What’s the best hiking jacket?

The one that protects you from the weather you’ll face. For rain in any season, choose a lightweight waterproof jacket: the Ultrashell COSMIQUES has a 20,000 Schmerber rating and weighs 390 g in size M; the 10,000 Schmerber CIMASHELL CASCADE is designed for all-weather hiking. For dry cold and wind, choose a softshell such as the DYNAMIC or ENERGY.

Softshell or hardshell: which jacket should I choose for hiking?

A hardshell is fully waterproof, with a membrane and sealed seams, like the CASCADE or COSMIQUES. A softshell is warm, windproof and water-repellent, but its seams are not taped: if rain lasts more than 30 minutes, switch to a hardshell. In changeable weather, wear the softshell and keep a lightweight hardshell in your pack.

Which hiking jacket should I choose for winter?

A 3-in-1 jacket combines a waterproof jacket with a removable warm layer: a fleece in the SCIA, or a CIMALOFT-insulated jacket in the CLIMAT. For mountaineering or ski touring, wear separate layers instead: an insulated jacket or technical fleece under an Ultrashell jacket such as the ADVANCED.

What size hiking jacket should I choose?

Choose your usual size for most jackets. The GUIDE PRO, MERU and LORY run slightly large: if you’re between sizes, size down. The HIMALAYAN, BALTORO and KHUMBU expedition insulated jackets run large: size down. The ENERGY, VISO, CLIMATA, women’s NATURE parka, ICEBERG gilet and MEIJE, MALLET, MORZINE and CLUSAZ insulated jackets run slightly small: if you’re between sizes, size up.

Hiking jackets

Men’s and women’s hiking jackets for every layer: Ultrashell or CIMASHELL waterproof jackets for rain, softshell jackets for wind and cold, plus fleeces, insulated jackets and gilets to retain warmth.

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Hiking Jackets

Which hiking jacket should you choose for the weather?

The sky is clear when you leave the mountain hut. Two hours later, a shower sweeps across the pass, and the wind brings a sharp drop in temperature when you stop. Choose a hiking jacket according to what it needs to keep out: a waterproof jacket keeps out rain; a softshell blocks wind and retains warmth; a fleece or insulated jacket primarily provides warmth, and several also block wind. Compare these key points:

Waterproof rating: 10,000 or 20,000 Schmerber, depending on the membrane.
Breathability: 10,000–80,000 g/m²/24 h.
Wind protection: from the ICEBERG gilet, which does not block wind, to jackets that withstand strong winds of 60 to 90 km/h.
Weight: from 215 g for the ARVES insulated gilet to 1,275 g for the men's NATURE parka.

If you want one jacket for year-round use, choose a lightweight waterproof jacket and add a fleece underneath when it's cold.

Waterproof hiking jacket: Ultrashell 20,000 or CIMASHELL 10,000

In prolonged rain, only a jacket with a membrane and sealed seams keeps you dry: that's a hardshell. The CASCADE, made with 10,000 Schmerber CIMASHELL, is built for hiking in all weathers, from a half-day outing to a bivvy: 525 g in men's size M or 430 g in women's size S, with underarm ventilation zips.

The Ultrashell membrane reaches 20,000 Schmerber and 80,000 g/m²/24 h. The COSMIQUES (390 g in size M) has a peaked hood adjustable at three points. The ADVANCED and GUIDE PRO, reinforced at the shoulders, add a RECCO reflector for mountaineering and ski touring; it does not replace the avalanche transceiver you carry, or your shovel and probe. For hiking, choose the CASCADE or the lighter COSMIQUES; for mountaineering and ski touring, choose the ADVANCED or GUIDE PRO. Find them all in our waterproof jackets.

Softshell jacket: warm, windproof and water-repellent

In dry cold and wind along a ridge, a softshell blocks the wind and retains warmth in a single jacket. The men's DYNAMIC (780 g in size M) and women's ENERGY (650 g in size S) withstand strong winds of 60 to 90 km/h and have two side vents for the climbs. The SUMMIT adds a highly abrasion-resistant outer fabric; the VISO gilet offers the same protection without sleeves, at 380 g.

Their seams aren’t taped: if rain lasts more than 30 minutes, switch to a waterproof jacket.

Fleeces, insulated jackets and gilets: the warm layer

When you stop, the warmth you built up on the climb fades within minutes. Wear a fleece under a jacket or on its own in dry weather: the WARMIT, in CIMATHERM Stretch, withstands a stiff breeze; the men's DIKLO and women's CHANI concentrate insulation around the torso and withstand sustained winds of 40 to 60 km/h. Find the full range in our fleece jackets.

For long stops, switch to an insulated jacket. If damp conditions are likely, choose CIMALOFT synthetic insulation, which retains warmth even when wet : the hooded MEIJE (515 g in size M) or the MALLET (480 g). With natural down insulation, the men's MERU and women's LORY withstand strong winds. See our insulated hiking jackets and our sleeveless hiking gilets, including the VELAN at 260 g.

3-in-1 jackets and winter parkas in men's and women's fits

For winter, the SCIA and CLIMAT combine a waterproof jacket rated at 10,000 Schmerber with a removable warm layer: a fleece for the SCIA and a CIMALOFT insulated jacket for the CLIMAT. Each part can also be worn on its own: the jacket in the rain, the warm layer between seasons. The long NATURE parka, insulated with CIMALOFT (37% maize fibres, 63% recycled polyester), goes from trail to town. Find all our winter jackets in our warm jackets.

Most styles come in men's and women's fits, sometimes under different names: the CLIMAT becomes the CLIMATA, and the DIKLO becomes the CHANI. Each fit has its own collection: our men’s hiking jackets and our women’s hiking jackets ; for high-altitude mountain use, see our mountaineering jackets, and for the rest of your outfit, our hiking clothing. Like all Cimalp clothing, these jackets benefit from the free repairs for life.

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