The Barrier jacket offers great wind and water resistance, along with exceptional breathability and deceptively good insulation from the Zepherr fabric on the outside. On the inside, the soft brushed Kodiak Unltrasensor fabric, feels gorgeous next to your skin and it effectively wicks away moisture and insulates you against the cold.

This means that you can use the jacket on all but the coldest or wettest days of winter, right through spring and even on cooler summer days, by just reducing the layers you wear underneath.

The fit is fabulously flattering to the female shape, using the cut of the garment in combination with different coloured panels to make you look slim and stylish, and as a result the jacket is aerodynamic as well. I liked that there was no tight elasticated band around the bottom, the jacket relies on the close cut to keep you warm, and in addition the generously long sleeves are cut to curve over the back of the hand.

There has been real attention to detail paid to the zip, which has a full length draft flap behind it to keep you warm and, at the top, you can tuck it away so that it does not rub against your chin.

To increase safety and visibility, there are reflective inlays on the sleeves, chest and back and, of course, it incorporates those all important back storage pockets, in this case, two pockets, one of which is zippered.