Waterproof Jackets

Sherpa Lithang Jacket | Review

A heavier weight choice for those of us who prefer durability and features over minimal design

This is a heavy-duty mountaineering shell that will stand up to all conditions – something that you can use to really batten down the hatches in.

Named after a Nepalese town that sits at 4,014m above sea level, the Lithang is one of Sherpa’s best sellers, a jacket that should be ideal for mountaineers and alpinists. We say this mainly because of its tough shell. Made from a very robust type of 3-layer waterproof fabric called Himaltec, it’s more than capable of withstanding rough abrasion when climbing rocks, or from rubbing from a heavy backpack, ropes or harness.

What’s most interesting about this, is that it’s got quite a surprising amount of stretch to it, so much so that the Sherpa Lithang could easily be mistaken for a softshell jacket, the main giveaway being the taped seams on the inside. We should point out that it does still ruffle like a waterproof though.

A few elements combine to make this a very comfortable jacket to wear as well. The interior lining, for instance, is very soft and smooth, and there’s a micro fleece on the chin guard. There are also long two-way pit zips for plenty of ventilation and the overall fit is athletic without being too tight, even with, say a midweight down jacket underneath.

“Named after a Nepalese town that sits at 4,014m above sea level, the Lithang is one of Sherpa’s best sellers”

Attention has clearly been paid to the hood design that has a wire stiffened peak and three adjustment points. Other nice features include the port hole for earphones in the left breast pocket, and the interior mesh pocket to stash your goggles in.

When you get heavy duty durability, more often than not, the overall weight will be high, and at 543g this definitely applies to the Lithang. This won’t matter much to anyone using this for winter mountaineering where they’ll probably wear it all day, but it would matter to anyone planning to going backpacking in summer with it. It’s not really an ideal weight to be carrying with you just-in-case it rains.

Pit zips add breathability to this beefed up jacket.

Attention has clearly been paid to the hood design that has a wire stiffened peak and three adjustment points.

Named after a Nepalese town that sits at 4,014m above sea level, the Lithang is one of Sherpa’s best sellers, a jacket that should be ideal for mountaineers and alpinists.

Sherpa isn’t called Sherpa for nothing. It all started back in 2003 when a former Nepalese guide wanted to start an outdoor brand that worked as a social enterprise, giving something back to the people of Nepal. Every item is made within the country, and over 900 Nepalese men and women have been employed there. On top of this, with every Sherpa product sold, a donation is made towards helping Nepalese children go to school. So kudos to them.

Final point: you’ll be able to find this in both men’s and women’s versions.

Tester’s Verdict

“You’d have to work hard to damage this jacket, it really feels built to last, but this is reflected in the rather heavy total weight. Still, it’s very functional, and should be ideal for those who like to venture out into say, Scottish winter conditions. A slight drawback, in my opinion, is that the handwarmer pockets are difficult to use with a hip-belt or harness.” – OM Editior, Will Renwick.