If you love to explore the great outdoors, chances are you will also be keen to preserve it as much as possible. The newest innovation from the Columbia Sportswear Company is the first high-performance, environmentally friendly rain jacket with no PFCs intentionally used (may contain trace amounts). As well as that, the fabric used is dye-free, which saves over a whopping 13 gallons of water per jacket in the manufacturing process. This fabric is 100% recycled, cleverly made from 21 recycled plastic bottles per jacket, and recycled materials also make up all of the trimming and detailing, including the toggles, washers, eyelets, labels, webbing, zippers and thread.

The OutDry Ex Eco offers excellent waterproofing: it is fully seam sealed, with adjustable contoured sleeve cuffs to keep out the wind and rain, an attached, adjustable storm hood, and a draw-cord in the hem to ensure a snug fit.

The jacket is an interesting piece - I must admit that because it was eco-friendly, I expected it to be substandard, like so many products already on the market. However, it quickly became apparent that this was not the case. The breathability of this jacket is excellent - who knew plastic bottles could regulate your temperature so well? The jacket wicks moisture away from the body and out without letting in a single drop of rain water. The OutDry has a rather strange texture due to the recycled material, sort of like tarpaulin - it is quite stiff, and if you raise an arm the entire jacket moves too. I’m not sure it’s comfortable enough or has enough pocket space and features for long hikes, but for lighter day trips, walking the dogs or wearing out about town, it’s ideal. RRP £160

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4.5 out of 5

Pros

Lightweight

Fully waterproof

Excellent wicking

Made from 100% recycled materials

Storm hood

Cons

Expensive

Only two pockets

Stiff material