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down into your pack for use when you need them most, ie,
when you stop being active and become more static, and
their designs are more often than not more technically cut to
fit lower over the small of the back and abdomen, whereas
many of the more “fashion cut” jackets are waistline cut. I
still have a very old belay pullover filled with Primaloft from
my time working with Lowe Alpine many years ago, and it’s
a classic!
Of course there are now many “tactical” brands that will
sell you and insulated jacket, and those are usually jazzed
up with a lot of arm-velcro and different features from the
“civvy versions”, but I’ll still go back to my old faves Snugpak
when it comes to insulated gear for military and tactical use;
they’ve built on the success of their best known insulated
jacket, the Softie (a UK Forces “favourite”!, to bring some
great models to their clothing collection, and the latest
generation of insulated jackets are British made in the
company’s factory in West Yorkshire, and are manufactured
using its exclusive Softie Premier synthetic insulation.
SJ FOR THE WIN!
The Snugpak SJ Range is their latest development in
tactical all-weather jackets that are designed to give you
the perfect outer shell whatever conditions you’re facing
throughout the year. All four jackets in the range benefit
from our high tech Paratex Micro outer and Paratex Light
inner, keeping any moisture away from your skin, so you
stay warm, comfortable and dry, and their Softie Premier
filling has excellent insulating properties, trapping heat and
maximising comfort.
The warmest jacket in the collection is the SJ12
(UK£184.95); the newest Snugpak design is tailored to fit
the contours of your body, with a water-resistant main zip,
and a high neck design that keeps out the draughts. The
Softie Jacket 12 is designed for the winter months with a
permanent, adjustable, insulated hood for extra warmth
around the head, neck and face. You’ll be comfortable right
down to -15°C. It comes in a Blue, Red, Olive, Military Black,
Multicam camouflage colours, which also feature Velcro
patches on the arm for military use. The SJ12 also has the
extended body and longer back I mentioned earlier.
The SJ9 (UK£149.95), which uses Softie 9 Insulation
features a full time insulated hood, which can be rolled
down and secured in place when not in use, and Snugpak’s
Softie® Premier insulation for ultimate warmth, making it
ideal for extreme winter conditions or when stationary for
long periods of time. Hem draw cords mean you can snug
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