To many outdoor enthusiasts in the UK, Tierra will be an unfamiliar name, but over in Sweden it’s a popular brand and has been for some time – in fact, it originally made its name as being the outfitter to the first all-Swedish team to climb Everest. 

That’s one notable thing about Tierra. What’s perhaps even more notable is the fact that it’s one of the first ever companies that’s been permitted to use Gore-tex’s brand new ePE membrane. This is featured in their Västra jacket, which has just been released. This particular model on review here, we should stress, doesn’t feature that membrane, but we’d hazard a guess that future versions probably will. Instead, it features 3-layer Gore-tex with a C-knit backer. 

Materials

This shell has a tough and hard-wearing feel to it, but it also doesn’t feel heavy or cumbersome either. It has a really technical feel and performance to it with a hardy outer Polyamide face fabric, the Gore-tex membrane underneath this and then a specially designed inner liner that shields the membrane from abrasion and dirt and body oils while also just creating a comfortable feel against the skin.

Pros: Durable but light, protective hood, good technical cut
Cons: Strange dual entry hand pocket

Details

The Tierra Nevado has some nice design details. These include two long underarm zips that are two-way and easy to use and a protective high collar that has perforations to let you hunker down behind the fabric without your breath making it go all soggy. The hood itself is protective and moves nicely with the head, it’s helmet friendly and has three-point adjustment and a stiffened peak. A two-way zip across the front of the jacket will suit climbers who like to be able to throw a jacket on over the top of a climbing harness. A simple popper at the base of the zip means you can partially unzip the jacket from the bottom to create a vent for increased airflow without fully opening the jacket.