Keela Rock Jacket
  Field Report
24th January 2006

Personal Bio

Product Information

Manufacturer: Keela
Website: www.keela.co.uk
Model:  Rock Jacket
Colour: Bluestone/Grey
Size: XL
Weight: 30 oz (875 gm)
MSRP: £120

Main Features

4 outside pockets with storm flap
Internal O/S map pocket
Double storm flap with Velcro closure
Underarm zip ventilation
Fold away wired peak hood with volume adjustment
Scooped back
Chin guard


Field Testing

Temperatures in South England over the past two months have ranged from 30 F to 52 F (-1 C to 11 C).  In this time there has been rain, a bit of snow and cold frosty mornings.

Throughout this period, I have used the jacket on a daily basis during the week as the outer layer when riding my scooter.  The layering for these daily runs are; a T-shirt, a Norwegian army shirt, a pile fleece jacket and then the Rock jacket.

Wearing the Rock as the outer layer did help to increase my warmth levels.  It is much warmer than my ordinary lightweight waterproof jacket and because of this I did try it without the pile jacket.  I found that the Rock on its own didn't give enough warmth on the twenty minute journey.

I've probably had rain on six or seven separate occasions on these days ranging from light drizzly rain to a constant heavy downpour.  The jacket dealt with the heavy rain O.K. and no rain got through to the inner.

One area that did look like rain could penetrate is the storm flap, although this is a double stormflap the Velcro closures are in three 6½ in (16 cm) strips which leaves two 4½ in (11 cm) gaps, as yet no rain has gotten completely through but the second flap has gotten quite wet from driving rain.

The outer of the jacket has a slight waxy feel to it and because of this rainwater tends to 'bead' on it.  This seems to happen in all rain except real heavy or driving rain and then the water runs down the jacket. 

I've also taken the jacket on two separate overnight backpacking trips, one at the beginning of December and one in mid January.  On both these occasions the jacket wasn't needed for protection against rain, as there wasn't any.

Normally at  this time of year I would wear a Buffalo mountain shirt (which is a pile & pertex shirt) and take along a lightweight waterproof jacket for emergencies.

On both these trips the temperatures were quite mild during the day; 44-48 F (7-9 C) and down to about 32 F (0 C) at night.  On both trips I used the same combination of clothing; a heavy base layer, a midweight fleece and the Rock, this combination was enough to keep me warm throughout the day but sitting in the tent with only a midweight fleece in the evening I was cold.

The second membrane inside the jacket definitely gives the jacket a warmer feel more so than an ordinary waterproof jacket.

Condensation hasn't been a major problem even with a fully loaded backpack.  I can't say that I've noticed much difference between the Rock and my normal waterproof jacket but then again, the Rock has only been worn in cold temperatures when backpacking and as yet without rain.

The hood works well and with the volume adjuster it's nice & easy to get the hood to fit correctly around my head.  The wired peak is just stiff enough to shape it and for it to stay that way, it also helps to stop the top from dropping down across my eyes.

I do have a few quibbles with the jacket.  The first being that the hip pockets are too deep, if I put coins or keys in them; they sink to the bottom and I have to dig about looking for them.  I also tend to walk with my hands in the pockets (when not wearing a backpack with a hip belt).  Normally I will push my hands tight into the pocket lining but because these pockets are so deep I can't do this and my hands kind of just hang in the pockets.

There is one advantage to the deep pockets though, when wearing a backpack with a hip belt I can pull the front of the jacket out and this gives me access to the top of the pocket and still gives enough cover around my belly, so I can actual use the pocket when wearing the hip belt which is nearly impossible on all my other jackets.

The biggest issue is with the bulk and weight of the jacket.  The jacket is probably twice the bulk of my normal waterproof jacket, this isn't a problem when wearing it.  The problem comes when carrying it in a backpack.  I normally carry the waterproofs in the outer pockets of my G4.  The jacket and trousers usually take up a small potion of the pocket, this jacket takes up one whole pocket and means I have had to change how my gear is packed.

The Rock weight is 30 oz (875 gm) which I think is quite heavy for a waterproof especially as Keela describe it as: Lightweight SDP jacket. High specification without the weight! on their website.  The weight does seem to come from the second membrane and this does help to add some warmth but I still need to wear a fleece underneath.  My lightest fleece weighs in at 14 oz (405 gm) and this combination works in most situations.  The total weight for this combination is about 44 oz (1.2 kg) and is a lot more than I would normally carry for fleece and waterproof jacket combined.

Conclusions and further testing

So far, the jacket has worked as well as I have expected.  It has kept me warm & dry on my daily bike rides to/from work.

The second membrane combined with a fleece has helped to keep me warm enough when the temperatures have stayed above 32 F (0 C).

The next two months in the U.K. can be the worst in Winter with possibly plenty of rain, snow and temperatures dropping below 32 F (0 C).

I will continue to use the jacket whilst riding my scooter and wear it around town when raining.

I have a 2 day backpacking trip planned for February and will look to use the jacket in the same combinations as before to see if the 'double glazing' effect work better or worse when the temperatures are below 32 F (0 C).