What was once the Arc’teryx Cerium LT is now the Cerium Hoody. There are a couple of updates, with new colour ways, different ingredient fabrics and perhaps most notably a new liner that’s derived from natural materials (castor bean oil).

To give that price some context we then looked at all of the products available from Go Outdoors in the Insulated category. We found 48 items in total. What’s the price of Insulated? That got us thinking though, that we’re looking at every possible item from Montane so it would be good to narrow our search down even further and only look at Montane branded products within the Insulated category. The cost of Montane Insulated The outer fabric needs to be light to allow the fill to loft, but also reasonably durable. Crucially, it should be down-proof to ensure your expensive fill stays where it's supposed to. A DWR treatment will help the insulation stay dry for longer, and we've favoured more weather-proof fabrics in this review. It could only be improved if they made the hood a little bit more insulated and made the main zip two-way. Full SpecificationsFill power: This refers to the thermal efficiency of the down fill. The lower the number the lower the efficiency. Anything upwards of 700 tends to indicate good thermal efficiency. The cut of the Transcendant Hoody is fairly regular: it's neither particularly long nor short in the body, coming halfway down your bum, which is great for everyday use as it keeps the wind off without being restrictive. Whilst this might not offer the same protection as the long cut of something like the Rab Microlight Summit it does mean that the Transcendant Hoody is stylish enough to be worn around town without giving away your identity as an outdoors-person. The down is ethically sourced and RDS-certified, and it is hydrophobic, being treated with Alpkit's 'Downtek' treatment. Along with the DWR this allows a degree of insurance against damp affecting the insulation. On the ethical front, Alpkit only use RDS-certfied down, which may come as a pleasant surprise in a relatively budget offering.

Our testers found that it offered excellent warmth for weight, thanks to its high-quality 700FP down fill. It works well as a standalone outer layer in cold, dry conditions, with a fit that will accommodate layers underneath. Having said that, it’s not so bulky that you couldn’t also wear it underneath a shell if required too. All of the lovely warm down is wrapped in a PEAQ down lining that is comfortable next to skin, is highly breathable and fast drying. It’s mainly stuffed with 850 fill power responsibly sourced down but there’s also synthetic fill strategically placed in areas that are more prone to moisture, including the cuffs, shoulders and armpits.During our tests, this felt luxuriously warm and incredibly lofty. It’s like wearing a big down sleeping bag. The material felt a little on the brittle side, but it still held up throughout a testing period.

RDS: This means Responsible Down Sourcing. It’s a certification that down has been procured through methods that prioritise the welfare of the animals and the environment. When buying Insulated, the quality of the product is going to be one of the factors that you really scrutinise before you commit to buying.Water resistant-treated down is common nowadays, and we think that for UK use in particular it's well worth seeking out since it allows the down to maintain its loft (ie. go on working to insulate) for longer in damp conditions. We've considered the use of hydrophobic down a plus point in this review. Similarly, the 700-fill power down is guaranteed to be 100% traceable and ethically produced. In fact, the Fjällräven Down Promise is recognised as one of the best in the outdoor industry. When it comes to cut it's made with walking in mind, not climbing or scrambling, as there's a whole lot of hem lift when moving your arms above your head. This puts it at the less technical end of the spectrum, more for casual recreational use, summit stops on hillwalking days and general hanging out than for anything technical. We’re particularly impressed by the eco credentials of the Nordic Expedition as it’s made from bluesign approved fabrics, the down fill is certified by the Responsible Down Standard and the DWR treatment is PFC-free. What’s more, Haglöfs as a brand is a leading member of the Fair Wear Foundation and is a certified climate-neutral company. There are however some methods that you can use to determine a product’s quality without needing to physically have it.

Starting at the top, the Resolute features a fully adjustable, helmet compatible hood with a stiffened peak. Hood adjustability is taken care of with drawcords, meaning a nice snug fit can be achieved both with and without a climbing helmet in place. It can also be rolled away when not required. With the elastic snugged up around the bum there is no hem lift at all when the arms are raised, and no pull around the armpits. Even with the elastic not done up at all there is minimal hem lift. That might be the Fowler influence - they must have designed the Ramche very much with climbers in mind. Some companies may genuinely have good intentions, but this in no way differs to consumers with good intentions and dillusional belief in the ethics of the meat industry. Fill power: A higher fill power means that a given weight of down occupies more volume, and thus insulates more effectively. Unfortunately there are two different testing standards, which give non-equivalent values. EU-rated down is superior to US-rated down of the same quoted fill power, but it's not always clear which standard a brand is using. We've assumed parity in this review. At 430g (size L) the Microlight Summit is towards the heavier end of this review, but we think this is a fair reflection of its long cut, fill weight and features. This one is warmer than most.

Step four: If using Nikwax Down Wash Direct, place 100ml in either the tray or directly into the washing machine inside a small pot/ball. If you choose to use another washing product, place the appropriate amount in the machine in the same way. The shell material and inner lining in the new series are both made of 100% recycled nylon, and the face fabric is also finished with a PFC-free water repellent treatment. This ensures added resistance to moisture without the need to resort to environmentally harmful chemical compounds. Bluesign approved fabrics / Responsible Down Standard approved / PFC-free DWR treatment / premium 800 Fill Power goose down / Mimic Platinum insulation / 3-layer zoned waterproof-breathable face fabrics / hydrostatic head: 15,000mm / moisture vapour transmission rate: 10,000g/m2/24hrs / front panel straps / helmet-compatible hood.