Keep dry in the worst of weather (Berghaus Cornice IA Jacket)

Member Name: Pharmtastic

Product:	Berghaus Cornice IA Jacket
Date:	11/11/08 (329 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Waterproof, lightweight

Disadvantages: Not cheap

The Cornice IA is a waterproof coat manufactured by the Berghaus company. Berghaus have a background in manufacturing clothes and equipment for walkers, hikers and campers, which is why this particular coat is grouped under "sporting goods".

The Cornice is man's design - the equivalent woman's style is branded as a Glissade.

The jacket is made from a Gore-Tex material. This is clever material that is manufactured under licence from WL Gore Ltd. The material is a high-tech way of being waterproof. The material is three-layered: the middle one is made with tiny holes. These are too big to let water droplets through [therefore waterproof], but are large enough to let water vapour through. This mean that perspiration will pass out through the coat, preventing any build up of condensation.

This mean that you end up with a totally waterproof coat, which turns out to be much lighter than, say, a Barbour product [I'm not knocking Barbour - I have one too - there just different horses for different courses.]

The jacket is fastened at the front with both a zip and a pop-button fastening. Together, these combine to effectively keep pout wind and rain. The cuffs can be adjusted with Velcro to produce a snug fit. The collar is lined to provide extra warmth. Inside the collar is a fold away hood. This has a large, stiffened peak which is very good at helping to keep the face dry.

There are two pockets on the outside, both with zip and protected by flaps. There is also an inside pocket which is large enough to hold an OS Map - this can be accessed while the main zip is closed.

The IA in the name stands for Interactive. Berghaus coats with this designation have a second zip included - this is designed to allow the user to attach a Berghaus IA fleece to the inside to produce a much warmer product for colder weather. I'm not that active myself, and so tend to just wear the fleece loose.

The jacket will fit over a suit and so I can use it for work. I didn't buy this for use specifically on the hills and mountains, but for general use when I need a proper, waterproof coat. I've had it for about two year now, and it's still as efficient as it was when new.

The coat has a SRP of £160 [Nov 08], but you can generally pick them up for about £140. It's not cheap, but I've been grateful when out in poor weather!

Also on ciao.

Summary: Fantastic for keeping you dry