Chris Townsend reviews a lightweight waterproof with an active fit.
This review is part of our lightweight waterproofs gear guide, and was first published in the May 2019 issue of The Great Outdoors.
The new Gandiva jacket is made from a new version of Gore-Tex Paclite. Paclite Plus has a matt dry- touch inner that feels much nicer against the skin than standard Paclite. The fabric is soft and flexible. Breathability is pretty good.
The design is good too. The hood has a big, stiff peak that gives great protection and doesn’t restrict side vision. The cuffs are wide enough for venting. The pockets are map-sized and sit above a hipbelt.
The pocket bags are Paclite so any rain getting through the water-resistant zips shouldn’t penetrate the jacket. On a card in one of the pockets Mountain Equipment concedes ‘in exceptionally wet conditions water may get into the pocket’ and advises that sensitive items should be stored in a waterproof bag: sensible advice applying to all pockets with unprotected water-resistant zips. If only other companies pointed this out too.
The Gandiva has an ‘active fit’, meaning the sizing is on the small side. Even the Large only just fits me over a thin fleece.
Other than the small sizing there’s nothing to fault with the Gandiva.
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The products mentioned in this review were provided free of charge by the brands. However, this does not affect our impartiality in any way. Unlike some of our competitors, who only review items from brands that advertise with them, advertising relationships aren’t a factor in our gear reviews here at The Great Outdoors.
We have a long and proud history of robust, authoritative and trustworthy testing. Our highly experienced testers know what works and what doesn’t, and we aren’t afraid to tell our readers the truth about a product. If an item has flaws, we’ll tell you. Equally, if it’s outstanding, we’ll do our best to highlight its good qualities. Honest reviews are very important to us at TGO, and we take this responsibility seriously.
