Using the company’s eponymous merino wool blended with other performance yarns and fabrics, the Intraknit Active jacket aims to deliver an optimal combination of the warmth, temperature maintenance and odour tackling qualities of merino alongside wind resistance and high levels of stretch. A slim fit makes the most of the incredibly stretchy fabric and its breathability, but is worth taking into consideration if the jacket is likely to be used on its own more than as a genuine midlayer under a shell.
Lara Dunn Highly Recommends
It’s a genuinely versatile jacket and good for a wide variety of temperatures plus it gets a big tick for Smartwool’s ethical and environmental stance.- Very stretchy
- Wind resistant panels
- Good temp stability
- Neat fitting
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £149.99 Weight: 387g (women’s large) Materials: 53% merino wool/21.3% lyocell/21% polyester/5% elastane Features: wide soft collar, wind resistant panels, zoned breathability Sizes: XS-XL Women’s/Men’s Version: Women’s (men’s direct equivalent available) www.smartwool.co.uk |
In use, it’s a remarkably comfortable layer in a variety of weather conditions. Even when worn on its own, in temperatures from mid-single figures through to mid-teens, it is capable of delivering a stable body temperature, thanks to the high levels of breathability and moisture transport offered by the fibre blend and structure of the fabrics. Extra breathable mesh panels and a very open weave compensate for the decent levels of wind resistance offered by the front panels. A bit of the wind resistant fabric across the shoulders would be an improvement, to give a little more protection from the possible wear of rucksack straps, but it’s actually sturdier than it looks anyway.
Worn with a shell layer over the top, the sleek fit and cosy collar really come into their own and the levels of warmth the jacket offers as an insulating layer are impressive for the low bulk. It’s heavier and doesn’t pack down as small as some midlayers, but it’s far from being a heavyweight and happily hitches a ride in a daypack as a ‘just in case’ extra layer on changeable days. It’s a genuinely versatile jacket and good for a wide variety of temperatures plus it gets a big tick for Smartwool’s ethical and environmental stance, pushing hard for corporate transparency and the development more genuinely sustainable outdoor clothing.
