Waterproof Jackets

Cimalp Guide Pro Jacket | Review

A tough shell made for demanding mountain missions

Cimalp are a relatively new brand from France that I came across a couple of years ago and have kept a close eye on since. All the items I’ve tried from them have been really impressive. In fact, the CimAlp Advanced 2H jacket was one of the best jackets of the year for me back in 2020, if not the best. This, the Cimalp Guide Pro appears to be an evolution of that, and I tell you what, I’m impressed. I’ve been using it over the last couple of months, including on a gear testing trip to the Scottish Highlands in autumn, here’s how I got on with it.

Performance and Construction

What’s first of all notable about this is how durable it feels. It’s a proper mountain shell that you can tell, even from the first touch, is made to help you through some seriously rough conditions and over some tough terrain too. Cimalp say it’s made with alpine climbing and ski touring in mind and the fabric definitely feels made for the rigours you can expect from those pursuits. From my experience with this, it’ll take a heck of a lot to cause any damage to it. It’s a jacket that feels built to last, for sure.

Will Renwick using the Cimalp Guide Pro in the Highlands. Photos: Dave Macfarlane

It uses Cimalp’s proprietary Ultrashell fabric, a three-layer system involving a durable outer material, a membrane and then a backer fabric that protects the membrane from abrasion, dirt and body oils. The membrane itself is microporous. I tend to like these kinds of membranes as they allow moisture vapour from sweat to escape while blocking rain from entering, enhancing breathability and comfort during activity. Their structure of tiny pores is small enough to keep water droplets out but large enough to let vapour pass, which reduces overheating. Additionally, they maintain lightweight and flexible qualities, making them ideal for high-performance outdoor gear.

Still, membrane jackets are membrane jackets, and the breathability does have its limits. Fortunately, the big pit zips make up the shortfall there though, allowing you to dump heat quickly and to let a bit of airflow in.

Features

Those pit zips are two-way and also large enough that they come right down the jacket to serve as hand pockets. To me, this is a bit of a drawback as I do like to have dedicated hand pockets to rest and warm the hands in. I’m a big fan of the pockets on the chest though. These are very big, easily big enough to swallow an OS map, and they have good water resistance. I wouldn’t want to risk keeping my phone in them in heavy rainfall for too long, though. In such instances, that’s where the internal zipped pocket comes in handy – it’s the perfect size for a phone.

What I admired most about the previous Cimalp waterproof jacket I tested was the fit and reliability of the hood, and fortunately Cimalp have nailed the design this time round too. It’s large enough to fit over a helmet and also has three-point adjustment so you can cinch it close in so that it moves with your head nicely. It has a wire stiffened peak which provides nice coverage, it’s a shame it’s not mouldable – I always like hoods that allow you to shape the peak to preference. I think what I like most about it is that the collar comes up nice and high and this means you get that little bit of extra protection from it, and it’s comfortable, with a microfleece lining preventing any niggling around the chin.

Other details include a two-way main zip, built-in RECCO reflector for avalanche recovery, Velcro adjustable cuffs and glove-friendly zipper tabs.

Fit

I’m 5 foot 10 and tried this in a medium, which is my usual size. I’d describe the fit as being slightly bigger than your average size M and I liked this. It has a bit of extra length at the hem and drops slightly at the backside and, as such, the jacket keeps nicely below a hipbelt without riding up. I also found it struck a nice balance by allowing for layering but without coming across as loose and baggy when only worn over a baselayer.

Verdict

This is one of those super hardy shells that you can count on in bad weather and when you’re putting yourself into harsh environments. From my experience with it, it’s very protective while it’s also got the kind of durability most mountaineers would want from a shell. The tradeoff with that durability is that the Cimalp Guide Pro is at the heavy weight end of the scale, coming in at 710g. As such, it’s not a shell for lightweight minimalists – but they’re definitely not the target market.