Winter Grit Mantle Technical Jacket: A jacket that delivers

A brand and jacket in touch with their consumer

This winter, I took Winter Grit’s debut hardshell jacket for a baptism of fire (well, water?) in the Great British outdoors. Stylised for the urbanite but delivering practical comfort for actual adventures, the Mantle Technical Hardshell could be your next jacket for a fraction of the usual price. Rest assured, Winter Grit understands the new‑wave climber.

At just £80, they’re delivering on their promise of affordability without cutting the corners that matter. I took this jacket far beyond a casual dog walk, winter climbing in the Scottish Highlands, soaking wet hikes, and technical scrambling. It held its own throughout.

Of course, price only matters in context so let’s stack it up against a favourite of mine: the Mountain Equipment Makalu Hardshell, which comes in at a whopping £330. I’ll compare design and material choices, including the big issues with waterproofs: breathability, durability, and function.

My experience with the Mantle jacket has been refreshing; delivering only what I really need. Cheaper, in this case, does not equate to inferior.

Thoughtful Design Features and Fit

Once again understanding their audience, one of this jacket’s greatest successes is its understated, but undeniably, on‑trend design. You can go from crag to pub without feeling like you’re headed for a trip to the Scout camp later.

The unisex cut achieves that cool, baggy look; closer around the shoulders, then dropping into an almost A‑line fit. Beside making you feel like you could be in a 90s skate film, the bagginess has a practical edge. Scrambling in the Lakes, I had full freedom of movement on technical steps. But it’s not so baggy that you risk snagging or becoming a sail in high winds. The extra space also allows a down jacket to fit comfortably underneath, which proved essential in Scotland when faced with serious wind chill and Highland sleet.

Fit is where most jackets lose me. As a tall, athletic‑type with wide shoulders from climbing, it’s comical trying to find a jacket. Sometimes sizing up three times to accommodate my girl muscles, often resulting in a waterproof dress look. Mountain Equipment, Karpos and Rab are some of the few who get it right, and now Winter Grit joins that list.

A clever dart on the chest gives room to move and creates an attractive fit, something I wish the Makalu had. I can see this benefitting male climbers too, especially with the growth of powerful, comp style climbing requiring more muscle mass and so more adjustability in clothing. Depending your goals, this jacket could certainly grow alongside you.

Now for the details that actually make a difference on the hill. The hood is surprisingly well executed for a budget jacket: it cinches down securely in wind and it has a stiffened peak that keeps rain off your face. It also fits over a climbing helmet, a small but important win.

Perhaps one downfall to it is that it doesn’t move with you, when winter climbing I felt a little restricted in vision having to take extra time to feel confident in foot placements or to plan my immediate route.

Debating Material Choices

Breathability could be an area for improvement, I did find that the jacket retained moisture when working hard. I suspected that this would be the dividing line when compared to the Makalu jacket and other pricier counterparts.

That said, the Mantle comes with pit-zips which alleviated the issue and helped to regulate temperatures, especially when ascending. Given the conditions in Scotland, it was necessary to wear extensive layers and remain firmly zipped up- certainly contributing to more moisture retention! Local crag trips don’t demand that much and so I have every confidence in the material choice of the Mantle.

Waterproofing held up well across multiple soakings with the DWR (Durable Water Repellent) beading nicely at first with some ‘wetting out’ later in the day after intense rainfall. This, however, did not soak through the material and beading returned again after having a chance to dry.

Water did not pool in awkward places, and the jacket dried quickly overnight in a bothy. Not ultralight‑fast, but perfectly respectable. Having only had the jacket for a few months, I am curious about durability of beading but currently have not seen any deterioration in waterproofing.

A key selling point of the Makalu jacket is its imperviousness to wind, meaning that it prevents wind from entering the fabric at all. The same can be said for Winter Grit’s jacket, keeping that wind chill away. The challenge with creating a ‘budget’ jacket is balancing wind blocking and breathability. As discussed, breathability is somewhat of a shortcoming for the Mantle, yet I feel that imperviousness to wind is of greater importance in a jacket. This is a balance worth considering as a buyer, if you are cold-blooded then this will pose no issue.

Quality is in the Details

Hardware is another area where budget jackets often fall short, but Winter Grit has made thoughtful choices. The zips are longer making zipping easier as well as toggles and elasticated adjustments make this unisex fit highly customisable.

I would suggest a more grippy material for the zips as when wet they can become harder to manage. However, I struggle with lack of finger sensation when cold so many would be content with its material choices.

The jacket length is considerate of harnesses and keeps its length at the back for comfort and manoeuvrability. Pockets are a great example of Winter Grit’s thoughtful design with their positioning being high enough to access while wearing a harness. They also open from the middle‑out, which makes grabbing snacks between pitches far easier.

Finally, two internal ‘stash’ pockets, like those in a suit blazer, are both functional and secure; keeping personal items dry. Although included on the Makalu jacket, internal pockets on a hardshell is often something missed. With the life of a busy urbanite in mind, the Mantle puts greater emphasis on a ‘daily utilitarian’ aspect relative to other hardshells. As your go to jacket between campus, café, or crag this is not only necessary, but desirable.

Is It Worth It?

All of this brings us back to the real question: is it worth it? For young climbers, students, and anyone who wants reliable kit without rinsing their bank account, the answer is a confident yes. Winter Grit has created a jacket that keeps up with your weekend plans, looks good doing it, and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.

They have recognised a gap in the market and filled it with a jacket that gives exactly what the average outdoor enthusiast requires. Unlike some brands, they don’t try to sell you Himalayan grade tech for your Saturday bouldering session.

For the average rock‑gripper, you’re not navigating an exposed ridge at midnight with only the stars to guide you, so you probably don’t need kit designed for that, with a price tag to match.

I really pushed this jacket to its extremes and beyond, testing it in some of the harshest conditions I could find. For the price point, you genuinely get more than you ask for and certainly punches well above its weight despite some room for improvement identified in the article.