be wearing it. If you buy a simple block colour rather
than camo then you’re also going to end up with
something you can wear every day which makes it even
better value for money.
With all that said, and after extensive testing over the
winter months, here are my “six of the best” for the
range; keep warm, keep switched on, and above all else,
keep training whatever “Ma Nature” may throw at you!
KIT:
Snugpak SJ9 Jacket (UK£139.95)
www.snugpak.com/military
Snugpak, the leading British sleeping
bag manufacturer, has built upon
the success of its best known insulated
jacket, the Softie, to bring an inspired
new innovation to its clothing collection.
The new generation of insulated jackets
from Snugpak are British made in the
company’s factory in West Yorkshire, and
are manufactured using its exclusive
Softie Premier insulation.
The warmest jacket in the
collection is the SJ9, which uses Softie
9 Insulation. It 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 it in to retain warmth, elasticated
cuffs form a great seal when wearing gloves, and there
are two deep hand warmer pockets as well. Down the
sides of the jacket is a unique panel of baffles which holds
the insulation exactly where it’s needed; Snugpak have
obviously looked to their sleeping bag range and taken
inspiration from there, and it works very well indeed.
The SJ9 is available in olive, military black, MultiCam
and A-TACS camo, and features Velcro on the arms for unit
or morale patches. I’ve been really pleased to have this
model on test and it’s fast proving to be a “keeper”. Over
the winter months I was able to try it in various conditions
and, especially when the temperature plummeted it really
performed! If you’re looking for a really great winter
jacket that is absolutely perfect for wear onhe range and
elsewhere then I’d urge you to take a really close look at
the SJ9 as it comes with my thorough recommendation.
Snugpak MML6 Softie
Smock (UK£199.95)
w w w. s n u g p a k . co m /
military
One of the things with
range training is that you
do spend a fair amount
of time in a cold, static
position; you might be
a t t e n d i n g a t ra i n i n g
briefing first thing in the
morning or breaking for
lunch, but it’s a rarity to
find a heated range isn’t it? For years I’ve always had an
original Snugpak “Softie” jacket in the back of the car for
just such times, for when you want a bit of instant warmth.
Now Snugpak have really upped the ante though, taking
things to an entirely new level! Developed by Snugpak
with input from professional navigators, mountain leaders,
climbing instructors, meteorological staff, and military
personnel, the new functional Military Mountain Leader
Smock has been created to support the user in a diverse
range of operational environments, especially when
exposed to extreme cold weather.
As a part of Snugpak’s new “VENTURE” range the
MML6 Softie Smock is the flagship garment. It’s a tri-layer
garment and uses both Paratex Micro as a face fabric,
and an internal Softie Premier fill, encapsulated with a
Paratex Light lining. Designed to provide excellent thermal
protection against the cold the MML6 is rated -5C to -10C; it
also provides a high degree of wind protection. The MML6
Softie Smock is lighter than normal expedition style jackets,
and uses water resistant YKK zips, making it ideal when
size and weight need to be kept to an absolute minimum.
It is ideally worn with a variety of base layers, such as the
Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax base layer, to move moisture
away from the skin, keeping you dry and regulating core
temperature in extremes of cold.
The quick drying, Paratex Micro 100% nylon material
has a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish. Water
repellency can be maintained with a cool tumble dry after
washing and periodic re-treatment with suitable after care
products, such as Nikwax and Grangers. The MML6 Softie
Smock will keep you dry in a short, light shower, giving
you time to find a safe place to stop and put on more
effective waterproof layers. The MML6 Softie Smock can
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