This waterproof jacket has featured in our guide to the best waterproof jackets and is a redesign of Sprayway’s flagship winter Gore-Tex shell from the 1990s. I sized up to a UK12 to allow layering and for freedom of movement. I like that the Sprayway Torridon offers a longer length at the rear and arms. The cuffs cover half my hands.
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Price: £340 / International shipping available | Weight: 568g | Materials: 3-layer Gore-Tex 75D PFCEC-free recycled polyester | Hood: wired, 2 adjusters | Front closure: 2-way zip, storm flap, stud, Velcro Underarm/side zips: 2-way pit zips | Pockets: 4 | Hem: yes, elastic | Cuffs: Velcro | Sizes: UK 6-20 | Men’s version: yes
The hood is the best on test with good volume, easy adjustment and a really good peak. It stays in place when I move my head and keeps most of the rain off my face and specs. There is a Velcro tab so you can roll away the hood. The jacket would benefit from a softer chinguard for skin protection.
The Sprayway Torridon is not lightweight but it offers a thoroughly robust outer shell that is very waterproof and windproof with good breathability, plus there are easy to use two-way pit zips for temperature control. The two-way front zip benefits from a double stormguard, plus stud and Velcro fastening for really good weatherproofing.
The zipped hand pockets, which have storm covers, are large. So you can stow lots of items, including an OS map; but they are clipped a little when wearing a rucksack. There is a useful internal zipped pocket, as well as a stash pocket.
Sprayway does well on eco and ethical standards by using Gore-Tex’s more environmentally friendly PFCEC-free 3-layer fabric plus a PFC-free DWR and by being a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), which aims to improve labour conditions in the garment industry.
I really like the three-colour panelling design of the Sprayway Torridon, which offers good visibility for safety in the hills. The somewhat retro style also brings a strangely comforting sense of nostalgia. The price is good for such a high-spec jacket.
How we tested the Sprayway Torridon
Fiona normally wears a size Small or UK10. She tested the Torridon on a range of hill and mountain hikes, mostly in the Scottish Highlands and in a variety of conditions from cold and windy to very wet. She used her home digital scales to weigh the jacket.
