Disclosure: This product was sent to us free of charge for the purpose of this review. However, as per my PR Info page, this review represents our honest opinion of the product. This post may contain affiliate links.
Product: Exodus Kids Water Resistant Softshell Jacket & Torrent Kids Waterproof Jacket
Price: £27.99 £14.99 for the Exodus, and £37.99 £19.99 for the Torrent
Age Range: up to 13 years
Manufacturer’s Description: Ideal for both the playground and after-school adventures, our Exodus Kids Water Resistant Softshell Jacket combines a wind and water-resistant exterior with a soft fleece lining and breathable membrane to keep your child warm and protected. The Torrent Waterproof Jacket is lightweight, durable and protective, making it ideal for all types of environments. Designed in rip-stop fabric with taped seams, a waterproof membrane, mesh lining and adjustable cuffs – this jacket is perfect for your kid, come rain or shine.
Rating: (5/5 stars) Review: Lydia is about to begin Year 9 at high school, so when Mountain Warehouse got in touch to see if we would be interested in reviewing any of their jackets, I knew that they would be ideal for the upcoming term. The girls’ high school has a pretty strict uniform policy, and school coats have to be completely black without any large logos or detailing. Personally, I think this is ridiculous, as the last thing you want on a dark winter afternoon is for your child to be walking along a busy road in a totally black outfit, but regardless, we have to comply with their rules… even if my childhood as the daughter of a road safety officer makes me want to go and yell at the head teacher! Lydia already has a really warm & waterproof coat ideal for the coldest winter days, but it is too warm & bulky for her to bother carrying on the milder autumn & spring days – this is where the softshell Exodus jacket will come in handy. It is plain enough to comply with even the strictest uniform rules, while also looking great. The water-resistant treatment will help deal with autumn showers on the walk home, while the fleece lining and wind-resistant fabric will help keep her warm on nippy mornings, too. It’s also comfortable to wear, which is obviously important when she’ll be wearing it for several hours at school. Lydia turned 13 back in February, and both jackets are true to size, with them fitting her well while still leaving her some room to grow. She should be able to get at least another year’s wear out of them, rather than us needing to replace them again next season. They both also have hanging loops, which is a really useful little detail – especially if your child’s school has pegs for the children to hang their coats on, as the girls’ primary school did. In a few weeks, Lydia is off on her delayed Year 8 trip for a few days (somewhat delayed thanks to a double booking!) and needs a good waterproof coat for some of the outdoor activities. They’ll be going outside, rain or shine, to get mucky and have fun. The Torrent waterproof jacket is perfect for this kind of trip, and will definitely keep her dry while she’s off having an adventure. It’s lightweight enough to pack easily into her bag, and the mesh lining and breathable fabric help prevent that sticky feeling you get with waterproof jackets sometimes – while still being 100% waterproof thanks to the taped seams. I was going to say we haven’t been able to test either jacket in the rain yet thanks to the current drought, so I can’t give you any dramatic tales of Lydia being caught in a downpour… However, we’ve had actually had some rather impressive thunderstorms over the last day or two and I convinced her to pop them on over her PJs and prance around in the garden to test them out – she loved how the rain beaded on the softshell Exodus jacket before rolling right off thanks to the “Durable Water Repellent (DWR)” treatment, and both jackets did a great job of keeping her nice and dry. Also, we’ve been buying coats from Mountain Warehouse for years and have never had a problem with the waterproofing on their jackets or with washing them, so I’m confident these will stand up well to everyday use. The Exodus is designed to remain water resistant, although Mountain Warehouse does recommend re-treating it after six months to maintain that water resistance. With zipped pockets, adjustable cuffs, and a really good hood, the Torrent waterproof jacket is particularly great for rainy days, and I love the purple colour on Lydia. They have a great range of colours in both this jacket and the Exodus, and yes – that one also comes in black if needed! At the sale prices of £14.99 and £19.99, these are really great coats, perfect for back to school, and Lydia is really pleased with them both. Definitely a 5-star rating from us for these – they aren’t the first coats we’ve ever had from Mountain Warehouse, and I doubt they’ll be the last. We’ve never been disappointed with their products.
