Ridgeline Women’s Rhea Jacket Review
I received this jacket a number of months ago, but held off doing the review until now as this jacket is more a Spring/Summer weight jacket, so putting a review out in the depth of winter seemed wrong. That said, I did actually wear it quite a bit during the colder months teamed up with their Ballistic Fleece Hoodie. Together they make a toasty warm combo.
Practicality
This jacket is 100% waterproof, breathable and completely windproof. It performed brilliantly in our changeable British weather - the loose mesh look polyester tricot lining kept me from getting too hot when the sun shined, and the outer kept me lovely and dry when the heavens opened, and it definitely offered more warmth than your average waterproof.
The outer fabric is an an unusual fabric - brushed polyester laminated to make a technical waterproof membrane - but one that offers some very useful features for the outdoor, sporting or agricultural professional, in that it’s completely silent.
Obviously if you go shooting silence is good, but why would it matter to the average person. Well, I am pretty average and the crunching of standard waterproofs does annoy me enough that I usually opt for a technical Gore-Tex/Iso-Tex style coat, but as you know those tend to come with a hefty price tag usually from £250-£600. Rhea’s price is a much more affordable (and if you sign up to their newletter you can get 10% OFF too).
I recently discovered another bonus to the quiet when trying to get my sister’s horse in from the field. Talulah is notorious for wanting to stay out, so you have to use SAS stealth tactics to catch her, and when it is raining, droplets on standard waterproofs can sound like a Phil Collins drum solo. The brushed nature of the Rhea’s material means that sound is absorbed making sneaking up on a fiesty horse must easier.
Features
One of the things I really liked is the deep hood which has a stiffened visor. It is a lovely size that covers the face from downward onslaught very well, even with my hair in a ponytail. Now that won’t mean much to blokes (unless they are old school heavy metal fans), but a ponytail takes up hood space, so we usually have to put our hair down when putting a hood up or we’d get a face full of driving rain, so having such a deep hood is a godsend..
The full-length, two-way zip incorporates a protective press-stud storm-flap, to minimise the chance of water entering through the zip.
The chest pocket provides a secure space for everyday essentials and it easily fit my iPhone. There are also two large patch pockets on the front which offer plenty of additional storage - perfect for keeping gloves, poo bags and nibbles. There are also cosy hand pockets behind these large pockets.
There are velcro tightening strips on the wrists, and cinching elastic along the bottom edge so that you can keep any gusts out. I also liked that it has a long back to cover your bottom (even on my tall frame).
There is a good range of sizes from XS(8) up to 3XL(20). I usually wear 18-20, so I opted to test out the 3XL(20), because I like a bit of room as I like to be able to put chunky fleeces or multiple layers on underneath. The sizing seems pretty much spot on.
Any Drawbacks?
Well the one of the best bits, as mentioned earlier, is the silence of outer material, but because of the brushed texture it also means that you easily pick up hairs - both my easily spotted white ones and animal hairs. This is not a deal-breaker, and hairs can easily be rollered off, but it’s something to be aware of.
The other thing that slightly niggled me is its lack of a neck loop for hanging up on a coat hook. I had to use the hood to hang it up which, whilst not a hardship, meant it hung down a bit low to the ground when I was mucking out the stable.
One other thing to mention is that, after 3 months of wearing, one of the poppers on the storm-flap did come apart. As the rest of the poppers are totally fine I am not going to let that lessen my opinion of this jacket, as the occasional problem with attachments can happen, and I am sure that if I had bought this myself they would have either exchanged it or fixed the issue straight away (I haven’t asked).
My Verdict
I really like this jacket. It has performed brilliantly for me over the past few months. It is not a highly technical jacket, but it is not aimed at that market. It is for everyday use, and for the casual wanderers, the weekend explorers and the campsite regulars who value comfort and versatility over hardcore performance. The Rhea is definitely worth the price.
Colours: Deep Forest, Ivy Green, Navy (Note: the Berry colour seems to have been recently discontinued, but is still available with a quick search)
Sizes: XS-3XL (8-20)
Price: £129.99
more at : https://ridgelineclothing.co.uk