Down and Insulated Jackets

Mountain Equipment Skyline Jacket | Review

Lightweight, warm, weather resistant and made with ethically sourced materials, the Skyline from Mountain Equipment has the makings of a future classic

The Skyline is one of the most dynamic down jacket releases this season. It’s warm, comfortable, good-looking and designed to fit into the tightest of crevasses in your pack when you don’t need it.

When you do need it, each segment of the coat has 700 fill power down stuffed into it, all amassing to 180g-worth altogether, so you’re pretty much going to be moving about the mountain in a highly-technical, adventure-built duvet.

“You’re pretty much going to be moving about the mountain in a highly-technical, adventure-built duvet.”

And you can count on this down fill being ethically sourced as it carries the Down Codex mark. This is a scheme launched by Mountain Equipment to manage and reduce risk in their down supply chain. It guarantees that all of the fill that’s used is only a by-product of the food and meat industry, and that it is fully traceable as well. There’s even a code on the label of each jacket that allows the buyer to search for the down supplier’s information on the Mountain Equipment website themselves.

Back to performance, the Skyline also guarantees decent weather protection thanks to its 20 denier DriLite Loft fabric. Not only is this windproof, but it’s water resistant as well. The Durable Water Repellent treatment should help it shed all but heavy or prolonged rain.

Made with 20 denier DriLite Loft fabric, the Skyline will give you really good weather protection. Photo: Chris Johnson.

Every baffle of the Skyline has 700 fill power down stuffed into it. Photo: Chris Johnson.

The adjustable hood on the Skyline jacket is spacious enough to accommodate a climbing helmet. Photo: Chris Johnson.

Zippable pockets help prevent your keys jumping out half way up the mountain. Photo: Chris Johnson.

The adjustable hood is easily big enough to accommodate a climbing helmet – the jacket is also compatible with climbing harnesses – and the hood also closes tightly enough to preserve neck and face warmth.

One final feature to point out is its inner mesh pocket which the jacket can be stowed away into should you want to keep it out of the way in your pack. It’s one of the nice little touches in what’s altogether a well-thought through, cleverly designed down jacket that provides warmth, comfort and crucially, a whole lot of convenience whether you’re wearing it or simply packing it away.