Best for 

Three-season tramping, fastpacking, climbing and casual use.

What we liked 

Lightweight and packable * Good water repellence * Sleek low-profile fit * Comfortable fabric.

Limitations 

Average mobility * No packaway pocket * Limited warmth.

Overview 

The slimline Bettaforca is filled with 800 fill-power RDS down and earns its proprietary North Face WindWall designation with a 38GSM (roughly 15–20D) ripstop nylon Pertex Quantum shell, which provides reliable down and windproofing, as well as robust DWR for water repellence. The down is also water repellent. Distinctive narrow baffles maintain an even distribution of down and prevent migration. It has two handwarmer pockets, an external chest pocket, two inside drop-in pockets, and elasticated cuffs and hood. The waistband has a single side adjuster accessed through a pocket, and the main zip is a long-life Vislon. 

Performance 

This jacket’s low bulk and close fit are ideal for layering under a shell but limit space for midlayers underneath, so it works best with reasonably thin layers or over a T-shirt. Its low-profile silhouette meant I could throw it on to ward off the chill without feeling like the Michelin Man, but it didn’t have as much mobility as I like. The hood has a sleek fit too, and the collar is high for additional warmth and weather protection. The external chest pocket is big enough for a phone. This jacket, an ideal weight for chilly belays and fast and light days in the hills, could be improved by a packaway pocket and carabiner loop. 

Why buy the Bettaforca LT Hooded?

Highly windproof fabric, high-loft down and excellent packability orient this jacket towards summer trampers, fastpackers and climbers, but it has the cut and colour to look smart in the city too.