My mum always said, “never judge a book by its cover”. Well she didn’t really, she is in fact very judgmental, but I heard it on TV somewhere. The Celilo from Dakine might at first look like a rather simple jacket with not a lot going on, but hidden beneath its humble lines and solid black colour (it is also available in Lil Buck - a beigey colour) is a host of features to keep you dry and warm on the slopes.

Starting with the 2 Layer Oxford shell, it has a 100% Nylon dense plain weave construction with a 10,000mm Waterproof/10,000 g/m² breathable membrane. It has the rather wonderful ‘PrimaLoft’ insulation - ‘PrimaLoft Black Eco Insulation’ to be exact - with 40g body and sleeves, which has been made from 60% post-consumer recycled materials. This insulation means the jacket is light, retains its shape and can even be safely machine washed if the instructions on the care label are followed properly. The taffeta lining is very cool and the material is comfortable against your skin if you have bare arms (or bare all: it can get a bit crazy on the slopes at times). However, it was the strange little hybrid animals dotted all over it that I fell in love with, including a deer-owl, hare-fox and eagle-peacock - seriously where can I get this in wall paper?

The Celilo comes in a standard fit with plenty of room for mobility and layering up. It creates a nice profile around the torso, but there is almost too much room around the shoulders and arms. The problem is that opting for a smaller size would result in it being too tight around the chest. To keep you protected from the elements there is an attached powder skirt, a 2-Way adjustable hood with bonded brim, wrist gaiters, soft lined hand-warmer pockets and an adjustable hem with hand pocket draw-cord access. If things get too warm there are zip mesh vents under the arms to get some fresh air into those pits. Other features include: a slope pass pocket on the left arm, an inner zip storage pocket with headphone port and a mesh goggle pocket. The high neck has a soft fleece lining and zip guard that keeps your face warm: you pull the hood tight around your face until you look like Kenny from South Park and the stiff brim keeps the wet out.

My only complaint is that the jackets design doesn’t match its high-quality features and funky lining. I found it, dare I say, boring. However, this comes down to personal taste and the flashiest of jackets are a waste of money if they don’t perform where it counts. Dakine give the Celilo a warmness rating of 2 out of 5, but with room to layer up I found this jacket a good all-rounder, with excellent weather proofing and lots of practical qualities.RRP £179.95

4.5 out of 5

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Pros

Comfortable

Warm (room for layering)

Good mobility

Funky lining

Excellent weatherproofing

Hand warmer pockets

Media pocket with headphone port

Cons

Design doesn’t stand out