To The Test: Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule

With summer drifting into the past we are embracing autumn in Ireland, with autumn comes changeable weather. One thing we have not left the house without over the past couple of weeks is a good raincoat! We have been testing the Anderson Cagoule waterproof jacket. Upon first inspection, this jacket looks like an outdoor lifestyle-orientated jacket that looks good but will not perform on the side of a mountain or if the weather turns foul. We have taken it on ourselves to go out in some very wet weather to put this theory to the test!

What would we use it for?

We received the Anderson Cagoule ahead of our recent trip to the West of Ireland and we used it throughout that trip. We wore it up mountains as well as to dinner! Since the trip, the Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule has been a regular piece that we have been reaching for our day-to-day outdoor excursions.

We use it as a windbreaker on a chillier day as well as a reliable waterproof layer for less intense hill walks on showery days.

Why do we like it?

We like the Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule as it is a breath of fresh air. The Anderson Cagoule is a welcome break from the intense hillwalking and mountaineering rain jackets that we often see. The jacket is also made using recycled materials which is a great step forward. Craghoppers have been making huge changes in recent years to their production to incorporate as many eco-friendly initiatives as possible into their business. You can read more about Craghoppers’ sustainable practices in the article we wrote about it. Linked below!

Craghopppers: Raising the Bar for Sustainable Practices in the Outdoors

We have grown to be very picky over the past few years with waterproof jackets and their features and one feature we saw on the features list on Craghoppers’ website for this jacket that we thought may result in a change in our opinion towards it was “fold-away hood”.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors and especially in poor weather you will likely know the importance of a good hood. For the first few months of owning this jacket, when the weather was particularly bad we would grab the Helly Hansen Verglas or our Salewa jacket over this one as we trusted the protection they provide. However, on a wet day spectating the Master’s Mountain Running World Championships in Clonmel we found ourselves folding out the hood on the Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule for the first time. Hidden away by two separate zips is the hood, it has a good peak, adjustable chords, and fits very well. We were very presently surprised by the quality of this hood. When paired with the overall aesthetic, the quality of the waterproofing and the environmental commitment

Who would we recommend it to?

We would recommend the Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule to three categories of outdoor enthusiasts.

The keen outdoor enthusiast that does not want to always be wearing their good Gore-Tex pro mountaineering jacket for the light showers we experience on a day-to-day basis.
The casual outdoor enthusiast that wants good protection from the rain, doesn’t need the bells and whistles that come with a more expensive jacket and wants to look a bit more retro and vintage on the trails.
The eco-warrior. If you are or you know someone who is very environmentally conscious, Craghoppers Anderson Cagoule could be a great rain jacket for them!

More information

The Anderson Cagoule is made from AquaDry Membrane stretch ripstop with EcoShield PFC-free DWR. The classic over-the-head cagoule styling features a concealed hood and a massive zipped pocket which is incredibly handy!