Whether you're chasing frosty peaks, ski touring in Canada, heading out for a dog walk on a drizzly morning or just down at the pub after a beautiful walk in the countryside - the Barrier vest from Haglofs is, in our opinion, the ultimate, simple mid layer; wear it as a stand-alone gilet in dryer, cooler days or layer it up under a jacket when the weather isn't on your side.
The sleek design is made out of a soft, yet strong 50D 100% polyester that's coated in a fluorocarbon-free DWR treatment for added protection from the elements. The face fabric is constructed with a plain weave with low friction for easy layering. The insulation that keeps you warm is QuadFusion, a synthetic insulation made up of 100% polyester (50% of which is recycled polyester). QuadFusion boasts an excellent warmth to weight ratio due to it's warming crimped hollow fibre construction. This impressive construction also means that QuadFusion packs down incredibly small; in this case, the Barrier Vest fits into its own pocket.
The fit of this little gilet is phenomenal - the slightly tapered (and adjustable) hem means that the jacket stays in place when you're climbing, using walking poles or just bending over to pick up your dog's dribble-covered tennis ball.
Two external mid-mounted, insulated hand pockets sit above the hip bone meaning that if you want to wear a harness or a backpack with a chunky hipbelt, the bits in your pockets will still be easy to get to and won't dig in. The jacket packs down into one of these external pockets so that pocket also features a webbing loop so you can attach the packed-down jacked onto a backpack or a harness. The front zip also features an insulating inner placket to stop you losing warmth, making the Barrier vest the ideal addition to your kit pool.
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Fluorocarbon-free DWR-treated
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Good warmth-to-weight ratio
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Rear hanging loop
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Front zip with insulating inner placket
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Elasticated armholes for a smooth fit and warmth
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Mid-mounted insulated pockets with zippers and a webbing loop
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Packs into its own pocket
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Adjustable hem