something a bit more realistic to the activity could have been sent.
I did emphasis your high credentials.
I hate to say it, but I wasn't the only one to wonder if it was a 'girly' thing going on, but then Martin got the same so perhaps not! Thank you Alan, I still enjoyed the opportunity.
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