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Weighing a phenomenally slight 100g, the Berghaus Hyper jacket could be the perfect waterproof for lightweight fanatics... but does it do the job? Our review finds out.

berghaus hyper jacket twilight blue copy
Price
£120
Value
8
Quality
8
Performance
8
Looks
6
Comfort
6
Overall Score
7
+
Astonishingly light
Sacrifices almost all features to get there
berghaus.com

Berghaus intends the Hyper jacket for 'fast trail activities'. Given that it weighs next to nothing (100g) and packs down to the size of an apple it's clearly halfway there already - and is so versatile that it could be considered both a trail running item and an ultra-slight waterproof for more general outdoor users too.

It makes few concessions towards fit or adjustment, though. This is a bare-bones shell designed for ultra-lightweight or emergency use. Consequently it comes with a slightly baggy, waist-length cut that nevertheless hugs at the right places (via an elasticated hem and cuffs), but aside from the main zip to close the jacket there is no adjustment here at all. The hood is equally elasticated, and hugs the head reasonably well while allowing good movement and offering the tiniest of unwired peaks. But aside from being able to roll it up and stow it via a simple button clip... that's it for features.

As you might have guessed there are no storage options on this jacket at all - it really is just a single layer of fabric with almost no other additions to distract from its lightweight ambitions. However, unlike almost every other jacket you might see on the market it comes with its own miniscule stuff sack. When it's comfortably cinched up inside the Berghaus-branded bag it's likely smaller than your fist, which is hugely impressive and makes the Hyper an item of kit you struggle to find a reason not to put in your bag, rather than the other way round.

Used in action, the Hyper is impressive, despite being so astonishingly slight. It's hydrostatic head rating is 15,000mm, which is considerably more than required to be deemed 'waterproof' (10,000mm is a decent figure for real-life use), although the thinness of the "Hydroshell" fabric means that when worn against bare skin it quickly feels cold and clammy in the rain. It's also more vulnerable to the wind than most due to that non-adjustable fit and it's not the quietest fabric, either. However, there are very obvious sacrifices needed to reach 100g in weight and this is all to be expected of this kind of garment.

In conclusion: Berghaus have made something really impressive here, especially for the price. It's well worth investigating whoever you are: as either race wear for foul-weather trail runners or as a super handy protective layer for walkers and cyclists too.

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