I waited a while to post this review, as I like to fully test a product before I give my opinion. Plus I needed it to rain so that I could actually test its waterproof capabilities, and for some reason the UK has been unseasoningly sunny recently…

Still, we’ve also had our fair share of cold, sunny days so I made the most of a day off and headed out on a lovely wander!

I’ve never actually bought anything from Jack Wolfskin as a brand. Maybe because I tend to stick to what I know, I’m unsure, but I have always heard good things.

With everyone thankfully becoming far more plastic conscious and environmentally aware, I was looking forward to testing this jacket out, not just because it looks good, but also because it’s the first 100% recycled jacket, well the outer fabric, membrane and lining are. With world environment day coming up, it’s great to see that Jack Wolfskin is a brand that truly does want to make a difference.

Just a quick scan through the Jack Wolfskin section on the Cotswold Outdoor site shows you how many of their products are made of recycled materials, and it’s great to see. I’d be interested to see how this compares to other outdoor brands, certainly. By conserving raw materials and reducing C02 emissions during production, they’re already helping before they’ve begun creating these jackets. The outer fabric and lining are produced in an upcycling process from PET bottles, helping to combat the environmental impact of single use plastics.

As an example, this jacket is made of over 20 bottles. How cool is that?!

The pockets are a decent size (2 hand pockets, 2 chest pockets, inner pocket) and I managed to fit my phone, keys and purse in for shorter walks.

I am also very happy with the sleeves. I have fairly long arms, so sometimes jackets can be a little short, but this did not disappoint, meaning I stayed nice and dry when the rain set in. In terms of jacket length overall, it’s a little longer than most that I would usually choose (midway down my thigh), and so I think it would see more use taking the dog for a walk, or on a nice pub walk, rather than a hike in the mountains, but everyone is different, and the bonus of the length is that you can have a sit down to admire the view without ending up with a wet bum, always a bonus!

The great thing about this design is that you could wear it straight from the office to the hills if needed, and it wouldn’t look out of place in either location.

It’s also an incredibly breathable jacket, and with the warm rainy days we’ve been having it’s been great to wear, and I’ve not ended up feeling hot, steamy or uncomfortable.

I was very impressed with the quality of this jacket. I am always dubious about how a jacket made of plastic bottles can be breathable, but this certainly was and I can’t fault it!