Snugpak, as their name fittingly suggests, are renowned for their big cosy jackets, but this Cyclone soft shell is not one of those. This is a much lighter more compact jacket but, this said, it is well able to keep that uncomfortable chill wind on the outside.
Even though the Snugpak Cyclone does not give an immediate feeling of being a warm garment, it is soon giving you a comforting warmth. This is achieved by using a material called Repreve which is produced from recycled plastic bottles. And yes, of course I wonder what this material was in its previous life ~ was it cola bottles or perhaps something for keeping your milk in? Whatever the case, it is great to know you are now wearing it and its not blowing in the wind or dumped in some landfill tip… or, worse still, floating about in the oceans. Military Back Pack
So Repreve (33% Recycled Polyester and 67% Polyester) has two ways of giving you that warm fuzzy feeling. This fabric is waterproof but Snugpak emphasise that the garment does not have taped sealed seams so is not classed as fully waterproof and is just water-resistant. This said, it will offer a lot of protection if caught in a sudden storm. This is assisted by a storm flap behind the main zip and a waterproof zip on the usefully sized front pocket. The two side pockets have conventional zip closures. On the inside the Cyclone is a cosy feel brushed micro fleece. There is also a very useful internal ‘poacher’s pocket’.
I can see this Cyclone jacket, which is available in both Black and Olive, being used in warmer climates where it gets chill of an evening or when you are out in those sudden rains, but this said it certainly has its place in home country for both urban and rural applications.
[images © Jean Gormley unless noted]
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