Berghaus "Everyday Outdoors" Jackets feedback thread - now with final feedback questions

[AnnMumsnet]

Dear Berghaus tester

Many thanks for taking part in the Berghaus product test.

We'd be grateful if you could add feedback at least a couple of times over the next month or so - for now, your first impressions and then after a month or so we'll post some more detailed questions.

Everyone who is part of the test and who adds feedback here will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win £150 of Berghaus products.

So, generally speaking, what are your first impressions? Was it as expected? Anything you particularly liked or disliked? How is the colour/ size etc? (any major problems which mean you want to exchange it, please do let us know)

You are more than welcome to add other comments/ feedback to this thread over the next month.

In your response please state which jacket you are testing.

Many thanks

MNHQ

I am struggling a bit with my zip on the akka. It isn't very easy.

I am seriously loving my Parka. Have had about 6 mums ask me about my coat. They all loved it and the colour (green). Some of these mums are trendy mums ....not like me!

Still waiting for rain. Was excellent by the side of chilly football pitch on Saturday morning.

oooh! Snow forecast for next weekend...that'll be a good test

Have had lots of compliments about the Richmond. It does look smarter than my usual puffa jacket.

Re. the sleeves - for me, they are perfect - but I do have long limbs!

Will be interested in hearing about washing instructions, as with small children, who like to be carried even in muddy clothes, I don't think palestone will be a goer unless it's very washable.

Sorry, it's taken me a while to get to this thread even though I got my coat about a week ago!

I've got the Richmond insulated jacket in Java. My first impressions are that it's really light, but will be very cosy, and that it's pretty true to the pictures on the berghaus website. I love the colour and think it would be perfect for me for the winter. I really like the fact that it would work equally well in the park/countryside with DC or 'about town' in the really cold weather.

However, after much humming and ha'ing - I've decided that the coat is definitely too big for me . I'm usually a 12 - 14 so went for a 14 to be on the safe side, but it's way too big. DH kept telling me it looked 'fine' , but even with lots of layers on I've still got loads of room, so it makes me feel like the michelin man. AnnMumsnet - is it worth contacting berghaus to see if they might be able to swap it for me? I haven't worn it out or taken the tags off or anything.

Actually I should go back and read the whole thread and see if anyone has had any swaps.

lagrandissima - did you contact berghaus directly to arrange the swap or via MN? I recall that there was an email address on the letter that came with it which I'm sure I have somewhere...

Domesticgoddess I emailed one of the ladies mentioned in our letters,explained the problem with the coat and she was more than happy to help.
The new size was despatched the next day and I returned the other coat back to her.
Interesting to see that it's the Richmond jacket which is proving tricky with sizing but I guess that's because it's more fitted than the others

domestic - let me know if you need help - so long as it still has tags on and is unworn they'd be able to swop it.

As the blonde says. Funny how it's too small for you, but too big for me. Shows how hard it is to get the "average" woman's shape. Perhaps we should all get coats made bespoke... (dreams)

Hope you manage to arrange a swap; am v happy with mine now.

Sorry, that should really be the 'moment' rather than the 'blonde'!

wore my akka at the weekend with just a long sleeve t under it as I would be sitting in a warm room on destination, was super toasty
even got too hot when I run after the speedy scooting child

taking it out tonight, not the dressiest of coats but I am pretty sure it will keep me warm despite wearing flimsier party clothes under it

I am really happy with it

my other warm outdoor jacket is an Aigle parka which I love but it heavier, less packable and less versatile in my opinion, I am well sorted in the casual winter coat department

thanks aseriouslyblondemoment and lagrandissima.

AnnMumsnet - is there any chance you could give me the email address of who to get in touch with? I had the jacket delivered to the office and I suspect the letter is still there but I'm not back there till later in the week.

Am very excited that I should be able to change it - especially with snow forecast!

I'll PM you

Thanks AnnMumsnet - I've emailed them now.

Latest report - the parka is too hot for ice skating, even outdoor ice skating in the evening! I boiled.

Looking forward to the arctic conditions we've been promised to find out if it's too warm for that as well

aseriouslyblondmoment: here's the response from Berghaus re washing your jacket;
"We would recommend that the Insulated Richmond Jacket is washed on a 30°C machine wash, full washing instructions are provided on the garment. The Fibrefill insulation has been designed to withstand these laundry conditions, therefore a Nikwax Tech wash is not required. We would however recommend using non-biological washing products due to their gentle washing properties as well as their economical benefits. As with any product of this kind we wouldn?t recommend washing unnecessarily, only when soiled.

Once the garment stops beading up on the surface, i.e. running off the product, it is recommended to reactivate the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating by treating with a product like TX ? a home applied water repellent after treatment - which will help maintain the breathability of the product. It would then be advisable to use a Tech Wash afterwards following the product recommendations to restore the DWR."

I bought one the akka long in bay green, it has just arrived so am excited to wear it this afternoon on the school run.

Just in time for the cold weather.

still loving the akka but am shedding feathers, is this normal for downy coats?

Thanks for that Ann
Cereal it's just natural settlement as I had the same for a while with my TNF jacket.

What's a tech wash?
Sounds complicated .

tech wash is available in millet type stores for walking wear - it is not complicated honest.

Well I have worn my Richmond in Java constantly. More I wear it the more I appreciate it. It is snuggly warm even on the coldest mornings but doesn't over heat me if I wear it in the car, on an energetic dog walk or wrestling my autistic son (how dare the farm animals be closed off! - at 10 with severe learning difficulties it was some battle).

Coat feels formal enough to wear at work but not too dressy for out and about.

It is a lot of money for a coat, more that I would have been able to justify. But I do think I will get years of wear out of it and would actively check out other coats in their range when I replace my hiking jacket. I do think this is an investment coat rather than a casual fashion coat in terms of cost and also quality.

I agree tibni, I know I'll wear mine for years as long as it withstands it - all signs so far are good. Just wanted to say how incredibly easy the zip and poppers are to work. No faffing around here Akka wearers! (Reading all the Akka comments I've been secretly wishing I'd got one of those but actually I'm really pleased with my Richmond now).

I've had some lovely comments from people e.g. how slim I look (!) and how it actually looks good with the hood up which must be a first for a waterproof coat!

So glad of the funnel neck today walking in the blizzardy snow with a robust North wind doing its best to push snow down my front!

Snowing heavily here today. I stayed toasty warm.

I even volunteered to go out and play in the snow with the children in my class whose parents were late coming to pick them up when we closed early