Berghaus jackets are high quality outdoor Jackets that are known by many as one of the top UK outdoor clothing brands including the Berghaus RG Parka Jacket.

If you live in the UK your likely to already know about the company Berghaus who supply outdoor clothing gear that we see being worn by people in various places or conditions, from the local shopping area too Hiking the Lake District fells.

Official Berghaus Company

The history of Berghaus goes back to 1966 when Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison from the North East of England became unhappy with the gear available at that time.

Peter and Gordon started to import and sell high quality outdoor products at their shop in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Because the new store was a success they started to design, test and make their own gear which has led to the high quality outdoor gear we see today.

There are many types of Berghaus Jackets suitable for all types of outdoor adventures that we found are worth a mention. First we will take a look at the Mens RG Parka Eclipse Berghaus Jacket that's a basic outdoors jacket, perfect for Autumn and Winter wear.

Mens RG Parka Eclipse Berghaus Jacket Review

The Berghaus parka has some nice features and is well designed to offer the outdoors man comfort and protection from the elements. Here are some of the features I liked:

• Pockets: The Parka is for those that like a Jacket that has plenty of pockets for keeping all sorts of small belongings inside. It has four large pockets on the front (velcro), 2 lower side entrance zipper pockets, and 1 inside zipper pocket ( 7 in total).
• Adjustable cuffs: These are available on most outdoor Jackets that open and close with velcro. Adjust to the exact size to insulate keeping heat inside the jacket and loosen to allow ventilation.
• Elasticated Hem: The hem has an elasticated cord with toggles to adjust to provide better heat insulation. These were easy to adjust and worked well.
• Hood: The hood is a simple design, stored inside the collar to be used when needed and rolled up to be stored away.
• Materials: The outer shell is known as AQ2 Nylon Dobby with bi-component polyurethane coating with a water repellent finish that's durable. The lining is nylon and the insulation is polyester fibrefill on the main body and sleeves.
• Storm flaps: Two useful storm flaps cover the main zipper, preventing wet and cold leaking inside.
• Weight: 944g - 33oz

RG Parka Jacket Pro's and Con's

I tested out the RG Parka Eclipse model from the Berghaus range and found it was better that expected, although like all products they have advantages and disadvantages.

Here are the advantages and things I really liked about this Berghaus jacket.

Look and feel: Looks are not everything when it comes to outdoor clothing gear, although this Jacket does look like a nice Jacket when used. It's a Jacket to be used for everyday activities alongside outdoor activities ( Hiking and Camping) so having a nice look is something I appreciated.

The Eclipse jacket is more comfortable than my North face which was a surprise.

Waterproof: These jackets are advertised as having a waterproof repellent finish. I tried the jacket out in a minor rain shower and snow without the Jacket absorbing wet. I could see the rain rolling off the material.

Warmth: Today I wore the RG Parka Berghaus Jacket whilst the temperature was down to 0C (32F) with one under layer, it was very warm. I would not use this jacket below freezing in very windy conditions hiking. It has its limits; Other Berghaus Jackets and similar brands are intended for serious 4 season use.

Features: I really liked the pockets, although I prefer the lower pockets to be slanted so I can sit my hands inside easily.

The roll up Hood is great, which I now have a preference for compared to a full hooded jacket. I never use the full hood enough, but don't like to detach it to be left at home in case I need it which makes a roll up hood ideal.

Price: It cost's around 100 pounds, which is in my opinion is around the right price for this type of outdoor coat.

There was a lot I liked about the Jacket, It's a great addition to my North face. I could find very little negatives to report. This was the main negative I found:

Zipper snag: The zipper snags at the top of the Jacket because of a small flap that protects a user's skin from the zipper. Its an important slither of material that would not deter me from keeping the Jacket, or a big enough reason to be unhappy, but it does snag. Using a little caution when zipping the Jacket up and making sure the flap is pushed inside solves the issue.

Conclusion

Berghaus Waterproof Jackets are well designed with different styles for various outdoor pursuits and receive very little criticism from consumer reports.

The RG Parka Eclipse is well suited for Autumn or Winter activities including day hikes and camping in temperatures down to just above freezing. Other Berghaus Jackets are more suitable for outdoor pursuits in conditions below freezing, with a double zip to attach a fleece.

The only negative to report about the Berghaus RG Parka Eclipse jacket was the zipper snag as mentioned above.