Rohan sale

I think Rohan have upped their game over the past few years and are starting to produce some interesting products. They have improved their styling and functionality. I like the way they have technical features but the clothes don’t look technical. You can wear them on the hills or the high street.

I took advantage of the recent sale to buy some more. I bought another Beacon shirt (reviewed recently), a Windshadow jacket, Trailblazer trousers and a Cool Silver T. None of these have been out on a trip yet, so these are just some first impressions.

Windshadow jacket. It has a nice matt, slightly stretchy fabric, in contrast to the many shiny Pertex based wind shirts/jackets of other manufacturers. The sizing (M) is spot on for me. Joy of joys, it has velcro adjustable cuffs. The two hand pockets and chest pocket are meshed lined, so they can be used as vents. The hood is rolled away into the collar. The hood is not so good as it has an elastic hem rather than a draw cord, which is a shame. The overall design is nice and understated. I’m very tempted to use this with a fleece instead of a Paramo jacket.

Cool Silver T Shirt. This is an update of the orignal silver T that I used for ages. It has a very nice feel and manages to be cool and warm as needed. Although I’ve not tested the odour resistance, my guess is that it will be good. I will use it instead of a merino T as it’s much faster drying. The weight is wrong on the website, it’s 155g not 55g, but it’s still light.

Trailblazer trousers. I didn’t buy these in the sale as the sale ones were in a different colour. In many ways these are the most intriguing. The cloth is like supplex but is very stretchy. I’m not sure how windproof they are, so I’ll test them in the spring. It’s a personal view, but I quite like the styling. The hand pockets have mesh backs, so help with venting. The thigh pockets are slightly higher and more to the front than normal “combat” trousers.

I also bought an Envoy watch. The original price was £150, but it was reduced to £75. Annoyingly, it’s now £60. I wouldn’t normally spend so much on a watch as I usually trash them. I’m forever scratching the face, so most watches last a year or so. However, this one’s got a sapphire crystal face, which is supposed to be highly scratch resistant. It’s a very nice watch.