Rupert Parker, reviews some of the best travelling jackets for anywhere you may be travelling to.
As all seasoned travellers know, the trick is to use layering for optimum temperature control. These two jackets represent both extremes, linen for those balmy tropics and duck down for arctic wastes. Pack both of them and with these jackets for anywhere, you’re ready to deal with almost anything the weatherman can throw at you.
Rohan Maroc Jacket 495g £149
For those smart casual business situations, this lightweight jacket can easily be thrown over jeans or chinos. Ordinary linen is not particularly durable and easily wrinkle so the folks at Rohan have incorporated sophisticated modern synthetics into the blend.
It still crumbles fashionably, but seems to bounce back easily after a night on the hanger. They also use the same material in the matching Maroc trousers so you can be the man in the blue linen suit.
The jacket is a single-breasted, two-button design, with a back vent. On the inside, there’s a zipped chest pocket, a buttoned chest pocket for a mobile phone with a handy pen slot.
Outside, there are two patch pockets and, hidden within the left one, there’s a zipped ticket pocket for extra security. And if you do end up spilling your dinner down its front, it can also thrown into the washing machine and will dry overnight.
Sprayway Mylas Jacket 397g £140
This lightweight quilted Sprayway jacket is a neat, unpretentious design with a built-in hood, drawcord adjustable hem, zipped outside pockets and an inner concealed security pocket. It’s filled with 700+ power duck down, which has undergone Teflon treatment to make it water-repellent and quick drying.
A supplied stuff sac means you can keep it rolled up in your bag until it starts getting chilly, and it represent good value.
Unlike other figure hugging quilted jackets, the Mylas fit is rather generous which means it can easily be thrown over any formal jacket. It looks smart too, in an eye catching chrome with a bright orange lining and the smooth-running, moulded-tooth front zip adds to its spaceman style.
In use I found it reasonably lightweight and warm, yet not so hot that I boiled up inside. It also survived a few soakings, although I wouldn’t expect it to cope with continuous rain. Just be aware that, although it does compress down, you still end up with a melon-sized bundle.
Tell me more about jackets for anywhere
As with most outdoor gear, you can often find these jackets for anywhere at discounted prices on the internet. Just make sure you’ve checked them for size before buying online.
