A plain and simple hardshell waterproof jacket designed for eco-conscious female hikers, hill walkers, strollers and everyday wear.
The Highest Peak Jacket is a waterproof, lightweight and no frills coat from Jack Wolfskin. Featuring full weather protection from TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE PRO STRETCH 3, it is light to wear and keeps you dry in the typical british winter heavy downpours. Its plain design makes it a great match for any hiking outfit and it packs down small to throw in your bag when you don’t need it. The shape of the jacket is short in length and generous around the bust and waist making it a good option during winter when you are wearing extra layers to keep warm. Plus, the pit zips are essential (for me at least!) to assist with some breathability.
Jack Wolfskin Highest Peak 3l Jacket: The stats
| Best for: | Hiking, hill walks, everyday wear |
| Weight: | 360g / 12.7oz (size S) |
| Waterproof: | Yes, HH 20,000 |
| Eco-conscious: | Outer material, membrane and lining are recycled, membrane is created from leftover remnants, PFC-free, bluesign approved |
| Overall rating: |
Features of the Jack Wolfskin Highest Peak 3l Jacket
Fabric
The jacket outer and lining are made from 100% polyester and are completely recycled making it a nice feature for those of us that like more eco-conscious credentials. Although the description says this jacket is breathable, I personally do not find this to be very accurate (when the pit zips are closed). Open pit zips are essential for some air flow for me. As good as the jacket is at keeping the weather and rain out, it also keeps a lot of my sweat in!
Pockets
There are 2 outer pockets and one internal. All pockets are a generous size that I can fit my phone and numerous other dog items that I bring with me on all walks. I also find the outer pockets are at a comfortable height to walk with my hands in my pockets when we’re on a low level meander.
Hood
The hood is fixed (meaning it is not removable) and is a generous size with an elastic adjustment on the back and a soft peak on the front. I really like the adjustability on the hood; it’s great having the elastic to tighten so that the hood doesn’t fall down over my eyes or fly off in the wind! This is a great feature for me.
Pit zips
Under both arms there are ‘pit zips’ to allow for extra optional ventilation. These zips are quite long in length and other than occasionally catching them whilst swinging my arms a bit too enthusiastically, I really don’t notice them. I find these really helpful and I use them during every use of the jacket as I get quite hot. I do find this jacket quite stuffy when they vents are closed because it is so waterproof. So, the pit zips are essential for me.
Cuffs
The cuffs are tailored around the wrists quite nicely. They are slightly longer across the top of the hands which I think is a really nice fit. There are also adjustable via Velcro tabs, helping to keep the rain and wind out.
Hem
The hem is a loose fit, allowing me to wear my bulky fleeces and still sits nicely without bunching up. I think this makes it a nice fit and helps the rain run off too. It’s not too long in length so doesn’t cover my butt but I quite like that about this jacket as the rain doesn’t run down my leggings/trousers.
Zip
The zips are nice and flat/smooth and I really appreciate that smooth look/feel. They are waterproof too, so I feel quite confident using these pockets for my phone. That said, my phone can sometimes become wet from condensation within the pocket so something to be mindful of.
Jack Wolfskin Highest Peak 3l Jacket review
The jacket has been coming with me on a lots of adventures recently. The majority of these have been hikes in the hills or wet local dog walks. I’m pleased to say it ‘does what it says on the tin’ and keeps me 100% dry from the rain, even in some pretty brutal sideways downpours. I don’t think twice about reaching for this jacket when it is already raining before we leave the house because I know I can rely on it.
Waterproofness
My first impression of the jacket was that it was classic and simple. I liked how it fit and the material felt nice and light. I wasn’t crazy about the colour but the neutralness has been handy when I’ve wanted to wear bright coloured pants (I have my limits for how many colours/patterns I can wear at once, ok!). As my first piece of kit from Jack Wolfskin, I had high expectations based on my own preconceptions about the brand. I also had high expectations for the jacket to keep me fully dry. Being a dog owner there is absolutely no avoiding those really soggy days when you have a big pair of eyes staring up at you longingly. And who needs a waterproof that isn’t up to that job?
I’m confident to say that this jacket is meeting my expectations for waterproofness so far. Watching the rain bead off the jacket at the start of a wet walk is always super satisfying. The adjustable hood is absolutely ideal and has been keeping the hood well in place on some very blustery and wet walks.
Breathability
One downside to the level of waterproofness, and something I hadn’t anticipated at the start, is that I don’t find the jacket overly breathable and I can find myself feeling quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the jacket. I will say that I find this with some of my other jackets (different brands) so it might be slightly more of a “me” problem than a fault of this jacket in particular. But something to bear in mind if you run a little hot, like me, when you’re hiking. It’s a great jacket to have in your bag ready to throw on when the rain kicks in, but maybe not to wear on the dry parts of the hike.
Fabric: feel and eco-credentials
I really like the feel of the materials and I think, similar to most people, I do tend to keep a look out for what eco-credentials any piece of kit has. So, I really like the fact that the main material for the jacket is 100% recycled. The jacket packs down small and is light but has enough weight to it to maintain the shape of the jacket when you get it out to wear. I don’t really have any complaints about how the jacket feels when I’m moving about in it, other than occasionally catching the pit zips when swinging my arms too enthusiastically.
Durability
I have been using the jacket for 4 months so far so it’s difficult to comment on the durability in that short space of time. But so far it has been standing up to brushes with brambles and thorns, and has also withstood me (unintentionally) sliding down a rather boggy hill through mud and all sorts of other delights from nature. I don’t ever intentionally do the these things but when you walk a path not stomped as often and venture out on days where the conditions aren’t as favourable to stay on your two feet, accidents happen! Its nice to know the jacket can withstand some of my clumsiness and natures harsher conditions.
Versatility
For me this jacket will remain as a hiking and casual walking jacket for days when I know it’s 99% going to rain. Its classic design is something I throw over a casual outfit when going on a short (and wet) coffee and chat type dog walk. It’s also a jacket that I think looks good with my outdoor gear and performs well as a hiking waterproof jacket. Due to the breathability I don’t (and won’t) be using it for anything that gets my heart rate and body temperature higher than a hike would (e.g no trail running). But I will most definitely continue to reach for it on those extra soggy hiking/walking days.
What I love the most about the Jack Wolfskin Highest Peak 3l Jacket
Genuinely, what I love most about this jacket is the adjustability of the hood. I love that once I have tightened the adjustment at the back, I don’t have to worry about it moving throughout the time I am using it. The peak isn’t too overbearing on the front of the hood and it fits nice and snugly around my face.
What I don’t love so much about the Jack Wolfskin Highest Peak 3l Jacket
I think you might have already guessed this from some of my earlier comments in this review that I don’t much love the breathability of this jacket. It isn’t an issue for walks / hikes where you aren’t pushing yourself too much and when you’re regulating your temperature well. But once you start to get hot and sweaty there aren’t many places for the hot air to escape to and the condensation can build up.
Verdict
The Highest Peak is a great jacket for female walkers / hikers who are looking for a simple and reliable waterproof jacket with some key adjustable features (hood adjustability, wrist cuffs and pit zips) that you can rely on to keep the rain out.
At its full price I think it is a little on the expensive side for me for the amount of features this jacket has and the amount of activities I would use it for. However, if you are looking for a simple and classic waterproof jacket that you can rely on to keep you dry, then I don’t think you’ll go too wrong with this jacket. Personally, I just really have to love something to be committing to digging deep into my pockets. And as much as I like this jacket, I’m just not sure I love it.
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Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.
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