The Hartley from Craghoppers is a well specified breathable and wind-resistant waterproof jacket from Craghoppers, writes Mike Gormley.
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This is a really nice and very well specified jacket. Lots of very handy pockets making it a good to wear and practical top layer for many applications. My Hartley has certainly proved to be capable of keeping the water out with its AquaDry membrane during the times I have been out in the rain while wearing it.
I had a few shorter periods out in the rain but then along came Storm Brett! This winter storm was a perfect opportunity to give a really good test while out watching the waves ravage our local coastline. At the end of it I am pleased to say I was dry. The only way water got in was up the sleeves, which perhaps was not really a fair criticism as this was when my arms were pointing skywards while taking photos. That said, the press stud adjusters on the cuffs do not allow for the more precise closure that would probably be possible with hook and loop fastening, but for most more normal situations these are fine. The Hartley is certainly well able to keep the chill wind out.
What immediately struck me about the Hartley is the selection of pockets, seven in total. All are a decent size and useful. There are two lower front pockets with ‘hand warmer’ pockets tucked behind, which for me is a real bonus. Above these are two chest pockets, for the likes of phone and compass etc., plus one inner pocket on the right side of the waterproof layer to keep those keys or your wallet safe.
The hood is good and adjustable, as would be expected, but for some jackets this is not always the case. If walking with arms swinging the Hartley is a little bit noisy as your arms brush your sides, but this is easily fixed with a slight change in posture. Five sizes, from S to XXL, and three colours (Red Beach, Blue Navy and Woodland Green) are available.
In my reviews I don’t normally discuss price (which of course can vary widely dependent on which country you are purchasing in / from), preferring to leave it up to the reader to check this out and decide what they consider is value for their money, but I reckon in this case the price point of the Hartley makes it very good value when compared to many top layer jackets.
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