Chris Townsend examines the some of hillwalking’s most useful garments. On test Snugpak SV3 Gilet
The British-made Snugpak SV3 is a distinctive-looking vest due to the narrow side-baffles, unusual in a synthetic garment. These don’t appear to add to or detract from the performance which is typical of synthetic vests, the warmth being similar to that of a midweight fleece. The main zip is a water-resistant one too, which adds to the look. I don’t think it’s really needed on a garment like this that won’t stand up to much rain anyway. The SV3 has a nice warm fleece-lined collar. However there are two features I don’t like. The armholes aren’t elasticated and are quite wide so more heat can escape here than with ones that are elasticated, and the pocket zips are quite short so they scrape on your hands. The fit is generous, the Medium size being bigger than Large in some of the other vests and easily fitting over a light insulated jacket.
Reviewed in February 2015 Issue
