Materials and Construction

What’s the one gripe with über-techy 3-layer outerwear (asides from the price tag…)? That stiff, rustly facefabric that does such a great job of keeping the elements out can sometimes feel a little rigid and restrictive

Naturally then, the 100% recycled four-way stretch face fabric is the real talking point of its namesake garment. A 30k/30k waterproof and breathability will give most Gortex membranes a run for their money in all but the wildest and wettest of conditions, but the addition of the super soft, supple and impressively stretchy fabric gives the Shralpinist Stretch the edge when it comes to feeling completely unrestricted in your movements.

It would be remiss to suggest that there isn’t a trade off somewhere when compared with the original Shralpinist jacket and bib pants, and it’s likely to come at the the extremes of the durability test. Say, for example, when your arms scuff against jagged rocks on a rappel, or if your reaching for your ice axe from the side of your pack. But asides from the most Jeremey-eque of backcountry missions, these things feel up to the task.

“A lightweight minimalist powder skirt will keep most of the snow out from underneath, but the high-bodied bib pants will all-but guarantee nothing’s slipping through the cracks (so to speak)”

Fit and Features

Fit-wise, its got your classic backcountry freeride look about it: baggy enough to get some extra layers underneath when the temps drop, but articulated in key areas to remove the excess ‘bumf’.

As with any technical garment, the jacket and pants come decked out with some really useful features. Waterproof zips are par for the course with the central zipper and two chest pockets. The same goes for the two leg pockets on the pants. A lightweight minimalist powder skirt will keep most of the snow out from underneath, but the high-bodied bib pants will all-but guarantee nothing’s slipping through the cracks (so to speak).

On the subject of the bib pants, our test team were especially impressed with the comfort of that lightweight, stretchy back panel. It’s designed to prevent any rubbing of straps, or bunching up when you’re wearing a back pack. It did it’s job flawlessly.

All other fixtures and features come exactly as you’d expect for a jacket of this caliber: ventilation zips, helmet compatible hood, adjustable cuffs, boot gaiters, lift pass pockets. You name it, Jones have equipped it on The Shralpinist Stretch jacket and bib pants.

“Asides from the most Jeremey-esque of backcountry missions, these things feel up to the task”

Roundup

In a world of Patagonias and North Faces, it seems hard to fathom how another brand (a snowboard specific one, no less) could muscle its way into the ‘sustainable, performance driven, technical outerwear’ corner of the market. As Jeremy himself said when we interviewed him last year, “there’s virtually no hardgoods company that has had success in outerwear”.

And yet, somehow, Jones haven’t just caused a ripple in these waters, they’ve created a wave. Their line of outerwear is genuinely impressive, not only in terms of it’s technical performance and functionality, but in the way they’ve done it with virtually 100% recycled materials. The OG Shralpinist may still be the flagship offering when it comes to top-of-the-line durability and weather protection, but the all-new stretch version won our vote in every other round.

Pros:

• A huge amount of technical performance, with a comfortable, stretchy and quiet fabric.
• A lot of sustainability boxes are ticked here – the key one being durability.

Cons:

• If Gore-tex is a non-negotiable when you’re spending north of £500 on a jacket or pants, you’ll need to look elsewhere – most likely the original Shralpinist outerwear set.

“Nothing beats three-layer fabrics for waterproofing, but three-layer fabrics are also notoriously stiff, clammy and noisy. The Shralpinist Stretch 3L Jacket throws those three-layer stereotypes out the window. This is a jacket designed for hard charging mountain explorers who’s daily adventures demand a jacket that delivers flawless storm protection without ever feeling restrictive. The four-way stretch fabric is a truly remarkable material that’s 30K waterproof / 30K breathable, soft-to-the-touch and 100% recycled. Jeremy Jones tested several different cuts of the jacket and settled on an ergonomic fit that’s the perfect middle ground between trim and baggy. It’s loose enough in the right spots, but won’t bunch up under your backpack. If storm performance, comfort and functionality are all paramount to your outerwear needs, this is the jacket built for backcountry and resort shredders like you.”