REVIEW | CRAGHOPPERS JASMINE JACKET FROM GO OUTDOORS

Is there anything nicer than coming in from a great walk in the cool autumn air, getting you’re your comfiest clothing, and snuggling on the sofa to relax for the evening? Add in a bowl of great soup or a thin and crispy veggie pizza and I’m a very happy outdoors loving lady. Introducing the new Craghoppers Jasmine Jacket, a recent purchase that I just know will be a wardrobe staple this season. 

Doing my best fashion blogger impression. Apologies!

I’ve been looking for a snuggly and cosy new fleece for ages. I did have one but it shrunk a bit too much in the wardrobe, as clothes tend to do over the years. And while I have a couple of technical fleeces that work super well when walking or camping, neither are what I would refer to as “cosy”. They keep me warm enough, but they don’t feel cosy; they are thin, smooth, and designed as technical pieces not as Sunday evening snuggling companions.

Trying to break into Lincoln Cathedral!

I headed over to GO Outdoors in Nottingham to go shopping. I love shopping for outdoors gear, there is something wonderful about mooching around a big outdoorsy department store that inspires me to go out and do all kinds of activities. We had a whole Outdoor Bloggers twitter chat on the topic, and I discovered I’m not alone; many people prefer to buy their outdoors stuff in person rather than online, especially clothes. I am just much more successful if I do my research online to narrow down the choices and then head in store to try things on rather than just relying on online shopping all the time. I know we have a GO Outdoors in Lincoln, but the one at Nottingham is so much bigger and so the range of gear on offer is also bigger; it is open until 8pm so I easily have enough time to head over after work during the week without using up one of my important weekend days.

GO Outdoors Nottingham.

The Jasmine Jacket by Craghoppers stood out to me straight away, actually. I could see there was a cosy lining on the inside and it looked thick and warm. And it is; the textured fleece face and Sherpa fleece back are so comfortable, definitely the sort of thing I want to be spending my post-adventure down time relaxing in! Oh and the two zipped pockets are perfect for hand warming.

I love how the slightly tailored shape and the natural grey colour makes it a reasonably smart fleece, too, if it is possible to have a “smart” fleece. What I mean is that it isn’t a super casual or scruffy piece, it’s something I could easily wear in the office on a very cold day (as I did for the photos in this post), just as well as I can wear it camping. It’s also perfect for a pub meal straight from being on a hike. This makes it a good use of the £50 price tag, because I can wear it daily.

Choosing the Craghoppers Jasmine Jacket in GO Outdoors Nottingham.

While the Craghoppers Jasmine jacket stood out to me, it wasn’t the only one that caught my eye. I tried on about ten I think, there was a lot of choice. The shop assistants in store must have thought I was a bit odd, well maybe not, it’s important to compare and contrast a pile of jackets in front of the mirror, right?! It was between that one and the Weird Fish Bellaroo, a more casual style fleece jacket with a hood. I do like hoodies, but chose the one without this time to make layering it under my waterproof coat, which naturally has a hood of its own, a little more practical. The neckline on the Jasmine is nice and high so it still feels very snuggly without a hood, and I can always team it with one of my favourite beanie hats when I’m wearing it outside in winter. I am still tempted by the Weird Fish one, though, it’s pretty similar to the one that “shrunk in the wardrobe”. I might add it to my birthday list!

Another fashion blogger impression. Oh dear. I’m so rubbish at this!

I’m yet to find any negatives from my choice, it is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I know from experience that Craghoppers are a great brand (my Sienna waterproof is superb), and I’ve already worn it enough to know it’s going to be the perfect post-outdoors-time layer. I fully anticipate living in my new fleece from now until Spring arrives.

What do you think? Do you like it?

I’m wearing a size 12 in the Craghoppers Jasmine. 

GO Outdoors invited me to look around the Nottingham store and gifted me a voucher to spend. I am already a regular customer (possibly too regular…), and bought what I knew I needed and would like.

GO Outdoors Nottingham are celebrating their first birthday this coming weekend (28/29th October) with a family fun event and loads of discounted gear, the perfect excuse to visit (with or without your credit card!).