One of the most important pieces of outdoor gear is surely the jacket. When you’re up there in the mountains, hiking or camping, the weather can become really unpredictable.
So a good idea is to always bring a jacket with you, even if you’re out in nature only in the summer months. The jacket in this case can be a light one, but it will protect you against those short summer rains.
And where can I find a good mountaineering jacket? – you’ll probably ask. Well, today we have an article just for you.
We’ve researched and selected 9 of the best brands for not only jackets but also mountaineering clothing in general.
If you’re an expert in outdoor activities, you probably know the majority of these companies, but we’re sure in this list you’ll find one or two of them that you’ve never tried.
Let’s take a look!
Contents:
- 1. Patagonia
- 2. The North Face
- 3. Arc’teryx
- 4. Fjällräven
- 5. Columbia Sportswear
- 6. Kathmandu
- 7. RAB
- 8. Berghaus
- 9. Jack Wolfskin
1. Patagonia
Patagonia official website
We’ll begin with Patagonia, one of the go-to brands when it comes to outdoor clothing and mountaineering equipment.
Based in Ventura, California, in the United States, the brand was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard a rock climber.
Patagonia is known all over the world for its minimalist designs and for its focus on environmental sustainability. The brand uses recycled materials wherever possible in its products like for example recycled polyester, or fishing nets that are transformed into fabrics to be used in clothing.
Among their jackets, you’ll find designs for any outdoor activity. The company uses fabric technologies like Gore-Tex and H2No to make many of them waterproof and breathable.
Patagonia’s prices are usually high but we, and many outdoor enthusiasts, think its products are worth it for the performance they offer.
Must read: Why Is Patagonia So Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth The Price?
2. The North Face
The North Face official website
Another American brand, The North Face is very popular in many countries, not only in the US. It was founded in 1966 in San Francisco, California, by Douglas Tompkins and his wife Susie Tompkins Buell.
The North Face is another company with a very wide range of clothing and gear for any outdoor activity. In their collections, you’ll find different types of jackets: winter parkas, down puffers, softshell jackets, hardshell jackets, etc.
They use Gore-Tex too, along with their own technologies like DryVent and Thermoball.
The prices of The North Face are also on the expensive side but we think many of their jackets and products are worth it, and they have some affordable options too.
Don’t miss: Are The North Face Jackets Worth The Price? Why Are They So Expensive?
3. Arc’teryx
Arc’teryx official website
Arc’teryx was founded in 1991 in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company gets its inspiration from the Canadian Coast Mountains where they also test their products.
The brand focuses on precise design and innovation. Sustainability is also up there in their priorities. For these characteristics, they’ve become one of the most popular companies in the outdoor sector.
When it comes to jackets, Arc’teryx offers streamlined and modern designs for mountaineering, skiing, and winter sports.
The prices are high but the quality is also high. We’ve discussed their prices more in detail here: Why is Arc’teryx so Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth the Price?
4. Fjällräven
Fjällräven official website
Fjällräven means “Arctic Fox” in Swedish and this is also reflected in its logo which represents a stylized fox.
It has been founded in Sweden in 1960 by Åke Nordin who was trying to create a more comfortable backpack for hiking. After local communities started being interested in the backpack, Åke began selling it to them and the brand was born.
Fjällräven is famous for its Kånken backpack, but it also has a rich line of jackets and clothing for mountaineering and hiking.
We are talking about another expensive brand also in this case, offering high quality as well. We’ve written about Fjällräven’s high prices in detail here.
Read next: 8 Sustainable Brands like Fjällräven: Our Top Picks
5. Columbia Sportswear
Columbia Sportswear official website
Columbia Sportswear was founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, USA. It’s known simply as “Columbia” by its customers.
The distinctive trait of this brand is the fact that it offers good-to-high quality at affordable prices.
Even with its more accessible prices, Columbia doesn’t fall behind when it comes to innovative technologies. For example, they use Omni-Tech which is a waterproof and breathable fabric technology. They also have thermal reflective systems to keep you warm with their jackets during colder weather.
Don’t miss: 9 Outdoor Brands like Columbia that We Love and Why
6. Kathmandu
Kathmandu official website
Kathmandu is maybe a lesser-known brand but it’s definitely worth checking out. The brand was born in 1987, in Christchurch, New Zealand, and it mainly covers the outdoor markets of Australia and New Zealand.
They offer clothing and gear for men and women, for mountaineering, camping, hiking, and many other outdoor activities.
They love nature and the environment and for this reason, they offer a wide range of products so you can enjoy it too as safely and comfortably as possible.
Kathmandu’s manufacturing process and the selection of materials focus on sustainability so you can have a final product that reduces environmental impact. For example, recycled polyester and responsible down are two of their materials that follow this philosophy.
You might also like: Kathmandu vs The North Face: Which Brand is Better?
7. RAB
RAB official website
Let’s move on to a brand from the UK. RAB was founded in 1981 by Rab Carrington in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
Rab Carrington was an experienced climber with a long time spent in the mountains and his first product was a sleeping bag. Soon his outdoor equipment became popular among the local mountaineering community.
Today the brand offers a wide range of high-quality mountain products like jackets and clothing, sleeping bags, backpacks, and accessories, for men and women.
The products are expensive but they offer high quality and great performance.
Read also: Rab vs Patagonia: Which Brand is Better?
8. Berghaus
Berghaus official website
Another British brand, Berghaus‘ history begins in 1966. Two outdoor enthusiasts, Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison founded the brand to offer outdoor clothing and equipment to a market that in those years didn’t have many options.
Today they offer a variety of mountaineering jackets like insulated jackets, waterproof jackets, softshells, fleece jackets, etc.
The prices are reasonable so everyone can pick one or two items from Berghaus’ collections for their adventures in the mountains.
Don’t miss: Berghaus vs The North Face: A Comparison
9. Jack Wolfskin
Jack Wolfskin official website
From Germany, we have picked Jack Wolfskin, a brand created by Ulrich Dausien in 1981.
Even though the brand has been acquired by different companies over the years, its main philosophy has always been the same: to create products that motivate people to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends and to do so in a safe and comfortable way.
Jack Wolfskin offers a very wide range of quality products that cover many outdoor activities. And all this at accessible prices for everyone. For these reasons, the brand has become very popular in Europe.
Be it mountaineering, camping, or trekking, you’ll surely find one or two pieces of equipment at Jack Wolfskin. And just like the majority of the brands we feature on this website, sustainability is a main focus of this German company too.
Read next: Jack Wolfskin vs Columbia: A Comparison
Conclusion
That’s all for this selection! What do you think of these brands? Have you tried any of them? Do you like them? Do you know any other brand that sells mountaineering clothing and jackets? Let us know in the comments.
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