We were constantly amazed by this little jacket — fully waterproof, taped and breathable, yet it packed down to a ball no bigger than a fist.

>>> The best waterproof mtb jackets

It was the classic emergency waterproof we genuinely forgot was in our packs, yet when needed it really did the trick. No pockets or frills, just basic waterproof function.

The fabric is extremely fragile so we took care not to go near sharp branches or rough rocks when wearing it, and the ventilation — with elasticated cuffs and hem — didn’t allow us to fully seal up or open out for cooling off, instead being set at a kind of middle ground between the two.

The hem and cuff elastic was also flagged up by nearly everyone as being the only part of the jacket that took ages to dry.

A great piece of kit for those who count every gram, or are packing extremely light and compact for a trip that shouldn’t see sustained bad weather.

Just be careful with it!