Stuart Forster reviews a Snugpak Softie Vest.
The Snugpak Softie Vest (SV3 Gilet) is a lightweight, body warmer style jacket designed for wearing when a chill grips the air.
Disclosure: I was supplied with a Snugpak Softie Vest to facilitate the writing of this review. Snugpak did not review or approve this article. Some of the links below and banners are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
As such it’s a good piece of kit for early morning walks on summer days, when the air temperature hasn’t quite warmed up, or on evenings, when temperatures again begin to drop. I wore the gilet on a dawn photo session then during a barbecue and found it fine for both.
The sleeveless top ensured I could move unencumbered while setting up photographs, both with and without a tripod, and crouching to capture low shots of wildflowers.
The Snugpak Softie Vest also looks good, so I didn’t hesitate to don it on an evening, first to the barbecue and then for a stroll into the neighbouring village for a drink at last orders.
Stitching gives the vest V-shaped ribbing on its front and back. The sides have horizontal stitching. The effect is a slim-line look.
A lightweight insulated vest
In fact, quite a few of the fellas at the barbecue were impressed by the vest’s lack of weight—if only they’d say the same about me. The Extra-Large version of the vest weighs just 410 grams. It comes in sizes from XS (280 grams) to XXL (450 grams).
Falling to below my buttocks and to the pocket line on my trousers, I found the Snugpak Softie Vest to be a comfortable length, both while I was active and relaxing.
The vest packs down well so proved easy to carry. After the rural morning photo shoot, I folded and slipped it into the outer pocket of my equipment bag.
Snugpak Softie Vest
The Snugpak Softie Vest is made from Paratex Micro fabric, a hard-wearing fabric with a reputation for being windproof and water repellent. It also has the advantage that ketchup wipes away easily, in the off-chance some dribbles from a roll during a barbecue.
The inner surface is a lightweight version of the same fabric. The insulating material, known as Softie Premier, is made from polyester and supplied by a Swiss manufacturer, Härdi. It is said to trap more air than regular insulators and is also used in Snugpak’s sleeping bags.
Both the collar and the lower hem feature drawcords, meaning I was able to tighten or loosen them to my liking.
All of the jacket’s three pockets have zips. The two outer side pockets are set back within an unobtrusive fold. The inner pocket is large enough to simultaneously carry a notebook, a couple of pens plus a smartphone.
Four colours of vest
My Snugpak Softie Vest is the silver version. I’d have called it light grey, rather than silver, if I’d been asked to name its colour and hadn’t read the delivery note. It’s also available in olive green plus two types of camouflage.
Why in A-TACS and multicam? Snugpak kit has been worn by members of armed forces around the world since the Falklands Conflict of the early 1980s.
Snugpak make this kit at a mill in Silsden, West Yorkshire, which is why I decided to photograph the Softie Vest with a Union Jack flag.
Further information
Find out more about Snugpak on the company’s website.
The Snugpak Softie Vest (SV3 Gilet) can be purchased online.
Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is an award-winning travel writer whose work has been published in national newspapers and magazines.
Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.
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A version of this review was posted on 16 July 2016.
