A slick-looking jacket, with no flaps or fuss spoiling its clean form. However, it feels as if it's made out of cardboard, so it's not ideal for any sport that requires ease of movement. It does have built-in Recco technology, so the rescue services will be able to find you if you get hit by an avalanche, which is a nice touch.

This is a fantastic jacket - well cut and immaculately constructed from tough, light materials, with intelligently placed pockets and cords. It's a shame it looks a bit on the frumpy side because it's faultless in every other area. We bet it will prove a big hit with the red-socks-Kendal-mint-cake brigade.

This is easily the most comfortable jacket on test. The material is soft and cosy, the cut is generous, and it doesn't crinkle when you move. However it lacks the rugged quality of some of the others. This is one for snuggling into on a wet afternoon, but not one you'd reach for in a force ten storm.

This is the best jacket on: it's tough enough to withstand the worst storms and comfortable enough to climb in without any restrictions. The smart design means there are no annoying flaps or toggles. You'll either love or hate the acid green colour - personally, we think it looks great.

You'll never get lost in this jacket - mountain rescue will spot you from miles away. The detachable powder-skirt, underarm ventilation and MP3 player pocket are all good features, but the jacket feels fairly cumbersome to wear and doesn't provide the freedom of movement you'd like.

Sprayway has been making great waterproofs for years. Unfortunately, it hasn't changed its design in years either, and this looks a touch old fashioned next to some of its rivals. However, it's a comfortable, high-performance jacket that will please real climbers more than it will social climbers.

Streamlined and elegant, with neat waterproof zips and no unnecessary gimmicks or fussy bits, the Lowe Alpie jacket looks great and performs well, although it is perhaps not substantial enough to withstand the most ferocious mountain conditions. The style guru's choice.