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The Torrentshell has been designed for use while hiking in ‘drenching conditions’. It features Patagonia’s H2No waterproof membrane which is the same membrane that can be found in the company’s more expensive jackets such as the Shelter Stone (£280).

At 371g the Torrentshell isn’t going to be too imposing if you’re carrying it, and it packs into its own pocket to roughly the same size as a honeydew melon, which is already making it look attractive as a shell for those wanting to take their jacket abroad or to keep in their pack as an emergency throw-over.

Norwegian brand Helly Hansen started in 1977 when a Norwegian sea captain called Helly Juell Hansen and his wife started making oilskin jackets, trousers and tarpaulins. Far from an oilskin, we’ve got the Helly Hansen Seattle Packable Jacket in for this review, and it uses Helly Hansen’s own two-layer Helly Tech membrane to help keep the rain at bay.

First off, I particularly like how Helly Hansen has incorporated two different materials into the jacket’s design, with rip-stop panels placed at certain points to help protect against abrasion and general wear and tear from things such as rucksack straps. To further protect the jacket’s material, and to make wearing it more comfortable, the inner has been lined with mesh and it does its job well making it feel great against the skin.

Marketed as a ‘classic all-rounder’ the Venture Jacket is designed to be used in a range of situations from casual use walking to the pub to hiking in the hills or mountains. It’s been coated with The North Face’s own waterproofing technology, HyVent, to keep the water out.

The Venture Jacket packs down into its own pocket to a size that’s slightly larger than a bag of crisps and twice as thick – great if you’re travelling abroad or going on multi-day hikes as it won’t be too much of a burden in your bag. Couple that with the light weight of 379g and you’ve got a pack friendly jacket.

The Pioneer is the first piece of clothing to be launched from Target Dry’s Xtreme Series range. It’s being marketed as a ‘four season’ jacket, and it uses a Teflon-coated Oxford Nylon to make it more durable, but the downside of this is the weight – at 750g it’s not the most lightweight jacket we’ve come across: you certainly can’t shove it in your pack and forget about it.

The main zip on the Pioneer is protected by a stiff double storm flap that’s held securely in place by a series of Velcro strips and feels strong and protective. The two giant handwarmer pockets (big enough for OS maps) are fleece-lined for comfort and warmth, and they’re protected by a small storm flap and water resistant zips. You also get a handy internal chest pocket.