Why We Chose The Haglöfs L.I.M GTX Active Jacket: Excellent performance, extremely lightweight, great cut

In the warmer months, it’s much easier to ditch a lot of your heavier hillwalking gear in order to walk relatively free and unencumbered in the mountains. But – in the UK at least – even high summer can often come with the risk of unseasonable showers or unexpected downpours. As such, you’d be daft to head out without packing a waterproof jacket.

What you really need is a ‘just in case’ jacket: a superlight and packable layer that won’t take up too much space in your pack (where it’ll probably spend most of its time), but which still guarantees reliable rain protection if the skies darken and the heavens open. This is exactly the sort of scenario for which Haglöfs’ L.I.M GTX jacket is designed. It’s even light and compact enough to cram into a small trail running vest-pack, and breathable enough to wear while moving quickly in the hills too.

Who is the Haglöfs L.I.M GTX Jacket for?

This jacket is part of the Swedish brand’s L.I.M (‘less is more’) series. As that name suggests, this is apparel designed for ‘fast and light’ mountain types. 

It’s a light shell designed as packable protection for the summer season. As such, it would make an ideal ‘just in case’ jacket for those days when you’re not quite sure what the weather’s going to do. 

Materials and Construction

It employs 2.5-layer Paclite Plus waterproof fabrics. This involves a membrane that’s glued to a light outer fabric with a PU on the inside that guards the membrane from internal abrasion and prevents sweat and dirt from blocking up the membrane’s pores.

This is the latest generation of Paclite, which now has a protective dry-touch carbon print instead of a raised backer. It definitely feels nicer against the skin than the slick and clammy Paclite fabrics of old, yet still has the same qualities of high packability and low weight.

Features

The L.I.M series design ethos is all about ‘functional minimalism’ – that is, delivering only the essentials to ensure the lowest possible weight. This jacket is no exception. It has simple but effective mesh-lined hand pockets that double as air vents. There are laminated water-resistant zips, the cuffs and hems are elasticated and the hood has an elasticated binding around the face along with a slight peak to deflect rain.

You also get a full-length centre zip with a soft chin guard at the top and two press studs, one at the bottom of the jacket and one at mid-chest, which is attached to an elasticated tab. This allows you to vent the jacket easily without it flapping open.

“It’s ideal for quickly dumping excess heat when moving fast.”

Otherwise, that’s about it, though it’s worth praising the neat cut, which ensures a slim and streamlined fit. This is actually one of our favourite elements of the jacket – it’s trim without feeling tight yet offers excellent freedom of movement. Good job, Haglöfs.

Conclusion

This is a protective yet impressively packable jacket with top-level performance and excellent comfort. It also has a neat and streamlined cut that makes this well suited to fast and light adventures.